The Western outlook., 1914-11-07
THE DYNAMITE GAR
Not Explosive, It Was at Least
Valuable Freight, to Be Han
died With Care.
BY HARRY LILLY.

running ana swearing, lhEy ldAtCi II
swung aboard the caboose OF No 23,
local west, as she pulled out OF
Shacktown. Family troubles were hard
enough on man without any addi-
ton
He had an altercation 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-
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 ne
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 mock
ing salute to Hazenfritz, the agent
There are but two passenger trains
day-one east and one west-oyer
the branch of which Shacktown Is one
terminal, while Slowtown, the county
seat, Is the other. So when Ikey, 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 Ikey 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 a
son-in-law.
Ikey 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, a car of sand for the
| foundry, car of scrap from the Jew
| at Shacktown to the Jew at Slowtown,
car with little jag Of company's 8
stuff, but not scrap Of paper that
said word about dynamite, or any
thing more dangerous than whisky.
| When the train stopped to unload
freight at the first station out OF
| Shacktown, key made an inspection
Of the car. 1t was sealed and side
carded from Shacktown to Slowtown
contents dynamite. Some one had
sketched 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 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 station half way up
the run, he caught fool brakey strik-
ing match to light his pipe on the
door of the dynamite car
i Another time. when making a shift,
the engineer struck her SO hard that
Ikey held himself down with both
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
1t was dark when, at last, No. %
pulled into Slowtown.
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 q message
which he kept beyond the range OF
keys vision. I'VE don't get any dy-
Mantle up this end. Where's the way
bills?' be asked, as he turned over
the bunch key had just brought In.
A faint smile played around his mus
tacbe as he spoke.
mo bill did I see for It, but It's
side-carded plainly enough" Kissed
key. Then, you couldn't expect
Fagcnsritg to make a side-card and a
way-hill in cne 1ay."
Another mysterious smile was half
born beneath the agents mustache,
but he said nothing
key msrched up trwn to his board
ing house and the agent took lantern
and went ont into the yard where the
! dynamite ca- stood. He broke the seal
and holding tie lantern in the door.
way, peered in Evidently he was
not afraid OF dynamite
When ILev reported for duty the
next day. shIstcr was setting out
car Fer bis train
What have you got in her this
timer" he asked. in a iocular voice, as
he proceeded TO tear off one of the
offending p.acerds
Hold On therel" cried the con-
ductor Of the shifter, pointing to the
door. 1t vas sealed and side-carded.
lkey jumped three feet, and when
he alighted let out a string of curses
that was appalling. The side-card
read From SIovtown to Stringer
Mines Contents Dynamite String
er mines are on a little coal road
which connects With The main branch
at Shacktown
As Ikey tore into the office the
bill clerk was making q memorandum