The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1911-04-24
His Promotion
By carroll H. PRICE
Copyright, 1910. by American Press
Association

IlOuS SOuICts, So lldll1 SOuItSb Luul ~
is difficult to mention or classify them.
And yet how hard il is for boy, I'M
aided and often even with every ad-
vantage, to grow into one Of them.
Frank Bushnell was obliged to go to
work when he was but twelve years
old. His education therefore was not
Of the best and, having no one to help
him on but himself, he progressed
slowly, or, rather, he didn't progress
at all. lie sold papers on railroad,
then became brakeman and when
he was nearly thirty years old had got
no farther UP the ladder than baggage
agent at a small way station at a sal
airy Of $50 month.
Frank while hunting up lost trunk
went one day into the general offices
Of the company. There he saw the
sleek well groomed officials with pol
ished fingernails and clean shaved
faces. One who sat at mahogany
desk and tapped a bell occasionally
for boy to do his work may have
been getting from $4,000 to $4,000
year, while Frank for firing himself
out handling heavy trunks got less
than S400 1t made him desperate
He went back to his station and wrote
a letter applying for a better position.
The official who received 1t was
about to throw it into the wastebas-
ket when he remembered a station in
the center Of desolate section OF the
road where the inhabitants who used
the railroad habitually intimidated the
ticket agent, securing tickets without
paying any money for them. One
agent after another had been dis
charged for not collecting for tickets
sold. The official Endorsed on Frank
Bushnell's letter Appoint him agent
at Hawkeye"
When Frank learned that he was
transferred to Hawkeye at salary OF
$500 a year he was encouraged till he
learned the facts. Then he was cor
respondingly depressed. But life look
ed so gloomy to him that he didn't
care much whether he got killed try
ing to collect fares at Hawkeye or not.
He was passing into middle age, had
no home and, worst Of all, wanted to
make one with girl he knew. But
that was out of the question.
The first morning Frank appeared
at his window wild looking man APP
Piled for a ticket. Frank handed It
out, but kept his hand on 1t, demand
ing the money for it. The man was
putting his hand TO his hip for bis re-
volver when Frank laid his own hand
on one beside the window invisible
from the outside and fired at random
through the opening. Then he went
outside to discover the results and
found the man. shot through the
breast, giving his last kick. Going
back TO his telegraph clicker, he sent
the following message to the man who
appointed him.
Killed man for refusing to pay fare.
Send undertaken. Shall I keep on?
When the gentleman received the
dispatch he was puzzled just what TO
do in the matter This taking the law
in the hands of the company through
one OF its agents was not In keeping
with the policy as laid down by its
chief attorney. The recipient Of the
telegram took it into the president,
who read 1t and was visibly i'm
pressed.
Send an undertaken" he said. and
report the matter to Mr. Pugh." Mr..
Pugh was the roads chief attorney.
But the reply to the station agent
as to his future course? You see, he
asks II he shall keep on killing those
who refuse to pay"
appoint another man in his place
and as soon as the legal difficulties are
out Of the way order him to report to
me here"
There were no legal difficulties. Every
one knew all about Hawkeye Station
and felt assured that If the people liy-
ing about ii couldn't take care OF them
selves the law would fail also. In a
few days Bushnell appeared before the
president of the road.
1T seems to me-" said the president,
"that you have indicated the field for
which you are fitted. am director in
bank. We have trouble TO find a
man brave enough and at the same
time honest enough to guard our funds
and securities. | am told that you are
scrupul,usly honest. 1 can secure for
you the position of chief Waterman at
the bank. You will be held account
able for its safety. and as your duties
will be very important your salary will
be commensurate. You will receive
$1,000 year"
Frank was so astonished that he neg
lected to reply. Finally, recalling him
self, he said;
"If this promotion is for killing one
man, why not let me stay there and
XIII a few more of EN-. l could get as
big salary as any one here in time
ut isn't for killing man that you
are taken up for more responsible
position, but for furnishing evidence
that you have plenty of nerve"
Frank Bushnell entered on his new
duties. At first it seemed to him that,
having been put there for the purpose
Of killing those who sought to rob the
bank. he should shoot some one at
least once a week in order to retain so
fine salary. But as time went on he
learned that his value wds negative