Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1882-01-14
An Episode in a Sleeping. Car.

bany & Susquehanna connects at Bing-
hamton with express No. on the Erie.
Through coaches are run over this route
from Boston, arriving in Buffalo at IL 40
the following morning. Among the pas
sengers in one of the Pullman cars at
tached to this train last Saturday even
ing was Mr.. l.. IL. Holbrook, of Buffalo.
Mr.. Holbrook had had hard days
travelling, and as soon as the train began
to climb about among the hills, he
climbed into his berth and went to sleep,
first having partially undressed and
placed his watch and loaded Smith IL
Wesson under his pillow. The car was
quite well filed, among the passengers
being commercial traveller bound for
Hornellsville, a lady for Buffalo and an
81 other lady for Cincinnati. Along in the
little hours of the night there came
thump and bump, and general shake
up, and then the car came to q stand
still. Everybody-except, possibly, the |
lady for Buffalo and the lady for Gin
cinnati-thrust his head through the |
curtains and asked, "What's up"
Nothing was up, except sleepy people,
but string of freight cars had come
down a grade and made a wreck, and
the express had tried to climb over it,
They must lie there until things were
cleared, or walk. So the man who
swears said "blank the luck" and the
lady for somewhere or other said sob,
DEAR" and all went to sleep again. Just
rs Mr.. Holbrook was forgetting that
Buffalo was several hours farther off
than it should be, he felt, or saw, or
dreamed he felt or saw hand lightly
brush his face, and then slip under his
pillow. Mr.. Holbrook is young man
who can do the right thing in an emer-
geney. He didn't stop to put on his
hat, or to button his-shoes. He simply
made a grab for his revolver, and
bounced into the aisle in an instant. His
berth was near the middle of the car,
and as he landed on his feet he saw
man turning toward the side passage
leading around the ladies' toiletroom
toward the end of the car. In an instant
Holbrook had the drop on him. As the
fellow turned he faced the little Smith
&. Wesson, and as it was within six
inches of his nose he couldn't help see
ing that it was cooked, and the finger
that touched the trigger was ready for
duty. -,
''I'll trouble you for my watch, said
Holbrook.
The fellow looked Mr.. Holbrook in
the eve and then looked the revolver in
the eve. Neither Holbrook nor weapon
looked friendly. He wilted into seat,
and handed over the watch. "Take
away that thing!" he begged, as the re-
volyer continued to cover him. "Take
it off, 1 tell you, and let me go! don't
want your watch!"
By this time the car was awake
"Hold on, there!" sang out the COM
mercial traveller going to HorneIlsyille
'my watch is gone, tool"
ooh, OH" squealed the lady going tc
Cincinnati; "my watch is gone, too !
Really this was interesting. The fel
low begged and protested. He hadn'
touched their watches, and didn't wan
to disturb them. His regard for theil
rest was not appreciated. The conduc
tor appeared on the scene, but did no
interfere. Some of the gentlemen
crowded about Mr.. Holbrook to assis
him.
"Wait, gentlemen" says Mr.. Hol
brook, "this is my game, if you please.
This to the thief: 81 want you to Civ
up those watches"
81 tell you haven't got 'em. Yo
will oblige me by calling off that wea
pom"
The finger on the weapon was gettin
very determined. "Throw up you
hands!" shouted Holbrook, putting tn
iron where even a near-sighted nos
couldn't help smelling it.
The mans arms went up at the wore
lie grew pale, and the perspiration bt
gan to drop from his face.
"Now, boys, go through him." sal
Holbrook. The pockets were examined
and, sure enough, there was the lit
gold watch over which the lady trol
Cincinnati was excited. The other OF
didn't appear.
r'|a "Pull off his boots" said our her
"Ratter tuck in your Shirt" said Il
robber to Holbrook as the latter broug
the revolver nearer than ever. The "a
cal was evidently an artist, and the sig
of half a dozen men in shirts al
drawers dancing about him may ha'
looked funny. But that revolver didn
and his bluff and protest were of
avail. The other watch was found in
bootleg. About $500 in money was d
covered upon him, but as no one in t
car could find out that he had lost an
it was not disturbed.
When Holbrook took off the revolv(
the fellow gathered strength enough
slip out of the car, and was seen
more. And they let him go.
And then Holbrook, nervy fellow tn
he is, began to shake. He was the he
of the scene, and in spite of the undrt
uniform of all parties, was congratu
ted and applsuded, as he deserved
be. "But when it was all over" ss
Mr.. Holbrook, land got back into I
berth, perspired and trembled as b1
w as the thief had done"
The accident delayed the train so Il
Mr.. Holbrook did not reach Buffalo |
til Sunday evening. For the rest of
trip he was lion. The lady going
Cincinnati insisted on pressing a gen
GUS bill into his hand, and the comm
cial traveller overwhelmed him W
favors. Well he might; his watch q
chain were worth $500.
Mr.. Holbrook describes the teef a
thick-set man, of twenty-seven or tw
weight years, with dark complex
black mustache, and one eye Ii
.. closed. He was shabbily dressed ;