Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-12-20
THE LOST TRAIN.
From the Manhattan Magazine.

At Z o'clock in the evening, on the
both of August, 1861, there stood on
the railroad platform of the little sta
ton of Silver Bow seven persons.
Silver Bow is a new settlement on one
of the numerous branches o the Atch-
ison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad.
Twenty miles southwest of Silver Bow,
on the same track, is Lone Tomb. A
like distance beyond this place lies
Blue Canyon, and still farther Col
conda City, where the line terminates.
Five of these persons had bought tick
cts for the Atlantic express. They
were waiting to take the momentarily
expected train for Topeka, there to
change cars, and reach New York by
way of Chicago. The remaining two
individuals were the ticket agent and
q telegraph operator.
On the platform at Lone Tomb were
dozen persons, among them party
consisting of a bride and groom, just
married, and a mysterious stranger,
dressed in a long, black cloak and a
SLOUGH hat, who glanced furtively,
from time to time, at the happy pair.
The train from Blue Canyon came
slowly into Lone Tomb, and the pas
sengers soon took their seats, the bride
and groom going into the parlOr car,
and the mysterious stranger entering
the smoker. There were a few inter
changes of courtesies between the lott
erers on the platform and the cOnduc
tor, blak man and engineer, then the
bell Of the locomotive rang, and the
train moved on the single track to-
ward Silver Bow.
There was not a great deal of traffic
on this branch Of the AtchisOn, TOpe-
ka and Santa Fe. But two trains
ran daily, Sundays excepted, through
the seventy miles of wild, but fairly
level country that had occasionally
been we'll traversed by the James
bows and other deSperadOes, for the
United States express car often carried
in its safe large amount of specie.
The train that had just left Lone
Tomb was known as No. g." 1t
consisted of Pullman palace parlor
sleeper, a smoker, an ordinary pass
enger coach, baggage car, a United
States express and caboose. The
conductor, Jem Harris was an Antie-
tam hero, favorably known through
out Kansas ClOrado, New Mexico and
Texas. The engineer, Tim Tiernan,
enjoyed equally as much popularity,
not solely on account of his good ma
ture but also for his skill in the game
of poker. In remote regions such as
lhese the arrival and departure of the
rain is, outside of an occasional
.ynching, the only excitement, and
the trainmen are looked upon very
much as were the driver and guard In
the old coaching days in England.
Were twenty minutes behind
time, said Conductor Harris to En-
gineer Herman. Shake her up, Tim;
We'll get to Silver Bow by z.
The seven persons on the platform
at Silver Bow toward o'clock looked
anxiously up the track for No. 67, !"
but there were no signs of 1t: 7:15 o.
clock, and still the well-known whis-
tie, which could be heard often at a
distance of three miles, had not echoed
through the thickly-wooded hills.
This was not unusual. for '67" had
been at times half an hour late. AS
the Silver Bow travellers were Begin
ning to get impatient, the telegraph
operator wired to Lone Tomb and
asked what time the train left. The
answer soon came:
No. 81, in charge of Harris left
here for Silver Bow at $40. Fair
load
"Well, " remarked the ticket agent
who was IN charge Of the station,
she must be along in few minutes
now
The passengers were satisfied and
content to wait. They walked up
and down the platform and rested oc-
casionally on their trunks and bag
gage, which were piled up ready to
be deposited into the baggage car of
''67n
1t was now o'clock and almost
dark, without any indications Of the
approach of the train. Those VINO
before had been impatient now be-
came alarmed, especially the step
mother Of the bridegroom, who, with
his father, intended accompanying
the young people as far as Topeka, as
neither had been able to be present at
the wedding The telegraph opera
tor, at the request of the ticket agent,
wired once more to Lone Tomb as fol-
lows:
No. 81, not yet arrived. What's
Wrong?"
Lone Tomb replied;
Must be all right; perhaps hot box
Good-night-going home"
It is 8 ro'clock," said the ticket