Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1922-08-25
Burdeffe and the
Religious Brakesnan

On the road once more, with Le-
banon fading in the distance, the fat
passenger drumming idly on the win
dow pane, the cross passenger sound
asleep, and the tall, thin passenger
reading "Gen. Grants Tour Around
the World" and wondering why
Green's August Flower should be
printed above the doors Of Bud
dhist Temple at Benares." To me
! comes the brakeman, and seating
himself on the-a arm Of the seat, says
II went to church yesterday"
I said, with that interested
u Election that asks for more. sand
what church did you attend?"
(which do you guess!" he asked.
"Some union mission church?"
haxarded.
SHAW" he said, II don't like to
run on those branch roads very
much. IL don't often 60 to church,
and when do, l want to run on
sthe main line,A where your run il
regular and you 60 on schedule time
and don't have to wait on connec-
tions. don't like to run on q branch.
Good enough, but / don't like it."
"Episcopal!" / guessed.
Limited express" he said, "all
palace cars and 81 extra for seat ;
fast time and stops only at big sta
tons. Nice line, but too exhaustive
for q brakeman. All train-men in
uniform; conductors punch and lant-
ern silver-plated and no train-boys
allowed. Then the passengers are al
lowed to talk hack at the conductor.
and it makes them too free and easy.
II l couldn't stand the palace car.
skh road, though. Don't often hear
Of q receiver being appointed for
that line. Some mighty nice people
travel on it too.
"Universalist?" / guessed.
"Broad gauge" said the brake
man; "does too much complimentary
business. Everybody travels on pass.
Conductor doesn't get fare once in
City miles Stops at all flag stations
and won't run into anything but q
union depot. No smoking car on the
train. Train orders are rather vague,
though. and the trainfmen don't get
along well with the passengers. No,
didn't 60 to the Universalist, though
know some awfully good men who
run On that road"
Presbyterian" l asked.
Marrow gauge, chi" said the
brakeman: pretty track, straight as
rs . rule; tunnel right through the
mountain rather than 60 around it,
spirt-level grade, passengers have to
show their tickets berore they get
on the train. Mighty strict road, but
the cars are q little narrow, have
\ |, sit one in q seat and no room in
0<he aisle 10 dance. Then there's no
stop-over tickets allowed, got to 60
straight through to the station you're
ticketed for, or you cant get on
at all. When the cars full, no extra
coaches, cars built at the shops to
hold just SO many, and nobody else
allowed on. But you don't hear Of an
accident on that road, it's run right
up to the rules."
maybe you joined the Free Think
ers!" I said.
Scrub road" said the brakeman
"dirt road bed, and no ballast, no
time card and no train dispatcher.
All trains pun wild, and every engi-
neer makes his own time just as he
pleases. Smoke If you want to; kind of
go-as-as-you-please road. Too many
side tracks, and every switch wide
open all the time, with the switch
man sound asleep. and the target
lamp dead out Get on as you please,
and get off when you want to. Don't
have to do anything but amuse the
passengers. No.. sir; was offered q
pass. but ! dom like the line. I don't
Ike to travel on a road that has nc
terminus. Don't you know, sir,
asked . Division Superintendent
where that road runs to, and said he
hoped to die. Il he knew. ] asked
him Il the General Superintendent
could tell me. and he said he didn',
believe they had . General Superin.
sshasnt and Y they had. b dida',