The Van Buren press., 1871-05-16
MISCELLAN
My Highway Robbery,
BY JAMES MAURIcl. THOMPSON.

"No money! What in thunder'd yot
get on for? How'd yon expect to trave
on this road thout the stamps? !? OFF wit
you, and no whining ronnd me know
my business and you know yours, may
be. Any baggage ?"
"No baggage l muttered dolefully
tbut you can take my overcoat. / cal
get the monny at Savannah !"
Dang your old overcoat! What yol
s'pose | want with your old rags ~
Rags! Look here, there S not a breal
in this coat Good as new"
"Of with you, quick y
"For heaven sake"
"Shall kick you OFF,
"I'm a thousand miles from home.
"Dang your home! OF with you, oil
I'll sling you off. y
"Try it if you dare!
Whoop! thud diff! lick to whack
spat. scuille.a. bangle kowhim thrash
whollop. and out We went together onto
a pile of cross ties. As he c!inched me
l struck him heavy blow in the face
with my right fist, while with my left
hand pulled the bell rope loot toot
said the signal whi4.le and off went the
train.
DO you quite unNhrstand that had
stolen a conductor. F.et me be explicit
To tel ly you the tY,t had Just served
and only twentyon, e ,eaS old at that
You know there vale , description law
and when was eigL Zen had to go in
| was assigned to dIhH in Florida. and
when the war ended fond myself suf.
fering from wou- md thousand
miles from home staid in Florida til
the winter of '6S, when, finding myself
well again, seeing no earthly chance o
ever finding any employment in tha
distracted State which would enable mt
to lay up money enough to pay my wa,
home on the cars, | set out afoot. No
till had walked hundred miles or more
did fully realize the difficulty Of my un
dertaking In consequence of my wounC
/ had for long time been in doors
scarcely taking any exercise at all, an'
now, although was well. was tende
as woman. My feet sweled so that
had to split my boots all to pieces, an'
my legs got stiff and sore. | suffered
from lack Of food, too, ut times, for th
country through which | passed wa
thinly settled, with people so pool tha
they had nothing for me. Finally
reached the railroad, and it was my mos
direct route to Savannah, where hopec
to find some friends, followed it. Thi
railroad passes through the outlyin,
marshes and cypress waster Of the grea
Oakenfenokee swamps, and it was in tn
most dismal part of that wild barren, tina
happy idea entered my brain. 1t wa
that Of stealing q ride. A freight trai
had just passed me going north, and
knew that in less than an hour passen
ger train would follow. My plan was t
stand near the track and leap upon tn
rear platform Of the hindmost car. di
this without accident, and found mysel
moment after, whirling along very CON
fortably seated on the platform steps,
All it was delicious to feel the coo
night breeze tanning mg fevcrish face
Night air2 Yes, il was near midnight
and the full moon was shining glorious
ly. How swcetly ! rested. How muc
pleasanter than walking.
But luck did not faver me. My rid
was a short one | had not been seata
more than two minutes when somethin
tapped me on the shonlder ! locke
up. Tickets ~ said the man who lean
over me.
"Got none," said /.
"Money then said he.
:" Got none" | replied.
Then followed what is chronicaled 9
the beginning Of this sketch. He ha
reached up and pulled the bell-rop'
bringing the train to a stand-stil. j di
not think of stealing him till the yer
moment he clinched me to throw m
from the platform Then, all at one
the resolve came. As | have said,
struck him with one hand and pulled I'll
bell rope with the other. We had a sho'
furious fight on the platform, then role
off onto a pile Of cross-ties just as til
train, in obedience to my signal, role
away. do not think the conductc
heard the engine whistle or knew the car
had gone, so busy was he tryingto lie
me. was too much for him, though
had not tasted food for three days pas
| suppose fever and the fury of despa
lent me strength, for | got him undo
me, there on tne cross ties, and thumpe
him till he bawled for help. BY this tim
the train was roaring but family in tn
distance. let him up and he gaze
around
Wh--where's my train ~ said he.
..Dou't vou hear il 2" I asked seatin