A party of engineers were tracing a township line across some farm lands
in Illinois. As chance would have it, the line passed directly through a
large barn having double doors on each side of it, and they found they
could continue their measurements through the barn by opening the doors
and thus avoiding the dreaded détour. The owner watched their progress
with considerable interest, but made no comment until they had reached
the farther side of the barn, when he asked:
"Thet a railroad ye-all surveyin' fer?"
"Certainly," replied the chief.
The farmer meditated a bit as he closed the barn doors behind them, when
he remarked, somewhat aggressively, "I hain't got no objections ter
havin' er railroad on my farm, but I'll be darned ef I'm goin' ter git
up at all hours of the night ter open and shet them doors fer yer train
ter go through!"