The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1880-06-29
Two Stirring Adventures.

told the following story.
"Ten years ago / was telegraph
operator at small town in New Jersey,
but, my health falling, gave up my
situation, and, taking an agency, trav-
eled westward until finally reached
San Francisco. While there took u
fancy to visit the mining regions; SO,
selecting suitable goods to sell among
the miners, / went, satisfied my curl
osity, made little money, and was
returning in stage coach when the
incidents am about to relate occurred,
or at least began to occur
80 i'There were beside myself three In
side passengers; an old gentleman Of
sixty and two roughly dressed men,
apparently miners. These two men sat
at opposite ends of the coach, not APP
pearing to know each other, while the
old gentleman and myself sat close
together noticed that the old gentle
man had a heavy tin or iron box be-
tween his legs, which he seemed to be
anxious TO keep out of sight,
''After a short conversation with him
on general subjects, 1 allowed myself to
drift gently into doze and while in
that condition my ear, trained to the
intelligent sound of the telegraphic
instruments, caught faint tic, tic,
which resolved itself in the following
wcrds
"' Bill, the young one is going to
sleep, and will tend to him while you
pitch the old one out over the precipice
when make the signal and secure the
boz
" was now as wide awake as If had
5been called by an operator to receive a
but l pretended to be still doz-
ing while listened intently. Then L
heard the coach window rattle, and it
read:
"'All right, Bob. We will be to the
Big Jump in twenty minutes, and then
give the word and out he goes.
Taking cautious look from be-
tween my eyelids, 1 saw that one of the
villains was telegraphing by vibrating a
knife-blade between his teeth, while the
other used the window for that purpose,
neither of them appearing to notice the
other.
II knew the precipice to which they
referred, terrible one, where miner
had once jumped off in tit of despair
at his bad luck, from which it was
known as the Big Jump. How to COM
municate to the old gentleman was at
3 loss to determine, but finally 1 took
out newspaper and under-scored the
words in a lengthy editorial, which, if
read consecutively, would read: BE
cautious, sir. The two villains here
intend to murder and rob us in ten
minutes. When arise, you attack the
one with the moustache and / will take
the other. Kill if necessary
"Then handed the paper to the old
gentleman, saying; Have you read
this sir2 It's most excellent edito-
rial.'
g He took the paper, put on his glasses
and commenced to read. Soon the un-
der.scored words drew his attention and
he began to study them. Then / saw
him grow pale and feel for his box with
his foot. Handing me back the paper
he said significantly:
.'' DO you believe that, siry'
Il know it to be true, sir" said L.
80 Horrible, said he, slipping his
hand into his breast-pocket, stern look
coming into his face as he added: /
believe that I'd feel like shooting some
one.'
g. l saw had man of courage to
help me, so cared. little for the villain
GUS smile which his remark brought to
one of the ruffian's face. saw we were
near the Big Jump and were going
down a steep grade at lively rate, when
one of the villains telegraphed:
"'Now!'
1.-The next minute / was on him
knocking him senseless with my revol.
ver. The old gentlemen did equally as
well, the ruffians being taken completely
by surprise at our sudden attack. We
had passed the precipice now, and called
to the driver to stop, he and the one
outside passenger helped to bind ouI
prisoners, whom we left inside, while
we climbed to the top. But when We
arrived in Sacramento we found tha
the robbers had released each other ant
dropped out along the road.
1.-The old gentleman introduced him
self as Mr.. Stamford, Sacrament,
banker, and insisted on my accepting
the hospitality of his home, saying tina
had saved his life and large amour
Al,.l LII.