The Conductor's Story by Edward Everett Hale
The story revolves around a fictional character who claims to have been the conductor of a train that traveled from Boston to Washington D.C. on the night of April 18, 1865, carrying the body of assassinated President Abraham Lincoln. The narrator recounts his experiences and observations during that fateful journey, including the reactions of passengers and officials upon learning of the president's death.
By Edward Everett Hale · First published 1862 · Genre: Short Story, Crime Fiction, Moral Tale · 330 words
First lines
I was poor. Let this be my excuse, or rather my apology. I entered a Third Avenue car at Thirty-sixth Street, and saw the conductor sleeping. Satan tempted me, and I took from him his badge, 213. I see the hated figures now. When he woke, he knew not he had lost it. The car started, and he walked to the rear. With the badge on my coat I collected eight fares within, stepped forward, and sprang into the street. Poverty is my only apology for the crime. I concealed myself in a cellar where men were playing with props. Fear is my only excuse. Lest they should suspect me, I joined their game, and my forty cents were soon three dollars and seventy. With these ill-gotten gains I visited the gold exchange, then open evenings. My superior intelligence enabled me to place well my modest means, and at midnight I had a competence. Let me be a warning to all young men. Since that night I have never gambled more.
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Genres
- Short Story — The narrative is concise and focuses on a single incident with a clear beginning, middle, and end.
- Crime Fiction — The plot revolves around the protagonist committing a crime and dealing with its consequences.
- Moral Tale — The story conveys a moral lesson about the consequences of crime and the importance of conscience.
- Psychological Fiction — The narrative delves into the protagonist's internal conflict and guilt.
Tags
American Literature · 19th Century Fiction · Historical Fiction · Railroad History · Transportation · Adventure · Romance · Social Commentary · Class Struggle · Economic Inequality · Industrialization · Urbanization
What this Textopian page supports
The Conductor's Story is listed on Textopian as a short story by Edward Everett Hale, dated 1862 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Edward Everett Hale
- Date: 1862 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Short Story, Crime Fiction, Moral Tale, Psychological Fiction, Realism
- Length: 330 words
- Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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- Work identity for The Conductor's Story by Edward Everett Hale
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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