The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1912-02-01
His Promotion
-4 BY CAROL Fl. PRICE @
Copyright. 1910, by American Press
Association.

And yet how hard it is for a 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. He sold papers on railroad,
then became a 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 a month.
Frank while hunting up lost trunk
went one day into the general offices
of the company. There he saw the
sleek, we'll 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 a
year, while Frank for firing himself
out handling heavy trunks got less
than $500. 1t made him desperate
he went back to his station and wrote
letter applying for better position.
The official who received it was
about to throw it into the wastebas-
ket when he remembered a station in
the center of a 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
$50 q 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
!
The first morning Frank appeared
ut his window a wild looking man APP
piled for ticket. Frank handed 1t
out, but kept his hand on it, demand
ing the money for it. The man was
putting his hand to his hip for his 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 faro
Send undertaken. Shall 1 keep on?
When the gentleman received the
dispatch he was puzzled just what tc
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 it 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 agen
AZ to his future course? You see, h,
asks If he shall keep on killing thos,
who refuse to pay"
Appoint another man In his plac,
and as soon as the legal difficulties ar,
out of the way order him to report t,
me here"
There were no legal difficulties. Ever,
one knew all about Hawkeye Station
and felt assured that If the people liv
ing about it couldn't take care Of them
selves the law would fail also. In .
few days Bushnell appeared before th'
president Of the road.
1T seems to me" said the president
that you have indicated the field TO
which you are d1ed. am director IL
. bank. We have trouble to find
man brave enough and at the sam,
ume honest enough to guard our fund
and securities. am told that you ar
ocrupulously honest can secure TO
you the position of chief watchman a
the bank. You will be held account
- able for its safety, and as your duties
viii be very important your salary viii
] be commensurate. You will receiv,
5000 year" 5
Frank was 80 astonished that he neg
locted to reply. Finally, recalling him
seif, he said:
IF this promotion IL for killing on
man, why not let me stay there an,
XIII few more Of 'em. could get a.
BIG salary az any one her, in time.
1T isn't for killing man that 20,
an taken up for more responsible,
position. but for furnishing evidenc,
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 purpos
Of killing those who sought to rob tn
bank, he should shoot some one a
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