Omaha daily bee., 1913-10-25
BOUGHT ARAILRoAD FOR $3.50
But the OLE Horse Trader Found He
Had Been stung by the
Train Crew.

"speakingof the Frisco receivership, +"
said e. V. Williams with reminiscent
smile. reminds me of one OF the fun
niest things that ever happened in the
early history of North Springfield. the
time that Hank Jennings bought up the
railroad for $50 and started in 60 make
his fortune
Hank was leary-eyed. ungainly, angu-
lar country pumpkin who came to town
every Saturday TO dangle his long legs
over the cracker barrels OF the corner
grocery. chew endless amounts OF to-
bacco and swap mules in between whites
A keen tader was Hank. He'd rather
get a dollar on n sharp deal than TO find
two rolling up the street. As he sloshed
his duid between his cheeks his weather
eye was always out for bargain
In the days when Hank bought up the
railroad raIlrosding was a good deal diff
ferent than 1t is now. you understand.
A rough. registering bunch Of mon. fond
of liquor and earousing. were on every
train crew. The first few weeks the rail-
road came to Springfield, as you may
know. it was the object of interest for
the whole countryside People came In
for miles TO see the putting engine. chug-
ging along the track apparently of its
own force. The sight was much more
exciting than an airship taxicab line
would be now.
Among those who rode in from the
country TO see the train was Hank. He
looked with amaze on the rafting cars
and noisy engines. He approached
switch engine curiously. and looked II
over with the same suspicious shrewd-,
ness that he always kept on hand for
looking inside the mouth OF horse he
was planning to trade for. Finally he
approached the red-faced engineer and
said
"'Nvhat der yer reckin that there
blamed thing is wuth?
81 don't know. replied the engineer,
with a wink at one of his fellow train
men. IT'S worth a good deal, you know.
You could make big money with II haul
ing stuff up and down the tracks. What
will you g1ve?'
81 amt got but IS. 80. returned Hank.
The engines cheap at $50, saidsthe
engineer. It cost alleo' $40. But like
the looks OF you. and l need some money.
stranger. II you can plank the money
down now the engines yourn.'
a" But how'd / run itY put In Hank In
perplexity.-- How much are you. sellin
the track fer
: "'If you'll pay $3.50 down now said
the trainman solemnly. well thrown In
the track for ten miles UP the line. Then
you can buy the rest of It on easy terms
"A few minutes later two hilarious
RAILROAD men were making for the near
est saloon with Hanks $50. and Hank.
no less happy. was strutting UP and down
the track gloating over his cherished
possession and wondering, perhaps. what
his wife would say when she knew that
he owned an engine and ten miles Of
track on the much talked of railroad.
Maybe you've dreamed OF being mil
lionaire and then woke up to find that
your bank account was overdrawn. Then
you'll know how Hank felt when he found
out that he was the goat And perhaps
youM understand how the trainmen felt
when they sobered up from their royal
drunk to find that an unhumorous prac-
tical minded judge was waiting to SEN
tence them to thirty days in Jail for get
ting money under false pretenses"-
Springfield (Mo) Republican.