The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-03-21
PerSOnalIy
Conducted
BY John Wardsr

/ Copyright 1911, BY Associated IiteEary Preset
Brigham Bennington Brown was the
name pronounced at the batismal font,
but when at last he arrived in the Of
fee Of the T. G. & S. as assistant SUI
perintendent Of construction, he had
achieved the sourbriquet Of Turtle, not
because Of his slowness. but because
of the persistence with which he chung
to an object
Bulldog" had first been proposed,
but Burton, observing the play Of the
lean, sineWy neck in the loose turn
down ceIIuloid collar had suggested
Swapping Turtle as 4 better name and
this had been condensed to Turtle.
Burton had brought Turtle back from
the west when 7. G. & s. had called
him to build the SO-mile feeder to the
trunk line.
The trunk line had long had 1t in
mind to build feeder itself. Once a
preliminary survey had been made.
but some Objectionable legislation had
caused the abandonment of the scheme
until the proper law-givers could be
seen and meanwhile the charter Of
the independent line had been passed
over the heads of the railroad party
in the two houses.
Burton had been sent for in a hurry
and had been given instructions that
at all hazards the line must be ready
in time
Burton, working up and down the
line, scowled at the show progress and
at the gangs sitting idle while wait
ing the arrival Of more material and
at last he sought out the president.
The M & G. people are turning a
dirty trick" he stormed. They say
that they are doing all they can to
rush the material through and yet ii
is certain that they are letting our
cars loaf. The steel for that bridge
across the Canscott should have been
here two weeks ago. It has not even
reached the IA, & G. yet. It is stalled
somewhere along the A. & w. The A.
& w. is really part Of the M. e G.
system ana they are deliberately hold.
Ing it back"
But the railroad people say that
they are doing their very best. said
President Severn, mildly.
I have your authority to speak?"
demanded Burton.
If necessary, assented the presi-
dent, and with blunt leave-taking
Burton slipped from the room. He
had 10 minutes in which to make the
next train to the headquarters Of the
company in New York and that after
noon he had an interview with the
president Of the M. & G. and the traf-
&c manager,
Knowing that the steel was still In
the hands of the A. & w. and that 1t
was likely that it would stay there
until after the time limit had expired,
the president Of the M. & G. readily
enough gave Burton an order to all
employees Of his road requiring them
to expedite in every manner the de-
livery Oh the rails.
Then he bowed Burton out and die
tated letter to the president of the
A. & w. explaining the situation and
asking that delivery to his road be
delayed until after certain date
Before the latter read the letter the
following morning he had already Civ
en- Burton letter similar to the one
the construction man had obtained at
his first interview on the supposition
that the M & G. would attend to the
proper delay when the freight passed
to their yards.
Armed with these two letters Turtle
was already speeding toward the steel
country and by evening he had To-
Gated the missing steel.
It had all been side tracked at q
minor town where the yard officials
were doing their best to forget its ex-
istence, but Tugtle and the letter from
the president reused their memories,
and Turtle, sitting in the cab Of the
shunting engine, picked up the de-
tached cars and made up a special
before word came from the headQuar-
tiers ii New York.
The wires warmed under the dis
cussion that went on, but in the end
the ONCE was forced to admit that the
subordinate had only done their duty.
Wen lose that train somewhere
along the road" he said with fresh
outburst Of laughter. Burton will
start for home secure 10 the belief
that the train win follow and every
time he comes back after II, 1t will
take two Of three days to get It start
ed again"
TITS not Burton" explained the
president, but some young cub Of
his. B. B. Brown
The traflc manager smiled. He
dimly remembered 3. B. Brown, a
mild-mannered. lnoifensive sort Of
young fellow.
II guess we can handle b.. B.
Brown" be wired back with grin.
You might send word to the dispatch
ers Office to run the train In on a
siding somewhere to permit the nolitf.