The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-09-07
A TROPICAL TAIL
No doubt you have heard of "Ol
 Bill Jones'" the bOOmcr en-

No doubt you have heard of "Old Bill Jones'" the boomer en- gineer, Who told so many remarkable tales of happenings strange and queer, Tales of his early adventurous days, when railrOading in his youth. Now, here is another of old Bills tales, and Bill will vouch for its truth: "The winter of 'S8'," said Bill twas bitterly bleak and cold, And a boomer friend in the sunny south wrote me letter that told
 Of railroad job in a trOpic cline, where the flowers bloom all
 year, And Oh! that winter Of 'ss' was blizzardIy, bleak and drear. "So boarded a ship for the south- ern seas, and they put me ashore at Waulan, Where I struck a job on the G. o. K. and this tropical tale began. They gave me a run on the Wau- Ian hill, 8 pretty stiff piece of grade,
 Where eight loads was the tonnage limit-NO engine had ever made
 That hill with any more tonnage, before 1 was put on the run, But found d way to pull one more
 load, and I'll tell you how it was done. For some miles out of town it was swampy and low and the road bed lay on fill, And the alligators often climbed up on the track, for 8 view of the distant hill. "Now it happened one day when making my run OCT this swampy piece of track, I saw right ahead, lying cross the rails, an alligator, asleep on it's back,
 I damned on the air and stopped the train, just in time to save his life,
 And then I got down and woke him up. Boys! You may talk of the love of a wife, But twas naught to the love of that alligator, for he seemed to quite realize, VI From that very moment, I had saved his life. Tears of grati- tude flowed from his eyes. We'll, he followed me back to the engine, and he climbed right upon the tank. And he showed me by every move- ment he made, that he knew he had me to thank. "He seemed to know through my judgment and care, he'd been saved from a terrible fate. And soon he became 8 most won- dcrful pet and he followed mo early and late. He stuck to me just like 8 faith full dog, and even when out on my run, He'd climb up on the tank and stand by me, until each days work had been done. He grew to know every word that I said, and whatever I'd tell him to do, He would try to obey each com mand that I gave, and pretty efficiently, too, It happened one day near the top of the hill, it seemed that the engine would stall. my pet jumped down from the tank, as quick us the meteor's fall. ''Then along the ground and ahead of the train, with marvellous speed he ran, And he hooked his tail into the pilot. Then a struggle and scratching began. 'Twouid have done your hearts good to behold 1t. How well remember it still. . How that wonderful pet alligator, helped my train to get over the hill.
 And we found when we got to the end of the run, that a queer mistake had been made. We found there was one more car in the train than the tonnage :, rate called for the grade. And right to this way, the trails" at Waulan, still wonder how Boomer Bill, Hauled one more car than the ton- mage rate, up the grade of Waulan hill"
 E'nvoi:- And so Bill finished his story, and we rails" who had listened in, Were quite convinced that an alli- gators tail. made pretty good coupling pin.
 o-O-o The man who locks the barn after the horse is stolen is merely covering up so he can collect theft insurance. In the old days when the prodi- gal son returned they killed the fatted calf. Now they fail to re- turn so long as there is a chance of following the fatted calves.
 o-O-o
 Give a woman an inch plant and she'll want to start flow CT garden in the home.
 o-O-o The Ten Commandments were written on a table of stone but they've been broken as easily as if inscribed on the thinnest of glass.
 OVER THE RIVER
 Oilier oil,
 That's the dope to-day,
 hut politicians long
 Have seen it that way.
 o--O--.o This concludes our midweek pro- gram. It came to you over DBD h ad ,vaa hran oaat hv tha kEatar.