The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1870-10-08
THE ROBBERS LAMP,

"Got to go over on loot! " exclaimed
the contractor.
Not chance OF, anything else, " r,
piled the agent But then, it's only
five miles, and you II have better quart
ers there than here, in this vile shanty
The money will be safer, too-let alone
that the men won't go 20 work agaiuun
less they're paid in the morning"
is the road safe? | don't IKE the
idea of Juggling so much money. ]
could defend myself, or run but fifteer
hundred dollars in small bills is big
package to run with" 900
Send your valise over in advance.
Whom by2"
MY man"
rs he trustworthy
Honest as he day; and he need nj
know there's any thing in. it but dirty
linen He can start now and you
can wait till after supper, if you will. y
And, so saying, the agent of the rail-
road company stepped in the door OF the
shanty, and shouted for Patrick; and
shortly, that individual came-as bright
lively, houest-looking as son Of the
Green Isle as ever helped build q
Western railroad. ....... Z
Patrick !"
Eyes, yer honor"
Take this gentlemans valise over to
the village, and leave it with the super
intendent. Tell him the owner'll be
after it this evening"
AN is that all, yer honor ? 81
That's all-only be quick about
it, and you'll earn an extra dollar"
I'm jist the bye for that anyhow.
Sure, it's small bit Of valise p
And, so saying, Patrick picked up the
object of his contempt and trudged
away, with an utter absence Of curiosity
as to the nature of what he was carry
ing.
The temporary station at which the
construction train" had landed the
contractor-a gentleman named Per
kins-was at the end Of the new Air
line Railroad to-and, as the labor
ers thereon had not been paid owe,
promptly, they had now for some days
been on strike, abandoning the work
and congregating idly at hamlet few
miles distant, thereby compelling their
delinquent employers to come to terms,
Mr. Perkins had brought good share
of the "terms" with him for immediate
distribution; and, after a plain but
hearty supper with the agent, he was
about to start on his tramp, when il
was discovered that a good sized
Western storm was about to turst anc
the walk was postponed until the sky
should clear In few minutes more
the rain was coming down in torrents
and kept it up for an hour or so, at the
end of which time the contractor pad
died away over the muddy road congrat
ulating himself that the valise in Pat
rick's care was waterproof.
"He had rougher time ,thanl will
ANYHOW and now, if amt robbed
and murdered before ] get there,
shall do well enough in spite Of tn,
mud" And, so muttering to himself
the worthy gentleman splashed for
ward. .Ff.
Our present business however, is no
with his employer, but with Patrick
himself
The parting injunction tomake hast
had not seemed to make q very deel
impression on the careless son Of Erin
and he trudged easily along, with al
occasional shrewed glance at the some
what threatening sky, growing to him
self:
Faith, an I'll be there before n
will, an it don't rain, an mebbe vii
av it does. Och, but it's wake one u
he givin' dollar for carryin the ioik Q
| th.sl EE tsE
A little more than half way acros
the open prairie between the railwa..
terminus and the village was a toleraoi
dense grove, and it was after sundowl
when. Patrick plunged under its shac
ows. Nor had be gone far, before, a
the gloom rapidly deepened, the pre-
monitory flashes of tightening and deeE
smothered roar of the thunder gave tC
ken that the storm was upon him.
"Now, an | cud owny git to tn
ovid log house it nd >kape me dbry
Howly Moses, what big fash wa
that
And, so saying, Patrick broke into
yerv respectable trot, which quickl
brought him into little weed-grow
clearing. In the centre of this thel
was a small log house, the deserts
homestead Of some discontened squatt
who had moved farther westward.
consisted of brit two rooms, front ar
back, and all vestings Of doors or wi
: dow-shuttershad long since disappears
but it promised some sort OF imperie
| IL.