Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1914-10-09
THE DYNAMITE CAR
Not Explosive, It Was at Least
Valuable Freight, to Be Han
died With Care.
BY HARRY LILLY.

local west. as che pulled out Of
Shacktown. Family troubles were hard
enough on u man without any addi-
ton.
lie 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 wed.
ding tunk-Dynamite! High Explo-
sives! 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
dynamite. Ikey usually waved his
hand scornfully at the agent as his
train ran by the station. but today he
was too angry to administer the Gus
tomary insult TO his daughters sutton.
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
day-one east and one west--over
the branch of which Shacktown is one
terminal, while Showdown, the county
seat, is the other. So when Likely. hav-
Ing watched the morning train. pulled
out with his way train, he knew that
there was no possible chance for an
elopement that day.
On the next morning when Likely was
working east again, the conductor on
the opposite run would watch the pas
senger even more zealously than Ikey
himself He was keys choice for q
son-in-law.
lkey 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, q car of sand for the
foundry, car OF scrap from the Jew
at Shacktown to the Jew at Showdown.
q car with little jag Of company's
stun, but not q scrap Of paper that
said a word about dynamite, or any
thing more dangerous than whisky.
When the train stopped to unload
freight at the first station out of
Shacktown, likely made an inspection
Of the car. 1t was sealed and side
carded from Shacktown to Showdown,
contents dynamite. Some one had
sketched a deaths head. In red ink,
on the card.
THAT cursed Hazenfritz," muttered
Ikey, as he signaled to go ahead.
The long day wore on with its mo-
notonous dropping Of a car here,
picking up another somewhere else.
stopping at every fence corner to pick
up, or unload, freight; and ever on
keys mind was the dynamite car.
Once, at a station half way up
tho run. he caught a fool brakey strik-
ing match to light his pipe on the
door Of the dynamite car.
Another time, when making a shift,
the engineer struck her SO hard that
Ikey held himself down with both
hands, expecting to 60 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.
40 r1r pf L.
pulled into Showdown.
You're late. old man." remarked the
agent, as Ikey entered the Office and
threw down his bills.
Lucky to get in at ALL" snarled
Ikey. Lucky we didn't take the sky
route
why? What's the matter? Had
any trouble?" asked the agent.
mo, only some wooden-headed fool
shipped up a 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
keys vision. 1--WE don't get any dy-
Mantle up this end. Where's the way
bills?' he asked, as he turned over
the bunch Ikey had just brought in.
A faint smile played around his mus.
tache as he spoke.
mo bill did see for 1t, but it's
side-carded plainly enough" Kissed
Likely. Then, you couldn't expect
Hazenfritz to make a sidecard and a
way-bill in one day."
Another mysterious smile was half
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 likely reported for duty the
next day, a shifter was setting out
a car for his train.
What have you got In her this
time?" he asked, in jocular voice, as
he proceeded to tear OF one OF the
offending placards.
Hold on there!" cried the con-
ductor of the shifter, pointing to the
door. 1t was sealed and slde-carded.
Ikey jumped three feet, and when
he alighted let out a string Of curses
that was appalling. The side-card
read From Showdown to Stringer
Mines. Contents Dynamite" String
er mines are on q little coal road
which connects with the rain branch
at Shacktown.
As Likely tore into the office tho
bill clefk was making memorandum