Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1914-05-08
HANKS GOOD BARGAIN
coUNTRYmAN CERTAINLY PUR-
CHASED LOCOMOTIVE CHEAP.
Unfortunately the Sale Had to Be
Called on, and Neither Party to
the Transaction Got Much
Benefit From IL

Speaking of the Frisco receiver
ship" said Ed V. Williams with a
reminiscent smile, reminds me of
one of the funniest things that ever
happened in the early history of North
Springfield. the time that Hank
Jenkins bought up the railroad for
$3.50 and started in to make his for
tune.
Hank was a leary-eyed, ungainly,
angular country pumpkin, who came
to town every Saturday to bangle his
long legs over the cracker barrels of
the corner grocery, chew endless
amounts of tobacco and swap mules in
between whites. A keen trader was
Hank. He'd rather get a dollar on a
sharp deal than to find two rolling up
the street.
I'm the days when Hank bought up
the railroad railroading was a good
deal different than 1t is now, you un-
derstand A rough, FOSTERING bunch
of men, fond of liquor and carousing,
were on every train crew. The first
few weeks the railroad came to Spring
field, as you may know, 1t was the OBJ
ject of interest for the whole country
side. People came in for miles to see
the putting engine, chugging 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
Hank He looked with amaze on the
rafting cars and noisy engines. He
approached a switch engine curiously,
and looked it over with the same sus-
picious shrewdness 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
What der yer reckin that there
blamed thing is wuth?
81 don't know replied the engi-
heer, with wink at one of his fellow
trainmen. It's worth a good DEAL
you know. You could make big money
with it hauling stuff up and down the
tracks. Whatll you give?
"'I amt got but $780, returned
Hank.
1.-The engines cheap at $780, said
the engineer 1t cost all O. $40. But
| like the looks of you, and l need
some money, stranger. If you can
plank the money down now the en-
gines yourn.'
but how'd run it?' put in Hank
in perplexity. How much are you
sellin' the track for?'
of you'll pay $3.50 down now said
the trainman solemnly, well throw
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 $3.50, and
Hank, no less happy, was strutting
UP and down the track gloating over
the cherished possession and wonder
ing, perhaps, what his wife would say
when she knew that he owned an en-
CINE and ten miles of track on the
much talked of railroad.
"Maybe you've dreamed of being a
millionaire and then woke up to find
that your bank account was over
drawn. Then you'll know how Hank
felt when he found out that he was
the goat And perhaps, you'll under
stand how the trainmen felt when
they sobered up from their royal
drunk to find that an unhumorous,
practical minded judge was waiting to
sentence them to 80 days in Jail for
getting money under false pretenses. :"
Springfield Republican.