Garrigan was the name of the new station agent. He was an Irishman, of
course, and magnified his office by sending in to headquarters very
lengthy telegraphic despatches giving very minute details of the many
accidents that happened to the trains at his station. Headquarters, at
length wearying of the man's unnecessary prolixity, instructed him to
cut out all superfluous particulars and to confine himself to
essentials only. "Cut it out?" said he, "an' sure that I will the very
next time an accident happens, or me name isn't Garrigan." The next day
some cars went off the track--they were always going off the track at
his station--and as soon as they were made all right, he wired
headquarters a laconic despatch, in the very rhythm of which one can
hear the rumble of the car-wheels: "Off again; on again; gone again.
Garrigan!"