The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1870-09-02
THE ROBBERS LAMP.

From Appletons journal
Got to go over on foot ~ exclaimed the
contractor. al
Not chance of anything else, replied
the agent But then, it's only five miles
and you II have better quarters there sheI
here, IL this vile shsnty. The money vii
be safer, too-let alone that the men won :
go to work again unless they re paid in tn.
morning"
''is the road safe +? don't like the idet
of Juggling so much money. / could defene
myself or run; but fifteen hundred
dollars in small bills is big package to rur
with"
''send your vslise over in advance"
''By whom?'
my man"
SIS he Trustworthy ?''
Honest as the day aud be neednt know
there 8 anything 10 1t but dirty linen. He
can start now and you can wait until after
supper if you will"
And, so saying, the agent of the railroad
company stepped TO the door of the shsnty,
and shouted tor Patrick; and, shortly, that
individual csme-ss bright lively, honest
looking son of the Green Isle as ever
helped build Western railroad. "a
Patrick ~
Yes, yer honor"
Take this gentleman's valise ever the
viliisge and leave it with the superintendent
Tell him the owner'll be after it this eve
ming
An is that all, yer houor?"
That's aiI-only be quick about it, and
you II earn an extra dollar
I'm jlst the bye for that, anyhow Sure
it's small bit of q v6lse.
And, 30 saying, Patrick picked up thu
object of his contempt, and trudged away
with an utter absence of curiosity as 10 the
nature of what he was carrying. Da
The temporary station at which the "con-
struc,ion train" had landed the contractor
q gentleman named Perkins-wss at the
end of this new air line railroad To-, and ,
as the loborers thereon he'd not been paid
over promptly, they had now for some days
been on a strike, abandoning the works and
congregating idly at n 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 IN mediate distribution and.
after plain but hearty supper with the
agent he was about TO start on his tramp.
when it was discovered that good sized
Western storm was ust abovt to burst, and
the walk was postponed until the sky should
clear. In q few minutes more the rain was
commine down In torrents, and kept it up
for an hour or so, at the end of which time
the contractor padded away over the muddy
road, congratulstiDg himself that the vslise
IN Pasrlcks care was waterproof
He's had rougher time than l WILL
anyhow and now, if amt robbed and
murdered before get there, shall DO we'll
enough in spite of the mud" And, go
muttering to himself, the worthy gentleman
sp!sshed forward.
Our present business however is not with
the employer, but with Patrick himself
The parting I'M unktion TO make haste had
not seemed to make very deep impression
on the careless son of Erin; and he truged
easily along, with an occasional shire wd
glance at the somew what threatening skv,
growing to himself:
Faith and III be there before he will an
it don't rain, an mebbe / will sv it does
Och, 40 it's wake one at he is, to be
after irwin dollar for carryin' the loke of
this"
a little more than half way across the
open prairie between the railway terminus
and the VILLAGE was tolerbly dense grove
and it was after sunset when Patrick
plunged under it's shadows. Nor had he
gone far, before, as the rapidly deepened,
pre- nonitory flashed of lightning and the
deep, smothered roar of the thunder gave
token that the storm WAS upon him.
"Now, an cud ownly git to the ovid log
house, it I'D kspe me dhry. Howly Moses,
what big fash was that D."
And, so saying, Patrick broke into very
respectable trot, which quickly brought him
into little weed grown clearing In the
centre of this there vas a small log house
The deserted homestead of some discomfort
ed squAtter who had moved farther west
ward. 1t consisted of but two rooms, from.
and back, and all vistiges of doors or
window shutters had long disappeared but
it promised some sort of imperfect shelter
from the rain.
Patrick was ust in time, for hardly had
he stumbled over the grassy threshold before
the first big drops began to padder, and
these were quickly followed by such pence
trating torrents as compelled him to select
his s,andingpiace under as good corner of
the leake roof as he could find.
Bless me sowl, but this is wet rain,
anyhow! I'd not loike to be found drowned !
with another mons portmanty about me |
clothes. Whisht, now, Patrick, me Jewel
what's thst?"
And, as he spoke, Patrick one more
advanced toward the doorway. |, was now
III but pitch dark, and he could hear the
,alf mufiied voices OF men, whose profsme
,ttsrences seemed to try and direct ono
.nother toward the shelter.
"Here it is, Bob. / wonder if there's any
,ody in tt"
Not to night, there won't be. Go RICH.
Il we're comm"
Patrick was no fool, and he had heard |
,omething in the tones rather than in the
vords-though these we're mingled with |
horrid profanity hich conveyed to his
mind the i'm preston that the new eouers
were men wi whom he did not care to
ec'spe an acquaintance; neither did he like
~ ~ ou' INTO the storm-and so he quietly
So nack into the little "tean-to" that
.I's a Inc other part of the house, and
'ui.eu himself up against the logs.
H.. more he prsceived that
LEU hao taken posssession Of bis Into
qun,''.s' aho he lay as still as mon..
WINE 'nsy continued diseussind wh;oh
storm. oy the
reckon" " "'ght, 1
"Yes. he will; he's got to-"
"But the storm ?''
"He'll wait till that's over"
"Msybe he's started"
''If he has, he'll turn back. We're safa
enough to bag him, an it's little the bes,
lay zoe ever ball
"F.etty good pot, thas's.a fact. Do you
know how he's got it?"
"Tn a valise, Jim SAYS"
"Well, We can take it Is we'll in that as
in any thing else, Is the man said about his
whisky"