Newspaper Page Text
???????so????? ? "The n Switchman's Story ? ? ? SHOCKLEY - By FRANK H. SPEARMAN -? ? ? ? ? ? ?????????????? H ' lot, I Huck? to It I ?in run that ] ? ?nt. H * unies? be | l Ss uu crawl : ? I 1 f 1: < uddy bot In ? from ! do- : as a r a final ? from Godi il am bf?r ? but I' sister and ! I ? ? Haba? had i beau tlful of t.? * tb?y bud i pipe? at ? about uaand ? saM taue, m that to etili.v. s ght his teeth relue- i waa part of the : dismantled BBS mi7.??: !?oet-Chrlstniss day ? Hut Callaban hs.i d the use of bay rum after shaving. Hi? razor had gon? to ?has scrap, snd on Sunday morning bs mere? ly rsn a pair of scissors over the blgh ah an wa? railroading - and on tbe front. After losing ti ho won'.?: har?? iecii ? bot for ! ? ? Call.? .de up th?* j better I ? Stai y - r ? I: I a' pl?'k e ?an ? for. -< ?f ? va to ? a t?ur-t the st; ' nan. It didn'l a la per. bet tl fo: little Cbris w-* for by pn>n. ? man Of ! So Calluhan sat sf the In g**' ?ting e>f ? and si udylng over I BO< thst H w?*- ? aa runs afl ..? p?? t? faet ss tb? g trouble al t ?,>? yard came f.* from within. cstt:?* . I It ares all easy till they Btreck Benhletoa. Benklcton wa? ! Just a bard knot on the Yellow Orase! trs!l, ? squally, sandy cattle town ? There were ! men In Renkl?? ' ton ? ?:, ? .h lut ??.?ther often Hut there were s in Itenkleton who thoughr tbwj id. and tl?? a sour, o of <??.notant bedevUmeet to tb?? railroad ? I Southwitat of the ynrd. wh??ro the riv? er breaks sheer Into the bottoms, then? hived and ?-till hires a cotona of rail? road 1. ?.?.? have squatted there, burrowed Into the face of fae bsnch like ?and swallowa ami etrrapssrl ca? I r theinselve?. and tbe name of the place is Little ReeatS Tbi? wa? in tbe troublous day? when tb? cowS.ys. honieslck for evil, would trtd? ?round Little Russia with rope Bud gun and ?care th.? pioneers cross eryed. The cattle fellows sjx-nt the en tire winter months, all sand ?nd sun? shine, putting up to worry Csllahan mid the Lini?? ? The head.'uart ers for till- I gang were at l'ut Harhe'a place, across "G??. tb? poHtoftii??? It was there that tbe cowboys loved .-irite To Cal lahan Fat Harlie's pi | wasps* neat, but to Chris it was a den of wolves, and of a dreader ?ort than Russian wolves, for Harlle'e pack nev? er slept The east and we??? men could run away from them o.i hand cara It was the yardmen who caught it, snd it grew so bad they couldn't keep a switchman. About 10 o'clock at night. after No. 23 bad pulled in and tbey were distributing a train lead of bridge timber, a ?witchni&n'a lantern would go up ia signal, when?pist!?a bullet would knock the lamp clean out of his band snd tbe nerve clean out of bis baud. Handling a light In the Berokle ilo'id I tell wh? :i fur ' ? cow iff It I ' ? tbe 1 ; : the ? with fire. Cordavi ai ; t be would be ley arrived. a* letter gave ? be frugal of ? ??' . I and ?. :?ve In tot ?? band ? other ? got to I i?Oiub ' that ? ble r<?.i walk? : At tli?? ' alata The for ? ! only his lu? fa - take the yard." ??What'?? ?"Step up i 11 t>e up In a min ?? . but 1. ? ia really ? . ? - ? : . ? ? bonghi ird didn't ? ?r would I enough to ? ? ? \\ I. ? aaw that had Imimi ! -.nt "f . nl on the ?undhouse. aaw t - ihrt hi* bund nt th?? ing up on the ..? Cal? laban ? '.im Not tiie - that had DO all summer. e\ en ? a didn't t> It a as the ?r Into tbe shroud?? of ?the < ato the saddle. of th? yacht into the wind It waa like falling down or falling up or falling on ' -ravltatlon ?that waa ?Shocka n on the ' ?ard Of t! ? ? as it ahot anorting poet bin "II?? s all r ght" muttered rallaban It O I- ???..??'-'h A m?in win? flipped a tender like that was net !:k<? ?<? ?.vrong even In that chaos ef rails and tloe and string? ers und coal "Now.?? continue?! Callahan to hlm aelf. timidly hopeful, "if the enea only doesn't get ??> drinking'" He watched ?,???? i\?-ly. dreading the first time ho sho?:.! se-e hlm entering Pat Rarlle'a tint Shockley didn't appear to know a place. Tbe cowboys. too. watched him, waiting for bla lamp to gloam at night down in tbe yard, but their paticr.ee was strained for a long time Shock ley got all hla work done by daylight. To the surprise of Callahan, and probably on tin? principle of the watch? ed pot. th?? w hoi?' winter went without a brush between shock ley and tbe cow? boys. | I eg Uey nolds let bina the luckie-st fellow on earth," remarked rallaban one day at Mci'loud in reply to a question from li... ks alxiut Shockley. "Thare hasn't a ratet ben ?? .all winter.** "11.? w.isi;'l always lucky," comment? ali BaKk.a, liffnlaff a batch of lettera. "He .au..? troni Chicago," Bucks on after a silence. "He waa av, it? ?alnt m* u ut tbe time of the Htix'k.x Sho. kley used to driuk iike 1 never knew Just tiie right of it I farndtritowid it waa in a brawl. Answ.ix. he kiihsl a man there shot Lin. krad had to get away In a hurry. 1 was traumi.c?.er ???hock ley wat? u ?inker, but Id always found hfjii dweut. aud when his wife came to me al ?out it 1 he-ipeit ber out a little. She's dead since. Ilia record Isn't Just right back there yet. Tbere'a aome thing ?bout tbe shooting hanging over bim. I never set eye* on tbe fellow again till be struck me for a Job st I I ??.'?it h;ui up to you. ! he'd <>uit drinking. Guess 1. Long as h??'?. :?. having himself 1 believe M ? I ? hanee, b'm?" It r.ally WSSB t iiny longer a case of giv'.n-. ? rataer of whether tbey could get on u tbout him. When ?? began racing as Into Denver that summer it began to ? the yard He saw be would have to bare help ?? you for tinkering up tl. asked Shockley "1>.>. ar SB1 a half" -\\ roe tuk?? hold of switch Ing with m?* and bj rack. Firet he said ? ?idu't let bim. but y?s " Ilion Chris fjguretl : tbe bun essary to get tbe wom ; could be dead of six if Hut when allsbaa alwaye lie when ? -.?r a new And Chrie got kable. By t!.? d aud the .1 C'brls would woman and the if tbe czar stowed - r the bench in Little Russia brou,; ? from 718. is thought ?p? up to eaagbl I dragged bim over to It ? aught him snd every ? suggest. as ?always, master red him tied te ? cow : a dance. ready be ? ed. s I way. rough ? cut that ? r bad him, wss . It Heyn ? it .vus ? ? urned hBt li? iti** be ssked ? ?v** "1 know "V It . opportunity He BB. "I rifkou ? can Try it." ' is* the '??kloT ? trip -li nn.l a bullet fr. lioard ?ipted to o didn't know | wi? re he ? bave d Sh..? ?tar, only ? **Takeoff*j ?urbsl ntlernen." cried ' tated. but be did pu ip. like It. What's your nan,. "Sh l Reyaettts with a Of ran. "Well. ?> your name Drink f.?r ? ?h a man ' ding my ns .Ida Pet, ?et out the g "?.I bottle- this guy pays." sa ig to the bar "What'll It he ! Pat Baril? of Shock ley as he deftly Bled S row of triasses In front of the men of breed? ing "Ginger sie for me." suggested I illdly The ? ,ut up s single yell Ginger ale! It was too funny. :.?lds. choking with contempt, polliteli to the yard master'? glass. "Fill It With whisky'" be shouted. "Fill '" he repeated, ns Shockley lean ed undecidedly against the bar Tbe aardmaster held out the glass and the berkeeta.-t' l>c?g:in to pour Shockley looked ?if tbe liquor a moment, then he looked at It'JI llliSTL who fronted him with gun in one band and red water In tbe other "Drink"' kley paused. looked ? gain at the whisky uti?! drew the glass toward him with the curving hand of a drluker. "You want me to drink this?" be bait laughed, turning on bis baiter. "I didn't.say so, did I? I said drink!** roared Feg I.eg. vbotly looked nt Shockley. Ile stood ting>?ring the glass quietly. Some bow e.erylxHly, drunk or ?ober, looked at Shockley. He glanced around at tbe crowd. Other guns were creeping from their bolsters. He pushed tbe glaas back, smiling. "I don't drink whisky, partner,** asid Shockly gently. **You drink that whisky or I'll put a little hole Into you!" Shockley reached good naturedly for tbe glass, iLrcw tbe liquor on tbe floor and sef it bech oa the bar. ? in!" said Shockley. It confused Reynolds. "A man that'll waste good whisky oughtn't C live nnvhow." be muttered, flngiTlng his revolver m*rvously. **Tou'\?? an >?<! my aim. Throw up your hat." I "I'll put s bole through that to l?egui with." In*lead Sbo? kley put Ins cap back on bis head "Fut a I SjfS it there." ?aid be. Reynolds set down bis glass, end Sbockl.y m d It wa? the cowboy Who hesita leti ? \\ ? ter nerve?" ssked the* railroad BBSS Tlie gun covered blm with u bash a ml a roar. Reynolds, whatever bis fault?, was a shot. Hi? bullet cut cleanly through tbe crown. arni the powder almost burned Shock ley's face. The switchman recovered himself instai taking off hla cm?, laughed us ? .? examined tbe bole. "I'?'ii. be asked evenly, cap In hand. his glaaa before ha ?poke. snapped. The switchman started on tbe word for tl:?? front door. YVh? ? he opened It ?? body laugh??.! but Shockley. ??o?da was Bitting back of th? stove In a card frame when a voie? spoke at hla ear. up!" Reyuoida looked around Into a pistol. 1*. md it stood Shock ley, pleasant. "Get up!" be repented. dy had aeeo bina come In, but ho was and with an absolutely Infantilo gun, a p ere baby gun. In the yellow light, but it abone like blight eliver. ioide with ? -dole embarrassment Stood Up. "Throw your < :;non Into the atove. Heyn ?." suggest - eil si. "?1 around. ? '? the rat the ? help ' ? up. and when wn 00 of I int trlui pba and king time Bf his bullying, only ?my in >g gun ? ? good I ed ot! . ? roer I VII t'l ! f ?II I ' Of It the yardmaater, with one t? ? .?? 1.? ?.??::- . i.?l one on ! at Chris. :rnt up lie's ?? hard otbhag I want |0 must pas* the bat Tak? , trlbotad a* noi.lv ? ,?,. ,;,v comi: ? ?Dorant it" he continued whon th.- f i;.?n monarch had fin and a . . ? ^..x-kley told I'at llariie to put iu as much more as the raj id, and he dl?l so. . go home? 1 don't like you.' i.K-kl.y insolently, turn 1 Ing ou !. m dou't kuow what ftlu ?- This town won't hold you nini u;? after Yoa can 1 take it. but the first ? eyes on you again one of us will -It iu." 11. dire'.tly toward the front toor and out. Petr a.?Ids took only the night to de ? day be hit the trail. ?n.a.-ter he might have I ut if he bad stayed, but the die? ng lief ore the dog of a Bussi an w? soiiiethiiii' never to be wlp?-l ont ,? the annals of Kenkleton. Peg ?Leg moved ?>n and thereafter cow 'op Shockley on the -t ?..Hy him on the way he did the on?? !??'!_'??< 1 bully, and the lights were | ...re Th.? : men swore hy the new yardmiisfer; tho RtMOlao? took their from their mouth?? and Itrached tl kloy pass oil, Callahan blessed his name, but lit? tle Chris Woiahlped him day A If h dropped off at I.ciiklet'?n from Omaha t.eadipaar ters A lia ? ?et was tiie only specie? of lixard on tho payroll He waa the west end -poit ?? Is that allm fellow?" be ask?il of Callahan as Shockley flew by on the pilot board of an engine "That's Shockley." ??Oh. that s Shockley. is it*T But be could say little things In a way to make a man prick hot all over. ?. thai t Khieekloy. Why?" asked Callahan, with a dash of acid. "Nothing, only he's a valuable man He'? wanted, Shockley Is." smiled Al? fabet Smith, bnt hla amile would freeze tears. Callaban took It up abort. "I/ook here. Alfahet. Keep off Shockley .*" "Why?'' "Why? Because you and I will basai en, if yon Beert**1 aid nothing n?? was used to Tbe next time Buck? was ? 'lim of tbe r.'icks said, te ell He'd .? mrs and ? -ig bis ' I'.u ks, re won't ? ?1 blm I Bol ' what ?. itti of '. off twice over I ? r let the work get ahead ? : ' ' ' but they ' in It und down ' All ti what ? ' ? of the ? J them "1 '? "\\ : ? a ?wit, ' II get ' ' ? SSid (' ' It 9 over lbs? J .' I'll? .'1 In c ? ? ? reefer end ?? ? the f ? Ras els 23 pul ' and I and the stuff for Raw ' itch of ; I for. : * cars ?if it. Th?* minuto H t was cul off the Ioni?' train up ran the little awlteh ei:_' less monster . Out cume tlie coal with ? .latter. out can.?* the d< pol stuff with a sheet of flume through tb? :iues, shot here, shot iln . yonder, flying **pur und down that and the other, like at rues Creas a catapuh the tough connected, smut tacad, i?l?-ar ae cough.si and snorted and Sp ? S ??bower of s(?arks and soot aud eiiid.iH up late the Christmas air. She dsrted and dixlg.tl and Jerked and backed up and down and across the : of a sec Snd t.xik ber eie olT Shockley's lamp Shivering and cluuging and bucking With SteBSB and bell ami air, but al ways with ...?? eye on Shockley's lamj?. uutd '.:.'' Was Wl??ked .lean to the caboose, and (be snitch engine shot down the With Uie battered way car in her C-Sera like a : a prsli .? desj Then there was only the wfstlHtund freisjhi ? ap with tbe Fort : the Cherry Creek ?tee!, which was "rush," and a few cars . ? behind on general principles It was .;ui<k work now sorting aiitl moving tbe bridge steel half SB hour I ?r an hour's work, with the north wind waking ut tbe clatter and ?weepim. a bank of cloud and sand ? ley aud Chris and the go.it crow put at it like black Bg and setting and kicking and splitting, and once iu awhile u tlying s wit. b dead against the rubrics, and at lust the whole train of was in lim?, clean as tbe links of a sprsrhet sad ready to run In on the bouse track for tbe caboose. F.-r that run Chris set tbe track s wit. h. . ?-.?sed the track ami swung s gnat . u< le with his lamp for th?' hack Te -*??? over SS tho suiti h again he Started to rccross the track. In th<- ?lark his ankle turned on a lump of ? ?ii. He rat us arasi lightly, but the misstep sent his other f?*ot wide, and with a bit of a Jilt ?.????-do'e new shoe ?lipasi into Ibe frog. Op the track he beard S roll of Btormy cough?, from tbe engine gather? ing push : the string of flats They ? .?g toward blm, over the -pot where be stood, on bis signal, and he ?.uletly tried to loosen bis heel. Tlie engine's drivers let go, and she roared a steaming oath, and chrl* could hear If, hut be was glad, for bla heel would not ?vori quietly out of tbe flrog. It stuck. Then the engineer, un? ruffled, pulled ut his sand lever, and his engine snorted again, sud her drlv ni slowly she scut the ?wii. li. ingea | ??' ti,?? rail? as be ? man lu a ? ? u mi ? ? ? ? was Mine enough. I 'lb*? ! our or live lengths >ng very, . ke aud squeaking stiffly rand? 'Uilug. aud r, I?ut his foot stuck. yelled for Shook loy. Shoe-k ???n the ca: ??. ?Shockley couldn't hoar, aud be knew? it. and be 3 The? sweat In :uin as he turn? ed and tw ist.il. Tho grip of tiie fr.?-: e him. Half the time truck w . ami curd. \ had told him ? i.t came in the ? ' liim to (brow bis Hut Chris ba.l forgoiten all that till the flat ilmp ? ivily on the tongue in front Of him. threw I iike a _? into the night. . d his ." tbe ? all but :t the fr??g ?????? l t borrtbrj gie.1 back t?> lus feet, onlj half ? - senaea left him he was hardly aware of a ?:. of a w ? ut arm around his ? his ".I; d Shock ? ly on the ? to jump, felt him a?'lf picked from t ! beard ? ir. and he ??r through t!?.. dark 1 a knife a vamp t?? sol??, slit the H and thi I'Oillly luto the - foot. ng slowly ?tillen titaet. ay on its si?le It was Slmokley's lamj' ..round for ! ?! out. ream. II.? SOUtld. but j ta-1 f the little ' stumbling up the track t?? ti.? II?? sv, arag ?t off. I stammered ?1 I ? and the name of ?dut understand it ail but tiny shut off w pinch ? ?ml. g? a r lanterns, ran man on his knee"?, held bis lamp out under the flat thai span? ned 1 king. back nnd ? the run It - ban who polled t?i<? otm a moment later, rhri?. ahi Van ? at his side If was rallaban m pull ut that alti in two at the fr??* and ? wavering. from id the ? ?thing be? tween I hands blindly out for the targed rod and on? ly upon It. l?o I?eani Shockley "ng. atonic carried tbe headlight back, and some tore the door off a box car. and they g.?t him on. Tiny earriiil him un . f, stumbling, over to the depot. They laid him on rallahau's mattress In the waiting room, and the men stood all about him, but the only ?ound waa hla breathing, sud Inside uud.-r the lamp ' '-?ve-r. clicking. I clicking, clicking, of Bucks and the company surgeon coming on a ?pedal alien d of 08. Th??y twisted tou-nlquets Into his quivering nYsh, and with the light dy? ing In his eye? they put whisky to bis Hut lie turned hla bend and aptt It from his mouth. Then be looked from ;? face about him?to the engineer aud to Mie fireman and to little Chris aud to rulUhan-and bla lips moved. rhris bent over hliu, but try an he would he could not catch the word*. "Block -block," said Sbockley'a Upa. And Shockley dl???! They lifted the mattress into tha bag? gage 1. ;, ?'aliaban drew over It a crum? A lantern left burned on the checking desk, but the men, ex? cept Chris, went their way?. Chris hung Irresolute around the open door. The special pulle?l In. and with the ?hora wringing Are from her heels aa abe slow ed Bucks and a man following close sprang from the step of the coach. Callaban met them; shook hla bead. Twenty minutes later C9 whistled for the yard, hut In the yard all was dark nnd still. One man got off 59 that night Carry ing his little vallee In bla hand, he walked In and out of tbe de? pot, hanging on the edgea of tbe group? ing mon. who etili talked of tiie acci? dent. After bearing be walked alone Into tbe baggage room and. with bis valise in his hand, drew back the edge j of the sheet and. standing, looked. Afterward he paused at the door and apoke to a man who waa fixing a lan? tern. "What waa his name?" "Shockley. Know him?" "Me? No. I guesa not." He walk ad away with hla valise and drew his coat up lu tho wind that swept tbe plat? form. "1 guesa I don't want him," ho muttered to htmeelf. "I guesa they | don't want hlm?not now." And be went back to tbe man and aaked when a train left again for Chicago. He bad j ? warrant for Shockley. but Bhockley*a i warrant bad been served. After tbe othera had gone Bucks and ! Callahan and the surgeon talked te- ? getber In the waiting room, and Chiia. j hanging by, blear eyed and helplees. looked from one to tbe other; showed j hla foot when Callaban .pointed and aat ; patient while the surgeon stitched the ?lit where Sbocklcy's blade had toncb ad tbe bone. Then be stood aga*n and listened. While any one talked Chrla would listen, silent and herfpleae, juet I listening. And wbeo Bucks had gone 1 joootaira. And tho autgeou had gone tut s /?/. ni'uno, gone n '? t ?.f tbe and pol When - ? smutty coal in oa It and wiped his rf his diri y ' ' ? '? tore olT ? strip and. holding it eurefully ' : ' I g Bui he? a lit fi ed up hl? I. m ibe ? of it- around by id. a -tung At I nnd. r? ?f the I ? pan?-??: ? the very -lowly and pu-? of hi* It ?ths tlark Inside and Th.? Br Iren wit?? ? i p??t earl | ? is tiiut nlgtn M \ I U LI I? 'THE R4 STORY." -;o: Place for Red Tape. "There Is too nun h red tape about your business here, said the shopper, after a loi.: ber . "Hut I ? iiked red tape h the manager of tl epart menL I do." "\\. ; . . store is not the ? At i?7"? Yonkei the Coat Fit?. See tha* hen <Tianniii?; her feet to prevent tt Her comb ia frost bit tea already Here are her winter quarter?. Well ventilated. Like a summer house Blizzards sweep through grandly Se? the bare corn cob? and tin- leal Let's collect tbe egg?- Lots of money In eggs? Why, not one? r. ?he doesn't pay. What, nothing In her crop? Where's that corn I gave her yesterday? I'll bave her for a stew; she's too old and tough to roaat_- Orange Judd Farmer. Froat ?au fat from tbe bones of th? Swelled. The landlord said this flat waa "ewe!-,*? And I gtaeaS Hi?* landlord knows; For there isn't a wSBOew that open? well Or ? door hat hard to eioee. ?Clevehand l.e.?<l?-i Kept His Word. "Papa, papa! you said that If I would tell you all about it not a hair of my bead should SS harmed." "Well (whack!) not one will (whack!) will be Your head (whack!) is higher up."?Judge. And They're Not. Mrs. Jawback?You'll never succeed In politics You're neither a Webster nor a Blalne. Mr. Jawhack-- No. but, by Gum, I'm alive!?Cleveland Leader. tue Infant Terrible. *'Sa7, Maw "Well, son?" "'What is environment?" ".Environment, my son, means 'hinge around you." "Then paw's arms must be environ? ments, 'cause I ssw him have 'em around oook yesterday."?Milwaukee Sentinel. Thrown Down. Patienoe?Just as he was about to prepose, I took th? down pillow sad threw it st my feet for bim to kneel on. Patrios?Thst waa a bad break. "How BO?" "Why, It looked as If you were throwing blm down."?Yonkers States. ?baw-U Net Result About the Sam?. Mrs. Naybnr?Isn't It a luxury to bo able to buy eggs 30 cents cheeper than they were last winter? Mrs. Cross way -Y?-es, but when my husband finds he has saved 20 cents In buying a dozen he isn't easy till he ha? spent it for cigars or something of that sort.?Chicago Tribane.