Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1883-09-29

AS [ sit in my doorway, see hus-
band and wife standing side by side.
He looks down upon her tenderly,
and the old light has come again to
those beautiful eyes; while behind
them, with her spectacles and snowy
curls, stands dear Aunt Linda.
A TRAP FOR SEVEN.
Catch rat in a trap and he will
fight. Trap a man and-well, you
can't rely on him. 1t is according to
the trap. In the heavy Stage coach,
as we roll out of Leadville, were
seven men. One is an army officer
who has half dozen scars to prove
his bravery. Cut off from his com
mand on the plains last summer by a
score of Indians, he intrenched him
self and fought the band off until
help arrived. Two of the others are
desperadoes, who have killed their
men. Three of the others are stall
wart miners, each armed with two re.
volvers, and they look as if they
would prove ugly customers in row.
The seventh man might do some
shooting on pinch, but he hopes
there will be no pinch. In the crowd
are ten revolvers, two derringers,
three repeating rifles, ard four or five
bowie knives; and there is perfect
good feeling as the stage rolls along.
1t is tacitly understood that the army
officer is to assume command in case
the coach is attacked, and they are
all to keep cool and fire to kill.
1t is ten o'clock in the morning.
The windows are down and the pas
sengers are smoking and talking, and
seeking for comfortable positions.
The coach has just Preached the
top of a hill, when every horse is
suddenly pulled up.
eff it's bar we'll have some fun"
growled one of the miners, as he put
his head out OF the window.
IF it's robber, gin me the fust
wap at him. whispered one of the
desperadoes.
No one could say what the trouble
was, when a wiry little chap about
five feet six inches tall, with black
eyes and hair, clean face and thin
lips, appeared at the left hand door
with cooked revolver in either hand
and said:
"Gents, am sorry to disturb you,
but I've got to make a raise this morn.
ing. Please leave your shooters and
climb down here, one at time"
1t was sudden. 1t was so sudden
that it took ten seconds to under
stand the drift of his remarks. Then
every eye turned to the right hand
door, and the two revolvers held by
second robber was seen at the open
window. 1t was a trap. The rats
were caught, and would they tightW
"Gents, Pm growing leetle i'm
patient" continued the first robber,
land l want to see the procession
begin to move"
Let's see! The captain was to lead
us, and we were to be cool, and fire
to kill. But the captain was growing
white around the mouth, and nobody
had a weapon in hand. The rats
were not going to fight. One of the
miners opened the door and descend
ed, and the other six humbly followed.
The seven were drawn up in line
across the road, and while the robber
held Lis shooter on the line, he cool
ly observed to his partner:
'Now William, you remove the
weapons from the coach, and then
search these gentlemen"
AS William obeyed, every victim
was ordered to hold his hands above
his head. and whatever plunder was
taken from his pockets was dropped
into Williams hat -Four gold watch
es, two diamond pins, telescope, a
diamond ring, gold badge, and
$1,000 in cash changed hands in ten
minutes. Not man had word to
say. The driver of the coach did not
leave his seat, and was not interfered
with. When the last man had been
plundered, the genteel Dick Turpin
kindly observed:
"You are the most decent set of
men ! ever robbed, and if times
weren't so darned hard, I'd make
each OF you present of ten dollars.
Now, then, climb back to your placer,
and the coach will go on"
The crowd "clumb," and the vehicle
resumed its journey. Not weapon
or q timepiece, or dollar had been
saved. Seven we'll armed men
cleaned out by two, and not shot
fired or a wound given. Mile after
mile was passed in silence, and final
ly the seventh man, the one who
might fight on pinch, but didn't,
plaintively suggested:
Cant some of you gentlemen
think OF few remarks which would
be apropOs to the occasions"
No one could, and the silence was
renewed Tit Bits.
---<<ot<----
A woman was arrested in Kansas
City for appearing on the street in a
4. -