Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1871-07-07

btllcI lND VI us tuth blif
"But ding i'll my trainr
"Just sor said l.
"Thcy may not miss me for fifty miles"
Nor me-
"Nor you! Ding you! Who are you,
anyhow"
"No NATTER" said I, "you'd better have
let me alone"
"But, ding it, man, must obey orders.
The road-master would have reported me
for dismissal if I'd "A let you Off without
the money"
"And now he'll report you for deserving
your train"
"No; I'll hurry up TO the next station
and telegraph my situation"
"By no MEANS" said I.
"Why not ?"
"I'r not allow you"
"You won't?"
"That will not ~ said | emphatically,
drawing from its hiding place underneath
my coat-tail, huge Colts revolver. The
conductors face turned to just the color OF
the moonshine.
"Don't kill me, he suggested, 81 was
only oLeying orders, indeed | was, sir"
"Maybe you'd like to pray little p
"Pray % Good heavens! You're not in
earnest? ?"
"Oh, if you don't want to pray" said I,
cooking the pistol and examining the cap.
He went down on his knees and prayed
quite fervently. Just as he finished heard
the train coming back at full speed.
4 III hnp In "A -,
They've missed me, he cried, springing to
his feet.
"They'll never find YOU" said |.
every easy" said he, "Tll wave my
hat"
"Not at all | reioined.
"Why not? I'll let you ride To"
81 do not care TO ride I interrupted,
'lets take little stroll into the swamp"
"What for?'' he asked tremblngly.
"Oh, just to avoid being seen,' I repli-
ed.
"For lords sakev he cried.
"Movc aheadv / said, and so drove
him back into the thicket swamp few
hundred yards.
"Now you just open your mouth" | re-
marked, as the train slowly trundled past
with lights hanging out on every side,
"and I'll put a ball down your throat"
He kept very quiet and we could plainly
hear the excited voices of the passengers
and train hands as they were borne along
at n constantly lessenihg speed. Finally
the train was brought to stand-still half
mile below. After remaining there awhile
it came slowly putting back, the men run
ming along beside it beating the woods a
few rods in either direction.
Meantime l was not idle. | bound the
conductors hands and feet with his sus-
penders and gagged him with my handker-
chief. In this condition sat him down A.
gainst the root of n large pine tree and
throwing my over-coat across my arm, left
him there. As soon as got out of sight Of
my prisoner | took Off my small-coat and
turned it. 1t was small flannel sack made
to be worn either side out 1t was black
on one side, white ON the other. | hastily
put pine knot in my cap and threw it in
to pond hard by, and put on a soft hat
which had been carrying in my pocket.
This hat was white and very broad brim-
med. | now fastened to the vicinity of the
railroad track and as the train with its OK
cited attendants began TO pass coolly join
ed the crowd of persons who walked be-
side the cars.
singular what's become of him, II re-
marked to the man nearest me.
"Tarnation queer, indeed" was the re-
ply.
"lIe's sloped with the money said a
putting fat man on my left, "bet my boots
on that"
That's my notion" said /.
YES, yes" continued the fat man ap-
provingly, chats it xactly. | knew a
conductor out in Texas to do this very same
trick once"
"You did?"
"Yes, sir and he has never been found"
"Indeed r.
$50 sure's the world, and they said he
had a pile of money on hand, too
Real villain, wasn't he?'
"Was that, sure -
"Hist, listen Who's that?"
"Help! helpl helpr' roared voice
down in the swamp.
Everybody halted to listen.
"Help. helpr'
"It's tho conducto,,s yoioe ~ ,,ollod a.
brolxesmon and forthwith o,,ervhod,, =, r,sb
ed into the swamp. In very little time
we had found NV man who had monoged
to snit ont his gao I hoInod to mia lin,
"iIou tho liel,on.. ,.,,, l., ,I,i a.. o.,
said in an assumed voice, helping him to
his feet
.n,,,, ~ ao,, ,,,, non. ,,.,.. -, 49,.
"a" ,'" -" "n"S' "re'
Wv 49, o,'"s "'s ','VN 'e'io" SUING
va '"o ni'" ''"'i''"'' AsNeu MN ior ''cA-
CT sald had none. Asked nm for money,
s"'u n"" no money either. stopped the
''"i" "nu "o"' l" hioA hi''' on DING
9'"''p P"''eu '"e pe'' rolo anu ''u'cheu
io' "'"'H 'lo on '"o P'""o'i''' "ha'eu me
IKE b!azes' Took me down in the swamp
and tia1 mo piotoI t,Yo foot t,n,, nin,,