Metropolis weekly gazette. (Metropolis, Ill.) 1???-19??, 1914-10-23
THE DYNAMITE CAR
Not Explosive, It Mas at Least
Valuable Freight, to Be Han
died With Care.
BY HARRY LILLY.


swung aboard the eaboose of No. 20,
local west. as she pulled out of
Shacktown Family troubles were hard
enough on a man without any addi-
ton.
He had an alteration with his
daughter the night before over the
eternal Hazenfritz question. and now,
here. next to the caboose. was this
car-with as many placards as we'd
/ ding trunk-Dynamite High Explo-
sivesl Handle Carefully Keep All
Lights Away
keys passion welled up and up
+ until 1t reached the acme of anger.
He was too angry to swear. For II
/ there was one thing of which he was
more afraid than of snakes, 1t was
i dynamite. key usually waved his
hand scornfully at the agent as bis
! train ran by the station. but today he
was too angry to administer the Gus
/ tomary insult to his daughters suitor.
For three years George Hazenfritz
/ had been trying to gain Keys con-
sent to the match; and for two years
key had watched the morning pas
senger train. and after. as his local
/ freight rumbled by, had given a mock
ing salute to Hazenfritz, the agent.
There are but two passenger trains
a day-one east and one west--over
/ the branch OF which Shacktown Is one
terminal while Slowtown, the county
seat. Is the other. So when key, hav-
ing watched the morning train, pulled
out with his way train. be knew that
there was no possible chance for an
elopement that day.
On the next morning when key was
working east again. the conductor on
the opposite run would watch the pas
senger even more zealously than key
himself He was keys choice fer a
I son-in-law.
key turned over his bundle OF way
bills. There were bills for three cars
/ whose contents were TO be distributed
at the various stations along the way
/ There were bills for two cars OF kegs
for the brewery. car OF sand for the
foundry, car of scrap from the Jew
at Shacktown to the Jew at Showdown,
car with a little jag OF companys
/ stun, but not a scrap OF paper that
sale word about dynamite. or any
thing more dangerous than whisky.
When the train stopped 10 unload
freight at the first station out OF
Shacktown. key made an inspection
OF the car. II was sealed and side
carded from Shacktown TO Showdown,
contents dynamite. Some one had
sketched deaths head. In red ink,
on the card.
THAT cursed Hazenfritz." mutiered
key. as he slgnaled to 90 ahead.
The long day wore on with its mo-
notonous dropping Of a car here.
picking up another somewhere else.
stopping ut every fence corner to pick
up. or unload. freight; and ever on
keys mind was the dynamite car.
Once. at station half way up
the run. he caught fool brakey strIk-
ing match to light his pipe on the
door of the dynamite car.
Another time. when making a shin.
the engineer struck her so hard that
Ikey held himself down with bots
hands. expecting TO go up any minute.
Then he went forward and cursed the
engineer, but this made things worse.
for after that he hit her bump when.
ever he could.
II was dark when, at last, No. %
pulled into Slowtown.
You're late, old man" remarked the
agent, as key entered the Office and
/ threw down his bills.
Lucky to get In at ALL" snarled
/ key. Lucky we didn't take the sky
route"
why? What's the matter? Had
any troubbe7" asked the agent.
mo, only some wooden-headed fool
shipped up car OF explosives, dyna-
mite, on our train; and every time
that fool engineer struck her he
struck her harder than the last. Lucky.
as said. we didn't take the sky
route"
a shipment OF dynamite repeat.
ed the agent, taking up message
which he kept beyond the range of
] lkCI NlSIOI. we QCH ger 0Hv DIV.
Mantle up this end. Where's the way.
bills?" he asked, as he turned over
/ the bunch key had just brought in
A faint smile played around his mus
tache as he spoke.
NO bin did see for IL, but IT'S
sidecarded plainly enough" Kissed
key. Then, you couldn't EXPECT
Hazenfritz to make side-card and
way-bill in one day"
Another mysterious smile was half
i born beneath the agents mustache
but he said nothing.
Ikey marched up town TO his board.
ing house and the agent took lantern
and went out into the yard where the
dynamite car stood. He broke the seal
and. holding the lantern in the door
way, peered in. Evidently he was
not afraid OF dynamite.
When key reported for duty the
! next day, a shifter was setting out
car for his train.
What have you got In her this