Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1921-06-24
TheVaniished
Freight
r.
(Copyright.)
By e. FLORENCE

Watery-eyed one met on common
ground. They had both been fred
from the same freight, and were
drawn to each other-or, more correct
ly speaking. fred at each other, for
they came near colliding In the process
Of ejectment.
Must take us for blooming can
non-balls," grunted the loose-jointed
one.
Eyes; those fellows are certainly
on the firlng-line. all right" replied the
watery-eyed one. Reminds me of
the way I've often fioated through
space In Kansas, riding bareback on
a cyclone"
$50 you've been in Kansas, tooT
Queried the loose ointed one. "Now,
there's state that can boast some
about nearly everything. And, talking
Of cyclones, did you ever hear how
they are formed.
Houses. trees and cattle are gath
cred in its loving embrace, and the
whole blooming outfit forms a sort Of
relief expedition to the afflicted place.
The world moves, but Kansas is a
whole moving picture show.
ut may leave path of devastation
behind 1t. but think of what would
because of that airless void IL the
c. @. d. was ignored.
That's So" replied the watery-eyed
one. Mature has got railroads skinned
alive when 1t comes to delivering the
goods. Then, again, cyclone is a
great factor In promoting social inter-
course. There are lots of people out
there who would never see each other
were It not for the fact that they
are thrown together by the thoughtful
cyclone. know Of couple of fell
lows who had not seen each other for
years, who met In the air, both JOY
riding aboard the same cyclone.
Halo, Bill shouted one; I
haven't seen you for a good while
No. yelled the other fellow; I don't
often get up this way.
Speaking of railroading," said the
loose-jointed individual, "Td like to
relate to you some of my experiences
in the railroad business. Back in the
seventies did key-pounding down In
Kansas, on the P. d. @. road. held
down a shanty up along the line,
forty miles from the nearest refectory.
did nothing much but give the
trains clear track or hold them up to
side-track SOS to let another train
pass The old p. D. Q. was q single
track road, with shanties and sldings
at regular intervals, at which a num-
Der Of other jays like myself did the
brainwork for the system.
81 was holding down this Job In
that Queen Anne cottage, with no great
white way nearer than the milky
'baldric Of the Skies and the only
stcrs could fiirt with ware those
winking at me across millions of miles
OF space. But was not astronom-
ically inclined gastronomy has al
ways been my long suit.
well, this particular incident have
In mind happened on one Of those days
when nature seems to be resting and
getting ready for grand-stand demon
stration.
II seemed to sense something was
going to happen. and felt as fussy as a
magnetiZed kitten. There was south
hound train due at my villa at 7:30
p. m. l had orders to hold 1t on the
siding until the north-bound passen-
ger. due at 7:45. had passed.
II set my signals and busted my
self doing nothing until the south
bound should ARRIVE. felt mighty
glad Of the chance for human compan.
ionship which the side-tracked freight
would supply.
''The sky had assumed a dirty-gray
color. felt certain that there was
cyclone sashaying around somewhere
In my vicinity.
II was wondering II my villa was In
the path Of the whirlipg dervish, when
the stiffness was suddenly fractured
By the shrleking Of the south bounds
whistle.
II got ready to do the reception act,
and wondered why Jim Bludsoe kept
his whistle blowing
'In a few seconds the big engine
doomed In sight. Along she came like
a race-horse on the home-stretch, and
suddenly realized that the big galoot
at the throttle was going to give US
the go-by.
II grabbed my red flag and got busy
with the wigwag performance, but old
iron horse swishsd past with his long,
brown tail Of empty freights strung
out behind like the appehdage OF a
comet.
"what the Sam Hju's the matter
with that giddy choffsrY thinks I.
Then 1t struck me all Of guddep that
in about seven and a half minutes
there was going to be trouble, likewise
a lot Of serap-iron scattered over the
scenery of the sunfower state.
1.-THE north-bound train had already
entered the same block. and the two
treins would meet about halfway be-
tween my bungalow and the next one
sonth, on the curve around a grove
thereabouts. In my mind I pictured
tho horror of the scene.
my mind was full OF the possiblll-
ties Of the situation. and I was stand.
inG there, paralyzed, as 1t were, when
su idenly there was roar, and the
topography Of Kansas began doing the
Wilbur Wright act.
II was picked up bodily and hurled
against that shanty Of mine with suf-
ficlent force to knock the sense out Of
me. When came to I saw q train
standing on the siding. The crew were