Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1914-10-02
BLACK BOX HOODOO
Camera May Not Have Unlocked
the Trouble, But It Got All
the Blame.
BY n. NJ. LON E.


chubby man, baby.stare eyes and an
infantile smile. He called himself
community promoter. This. as must
be admitted, was q more taking title
than that Of land boomer especially
when much Of the land so doomed
burs, sage-brush. cacti, jackrabbits,
and a fair sprinkling of rattlesnakes,
That Is by the way, however. IL
you make inquiries among his eastern
friends-especially in Montague street,
Brooklyn-you will gather some pic.
tuesque estimates Of M. Blanchard's
business abilities. Financial persons
Of Brooklyn pride themselves on being
possessed Of certain Yankee shrewd.
ness which steers them clear of the
wiles Of the average schemer.
Apart from that no man Is consid-
cred reliable until he has been proper
ly introduced by an old Brooklynite.
This once done, he Is established in
their confidence.
Now, Ben Blanchard managed to
make his entry into Montague street
under the auspices Of certain
Brooklynite of ancient and honorable
lineage. Through the introduction thus
afforded him. the community promoter
made a number Of acquaintance of
highly beneficial sort.
Among the communities which
Blanchard had brought into being
were couple In western Kansas. AT
various points farther west he was
In touch with other promoters to whom
he introduced good things from the
East, receiving in return percentage
Of the ensuing plumber.
Once year he was accustomed to
issue invitations for western trip
to the rich and easy people whom
he met in the East. The junket was
! done in fine style. A special car with
attendants was provided, the food was
excellent, at Topeka and the stopping
places beyond, the local boards Of
trade did honor to the distinguished
visitors, and so did the local news
papers to the extent OF many columns
During the very last trip en-
gineered by Blanchard acted as his.
torian"-to use the Blanchardian term.
In reality. was his press agent Thus
1t was that he happened to have a
certain experience with railroad su-
perstition.
The party, after visiting Denver and
Manitou, was on it's way east. At Pu-
eblo, one afternoon, there was a
change Of engines, and, as 1t subse-
quently turned out the engineer had
orders to "let her lick" across the
prairie SO as to show the eastern gen.
try that there was nothing slow about
that particular section.
An old.time 'dobe house, not far
from the depot had excited the inter
est of some Of the party, and while
awaiting their return the writer walked
up the platform, carrying kodak OF
goodly proportions. Jim Dell, the en-
gineer-tall, lank. and sunburnt to
the hue of an Indian--was just getting
into the cab. His fireman followed,
wiping his fingers on clout 81 greasy
waste. The camera was made ready
for action.
Dell wheeled sharply as the bellows.
catch Of the camera clicked. Then he
frowned at the instrument and its
owner.
You're sure thinkin' OF gettin' pic
ture OF this here machine?"
| cold thof UNA NV n1on
And OF me and my pardner?"
nodded.
We'll, I'm saying this, I am. The
machine can't get away from you,
s'pose. But I'll be burned II you gel
my face or Bills inside the contrap
ton. Why? For reasons-good rea
sons! I've never had my picture took
by one of them black boxes that was
owned by passenger but what trou
BILE of several sorts followed. Amt
that the truth, Bill?'
Bill grunted assent.
Then the pair clambered hastily into
the cab, and even as they did so the
bulb was pressed, and good mega
tive of two greasy rear-facades was
secured.
Dell followed instructions in the
matter Of speed, as roaring, swirl
ing wake of dust and dried cactus at.
tested. But the going was too good
to last
Whether the hoodoo in the black
box" bestirred itself, or whether Bill
| got too busy with the fire shovel, the
narrator knoweth not. The fact re-
mains, however that less than fifty
miles from the starting point the en-.
| CINE and the car came to a Jagged
halt.
AS the camera registered a record
of the wreck, Jim and his helper
| cursed eastern dudes whose hoodoos
worked mischief with western loco.
motives
It was three hours before Pueblo
| furnished another engine that even
to the lay eye, looked grouchy and su'
perannuated.
IT'S that COMPOUNDED old highbind
er, No. g." Jim was heard to mutter
as the fresh engine wheezed into
sight over a roll OF the prairie. Hear
the burned bron-i-cal lungs OF her."
Anyhow, No. was coupled up, and
Jim and his helper proceeded to
throw it into her for all that they
we're worth, and trifle more than she
was. Thirty miles had not been GOV
cred. when the car seemed to turn
itself into an aeroplane for sicken
ing second or so, came back down on
the rails with a spine.jarring thud
and then stopped with q suddennesl
that threw peopleaaand things in un
studied heaps throughout its length
Luckily the camera was unhurt.
Naturally everybody made for the