Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1919-05-16
@
Roundup
By ROBERT w. cREEL
(CoDyright.)

1 Il
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
(Copyright) Il
How he came to be braking on the
c.. w. it would be impossible to say,
It is doubtful If Legs Brown himself
knew. He was boomer brakeman
and, as such, he Travelled by no schedule
whatever. To ordinarily ind him q
any given time. you might inquire on
any railway division in America with
an equal chance of success.
He reminded you Of that insect
whose amiab!e disposition and atten-
uated appearance have won for it the
sobriQuet of "grand-daddy-longlegs.' .
Hence, Browns own nickname. Not.
withstanding his fragile, proportions.
however, when occasion arose he could
! WELD his huge fists with force suf1-
cient to fracture a jaw.bone or drive
mans ear into the side of his head
fact that had been demonstrated to
the sorrow Of more than one belliger-
ent hobo. Ea ~
As the long train Of fiat cars writhed
In and out among the sand hills,
Brown, stationed a short distance
ahead Of the caboose, was the only per-
son visible. q
At the last stop, Murphy, the con-
ductor. had received telegram wesn-
Ing him to be prepared for an attack
when they entered Sandville. "A large
number Of hoboes were gathered there
and had taken possession Of the town.
explaining to the unhappy citizens the
necessity Of majority rule, If the re-
publican form Of government was to be
maintained in the land.
Previous experience similar to this
had detracted from the novelty of the
situation for the few Inhabitants Of
Sandville; but the hoboes were becom-
ing holder, and spoke Of capturing the
next train that came thither for the
purpose of making their escape.
e Whereupon the. station agent had
grown alarmed and sent the telegram.
Among his other characteristics,
Brown was intensely loyal to the road
that CHANGED to employ him. Any ac-
ton such as that contemplated by the
h0boes was resented as a personal At
front. Furthermore, at this particular
time he knew that the president Of the
road was but few hours behind in
his special. and Brown deemed it his
duty to do all in his power to prevent
any unpleaS: ntness when the great
man should arrive.
Therefore ;,s they drew near the
little hamlet he returned to the ca
boose and conferred with the conduc-
tor.
"They's no use runnin' clear in,
Jim. You better stop on the edge Of
this here metropolis while so in an
reconnoiter the force Of the enemy, as
they say In the army"
II wouldn't, advise you to 60 alone.
Legs. You can't tell what those boes'll
do il they're drunk"
"Why, Jim. you know them fellers re
like sheep. The only reason can see
for EN- actin like this Is because they
got q leader. II that's the case, all
got to Is to sling him around like he
didn't cost much, an that'll take the
fight right out Of 'em. Besides, If q
bunch of us 60 In, they'll git ready for
trouble"
"All right. you can 60 while we stop
for water. That'll give you time to
see what they're up to-"
So it was that, on foot and unaccom.
panied. Legs Brown ambled into the
captured town. He had no doubt as
to the location Of the triumphant ho-
boes, for, though 1t was now almost
dark. the only place that showed a
light was the saloon, and to this he d.
rected his steps.
At the bar stood q swarthy, well-set
fellow, whose curly hair and high
cheek-bones. together with the pecu-
liar formation Of his head, marked him
as native Of Poland. This worthy
was the most boisterous of the lot, but
Brown thought 1t hardly likely that
he was the leader. giving him scant
attention, therefore, as he strobe for
ward and ordered drink. 4,
Here, We rube, We better ask me fer
what We want, r I'll break ye In tw0,"
said the tramp aggressively. pausing
in the act of raising glass to his lips.
Brown, reaching for his own drink,
seemed not to hear the words, but his
prodigious foot, as II released from q
spring, suddenly swept up. and, strik-
ing the others hand. threw the glass.
with its contents. into his scowling
face.
A storm Of laughter arose from the
'onlookers, who swore. with mighty
oaths. that 1t was the funniest thing
they had ever seen. The victim, how
ever, laughed not at all, but beloved
with rage and pain as the fiery liquid
scared his eyes, and repeatedly yelled
for Brown to come near.
Not DESTROYS Of being masticated,
nor yet willing to move out Of the
way Of the Pole, who was blindly CROP
ing for him, Brown chose the only al