Middletown transcript., 1884-03-07

match now and then to consult awate
or a small bottle. The most silent pa
senger was the little woman with tn
baby-no one would have dreamed of
baby keeping still five long hours in
stage-coach, even with bottle OF sooth
ing-syrup at its command.
We had changed horses three time
and crossed one divide.
"Halloa hold onI Robbers, b
thunder -
Curley Jim's voice sounded higl
above the storm, the coach stopped
with jerk, the windows in each doc
were suddenly lowered, and two Henr,
rifles covered the inside passengers.
1t was the work of minute, and NJ
one spoke. Behind each rifle stood
masked mantle one on the writer
side spoke quickly, in well-bred voice
and manner:
"Keep your seats, ladies and gentle
men; you will not be molested all We
want is the express the first one who
resists will be shot instantly"
The announcement was cooler thar
the night but every passenger knew
the virtue Of obedience. Outside, Cur.
ley Jim was making mot Rome), but
the Sierras, "howl' with his charac,
teristic denunciations of footpads, :
as he sat on the box with ga rifle to
his nose," as he termed it. The vii
lains, who were holding the horses and
detaching them from the stage, and the
fellows who were breaking open the
boxes, laughed loudly at the drivers
remarks, and endeavored to provoke
his good humor by telling him "he
was only passenger now," and that
his friends all knew he was good
fellow" and so forth.
The guard of the inside passen-
gers' seemed to be the leader of the
expedition, as he gave directions to all
the rest he frequently attempted con-
versation with the occupants on the
back seat, and seeming to be polite, at
least in his address, we volunteered the
inquiry:
"Do you like this business of robbing
stages ?"
"Quite to the contrary" he replied,
F" detest it; l was not intended by
nature or education for a robber !; but
whenever 1 get into a bad business |
endeavor to make it as reputable as
possible for that reason L never rob a
traveller, nor allow one to be robbed by
my assistants, especially lady. By
the-way, ladies, are you warm ? This
is bitter night-how are your feet ?''
Comfortable ~ we replied, amused
at the solicitude of a man holding a
cooked rife across our throat.
"Haye you baby there, madam 2"
he went on, addressing the silent little
woman from Carson
eyes"
The voice and simple "yes'' sounded
like wall from distant canon.
"Poor child !" said the robber, in a
tenderly humane accent. "Can you
to keep it warm ?''
"No," broke from the woman, in a
tone that surprised US all more than
the rifles had when thrust in our
faces.
"It must be wrapped warm, then" 7"
said our gallant highwayman, when the
fearful voice responded:
cit will never be warm again ~
Heavens I" said the man, I" is it
dead ?''
I eyes," was the chilling response !;
" it died this afternoon, and 1 am
taking it to my mother in Sacramento,
where it can be properly buried" and
a great sob was heard by every one in
the coach.
"And you have carried that cold
body in your arms all night ?" inquired
the robber, in surprise and sympathy.
II have" was the faint reply,
freighted with a tremor Of fear.
"Poor woman - he uttered in a
gentler tone. "Why did you start
with it in that way without a coffin !?
Where is your husband ?"
MY husband-my-he forsook me
before it was born for another woman
4 don't know where he is"
"Cussed scoundrel p said the man.
Amen !" responded one Of the men
on the middle seat.
81 was destitute, and baby starved
to death. I could not buy a coffin I
only wish to reach my mother, "pleaded
the choking voice, and silently one
sympathetic hand stole into hers as the
robber called out:
''I say, Curley, did you know you
had dead child inside ?''
eyes" roared back honest Curley,
" and the devil take your soul if you
lay hand on it ~
"Bully for you!'' the man shouted
back "we are robbers, Curley, but
we are men,
"Oh, don't make the driver any
trouble, SIR" cried out the terrified
little woman it is through his kind
ness alone | am permitted to take my
dead child home"
"Make him trouble ? Not bit of
it, !" said he, thrusting one hand into
his breast pocket, and pulling out
brandy flask, saying in good, round,
manly generosity Of tone: "Here,
Curley, take drink you're a trump. "
"All right; pass it up p And after
a significant sound of smacking lips on
the box, the flask was handed back.
"Now," said our robber gentleman
to the shivering little woman, "you
must have mouthful of this to keep