Could
they do better than try him?
Of course they could not, and they knew they could
not. Of course they sniffed and talked, and waited, and
pretended they did not know, and that they must consult,
and so forth and so on. But of course they all did try
him, on his own terms. He was put in charge of the
running of that road.
In one week he showed he should redeem it. In three
months he did redeem it!
He advertised boldly the first day: "Infant
children at treble price."
The novelty attracted instant remark. And it showed
many things. First, it showed he was a humane man, who
wished to save human life. He would leave these
innocents in their cradles, where they belonged.
Second, and chiefly, the world of travellers saw that
the Crichton, the Amadis, the perfect chevalier of the
future, had arisen,--a railroad manager caring for the
comfort of his passengers!
The first week the number of the C. and O.'s
passengers was doubled: in a week or two more freight
began to come in, in driblets, on the line which its
owners had gone over. As soon as the shops could turn
them out, some cars were put on, with arms on which
travellers could rest their elbows, with head-rests where
they could take naps if they were weary. These excited
so much curiosity that one was exhibited in the museum
at Cattawissa and another at Opelousas.
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