Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1909-1915, 1914-12-25
"a BOY S CHOICE

gagged in a dangerous occupation
when the care or neglect OF one may
save or lose the lives of many-in-
stantly recognized that "Snippy"
could be depended upon. One knew
instinctively that he would never be
found wanting when the test came.
n \. He was employed on one Of the
trunk lines, running east and west on
a division of 140 miles of double track, !
with light grades and easy curves. i
Trains of As or so freight cars were
not uncommon, even in his time
4, The train was handled by crew
OF six men-the engineer and fireman
On the engine, conductor. flagman. and
two brakemen, one of whom should
always be on or near the engine, and
one near the caboose, in which the
others might ride. "snippy's" usual
post was in front. D'
One rainy night in early spring
"Snippy's' crew was ordered out for
the 140-mile run westward. He had
no faith in omens or premonitions, so
when he noticed that it was March 49,
and that there were thirteen names
On the board" he only thought that
| guess he had us spotted from the
start, but he was d good fellow anG-
never let on. He let US trim a sheep
man out Of a thousand ID.
".,ii was hard work, for the sheep
chaperon was foxy and he did moi
want to play with our cards. He
bought pack from the porter and 1t
was straight playing. but we were two
to one and We got it,, r., ..5.-
"Towles got us in the smoker and
suggested that If the porters carried
marked decks t. would be pretty soft
for anybody who didn't like to bet on
a full house against tours. That all
he said, but he explained that he had
charge of all the cars on that road
put up all the supplies.
eve looked interested in the details,
but we didn't bite until we got back to
Chicago and found out he was what
he said he was and not a railroad de-
tective. Then we Topped and Towles
was reasonable.
HE could put marked decks .on
every car that carried them, and all
/ he wanted was tn per cent. He
didn't even ask us to wear cash reg
listers. ..s
well. Don had a friend who made
beautiful ink. It wasn't the sort they
sell suckers and come-ons who answer
ads, but the real goods. 1t cost us ten
dollars for about teaspoonful, but
1t blended perfectly with the print.
ing. 49, r.~.- ....s3.
!. 1T took us three weeks to mark up
! stock, and then we had to wait until
the cars were stocked. That was
another couple of weeks, and then
just as though luck was made to or
der--1 got a tip from Pickering, the
chap in New York told you of once
| that Bob Brown was headed fol
home. H.. -, 81 ,,. :. Z ss.. Z.
you've heard of Bob Brown. He
| fell down a stump hole and came Out
| with broken leg and bonanza
| mine He was going back to Califor
MIA, and he had a chap with him who
! owned three or four counties in Texas
and had SO many COWS it took three
men five weeks, to count them. ::
Three days on the train with them
< and them liking poker and being will
| ing to be murdered If it was done
nice! y" " Es'E O.. r
" : e d, " q. .fE Fad
Pickering wised US that the ole
| fngerwork wouldn't go. They knew
the tricks-Bob had lost about three
millions, and you're bound to get some
wisdom for that--but Pickering knew
! could mark angel backs to fool ever
professional. %,&&5.,% .IIttg ~, Is
Pickering got fooled himself once
and he wrote that he thought WI
could get to them with some goot
marked papers. Z >5f.::.,ss+: : y:
don and ;me, We're on the train tina
carried Brown and his pal, and afte1
breakfast the next morning we brok,
| in. Don landed them first and dragged
! me in last, pretending he didn't know
me. u .ss 4 .;.@.s,s h, &. 3d. +
+ 81 suggested that had q couple o
new. decks in my grip, but Dol
I: couldn't see that. He thought tn,
train: cards We're good: enough; and tn
wink he handed Brown and his pa
made them sure that Don was wis.,
and on the level. " 4 y WI. 4. d :. r.
t. "trhe porter brought the cards in
and if the train had run off the tract
/ just then I'd have given the enginee
i a cigar. Il paid the porter the dolla
4 he asked, butt wanted to ram it dow
4 his throat and make him choke over ii
! They were the same sort Don an,
i me had almost ruined our eyesigh
/ on, but they. weren't our work.
4 There we sat with men who'd drol
/ a couple Of hundred thoueand befor
1 the train got down out Of the Sierra