The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1878-09-03
An Express Messengers Story.

now, was employed as messenger on
Western railway. don't know as It
is necessary for me to say just what line
it was, but will call it the b. T. & G..
II. r., just to save myself the trouble of
pronouncing the whole name.
had been on the run more than a
month previous to the date of the occur
renee of which am going to tell you. L
had been running on branch route for
more than year, and 1 might have
staid there good deal longer, if / had
not been chosen to take Paxon's place
when he went off. You see two or three
attempts had been made to rob the ex-
press car, and at last, at the end of a
long run Paxon was found dead in the
car with a bullet hole in his head. But
the safe was closed tight and secure,
though an attempt had been made to
blow it open, which proved Intellectual.
But the strangest part of it was that the
key was missing from Paxon's pocket,
and was not found till good six weeks
afterward. Then it was discovered at
the side of the track, with card tied to
it, on which it was written that robbers
were in the car, and he expected they
would murder him if he refused to give
up the key. He was true to the last.
Well, you may suppose that 1 felt just
the least bit squeamish about accepting
such an uninviting berth; but the
superintendent gave me orders, and
meant to do my duty, however disagreea-
BILE it might be. Then the pay was
larger than had ever received before !;
and as was acquainted with a good
girl, who was ready to help me inhabit
a house whenever 1 should be able to
own one, that was quite an object to me,
l can assure you.
Well, everything passed off smoothly
enough for several weeks, and had be-
come accustomed to the route, and
made dozen or more very pleasant ac-
quaintances, and was growing to be pref
ty well contented with my life. had al
most begun to thing the robbers, who
ever they might be, had given up all
thought of ever making anything out of
my car, and had sought another field of
operations.
One day was informed by the agent
at R that sometime within week
would have to take charge of about
$S0,000 in specie in its transit over our
road, on its way from Washington to
San Francisco. The officers of the ex-
press company had been advised of this
intended important shipment in order
that they might exercise redoubled
vigilance in view of the great risk in
Cured in the transportion of such a
valuable consignment.
The evening after my conversation
with the agent he called me into the
office, and told me the specie was to go
over the road the next day but one. He
produced an envelope, and handed it to
me, saying as he did so:
"There, Bill, are your orders, direct
from the superintendent, with his own
signature attached. Read them care
fully, and obey them to the letter, for
little mismove might cause great loss
to the company, and cost you your posi-
tion."
81 shall do my duty to the very let
ter" replied.
am sure you mean to do so," re-
turned the agent, "but you can't be too
careful. Some of the members of the
light fingered profession are as quick as
lightning. The plans they can't devise
amt worth thinking of, and they are
as fertile in expedient as the evil one
himself. 1 thought I'd just put you on
your guard in friendly way, and"
There was a slight sound at the door.
If the depot hadn't been deserted by
every one except us two, and the switch
engine hadn't been up at the yard where
we couldn't hear its incessant putting, 1
don't believe we would have heard the
sound at all. But we both noticed it at
once, and as looked out of the office
into the large room beyond, 1 saw a
man standing just inside the outer door,
with his head inclined towards us as if
he was trying to overhear our converse
ton. He saw me about the time I first
noticed him. / knew it from the little
start of surprise he gave me as his eyes
met mine.
He was all over his awkwardness in a
minute, for he drew his face down to an
expression of the utmost unconcern and
came boldly forward to the window of
fha nffinn fln ron,r.l rrrI,inl,