A Sierra Smoke-Room Story.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXVI, Issue II, 12 January 1901, Page 59

A Sierra Smoke-Room Story.

It is all right to talk about the robber railroads, but we get robbed once in a while ourselves,” said a Yankee in the Sierra smoke-room on her first trip. The nailroad that I am working for has been engaged for some time in straightening out the curves on its line, and the work has kept me busy getting the necessary right of way of the farmers whose land we run through. There is nothing that will increase the value of a farm so much as an impression that a railroad will need some of It. But I got along fairly well until just before I started on this holiday, when to straighten out a bad curve I fonnd that we would have to buy a few feet from the farm that adjoins our right of way. The moment I set eyes on that piece of ground I saw that I was going to have trouble with the owner, for upon it was a newly-made grave. I hated to approach the man, but a railroad can’t afford to be sentimental, so I put the case before him. “What!" he cried, “disturb those hallowed bones?” “I am sorry,” I answered, “but it is absolutely necessary that we have the land that the grave is on.” Well, the old man protested with tears in his eyes, and threatened to take the matter into court, the lasi thing that I desired to do, as I wouldn’t care to say what a jury would do after a lawyer was through with them. I argued with him, and finally got the land that we desired by paying him fives times what it was worth. “Now,” said I, after the papers were passed, “I suppose you will remove the remains at once?” “Guess I not,” said he. “Well, I guess you will ” said I sharply, “that land belongs to us now.” “Wul,” he drawled, “I don’t suppose the ol’ hog what’s buried thar eares whether he is removed or not.” Say! that old sharper had buried nothing there but a measly hog. and then shed tears over the hallowed bones till I weakened. Well, it was on me; so after advising the old fellow to be careful in the future and not bury any more of his relatives near our right of way, I left.