Middletown transcript., 1884-03-07

] came quickly to his side.
: empty one of those express boxes,
J and bring it here at once" The order
was almost instantly obeyed, and the
man whom we no longer felt secret
dread Of, turned to the poor little
mother, with almost a Teverential de-
meanor, saying: "I think we can
give the baby temporary coffin, if you
are willing, and my man here will hold
the box, while you lay the body in it as
well as you can the driver will find a
good place for it in the boot F.; don't
you think it will be the best plan ?''
eyes, sir, Pm quite willing"
| The passengers offered every possible
aid, and the box was laid across the
writer's lap, and the masked assistant
took up the little bundle and bestowed
it very carefully in its iron-bound
casket. Woolly mufflers and cashmere
handkerchiefs were forthcoming to
wrap the stiff little form, and as the
cover was about to be shut down, the
man at the window interrupted, saying
Wait minute-let the mother kiss
her child if she wants to-"
Of course she wanted to.
Her own white face went down for
an instant to the mite of visage in
the box, then laying her handkerchief
over the face, the cover was shut
down, and the box tightly strapped.
Now take it to Curley Jim and, 1
say, Curley," calling out as the box
was handed up, it's to go through to
Sacramento, no matter who tries to
interfere. y
"You bet it'll go through, was the
pointed reply, as it was deposited on
the floor of the boot.
"My poor woman, - said this humane
stage robber, "have you any money ?"
Without relaxing his hold upon the
rifle that had been horizontally familiar
with the writer during the entire scene,
this breaking, but grandly-natured
man, spoke up, with generous ring in
his voice, saying: "Well, you must
not do without food until that time,
and some accident may happen on the
road please accept some honestly
made money from my pocket would
not insult you with stolen cash"
With this every passengers purse
was pulled out, the two ladies managing,
as they usually do, to get theirs out
first, and as two gold twenties dropped
from the robbers hand into that of the
grateful little woman, generous addi-
tion was made by her fellow-passengerS
with sympathetic words, to make its
reception easier
AS her choking "Thank you, thank
you, ;" was returned, the knight of the
rifle spoke again:
Bravo, ladies and gentlemen it
was providential we stopped this coach
we do not take so much credit to
ourselves, but it looks as if we were
the medium of a higher power to do
good when it was most needed see to
it, gentlemen, this lady and her dead
child go through to Sacramento unmo-
Tested, and you might remember at the
same time, a robber, So-caIled, is mt a
brute of necessity. If your villain of
husband was in this vicinity, madam,
I'd pay my respects to him before day
light"
Good on your head we'd lend you
hand, " responded one of the growl-
ing passengers.
At this point in the proceedings, the
chief was informed Everything was
o. K"
"All right, . he responded "put the
boxes back in their places, hitch the
horses on, and if you have any good
cigars among you, give Curley half a
dozen. Keep the rifles sighted on
everything until the coach turns the
bend yonder." Then to the passen-
gers Goodnight, all. Perhaps you'll
have to give evidence against me, but
that's part of the bill of fare we are
prepared for such emergencies. Go
ahead, Curley, old fellow take care of
yourself"
"Same to you," shouted Curley, as
his foot scraped on the break-handle
wish you Merry Christmas Whoa,
there hang that off leader Git up
Take off your rifles there amt fight
enough in us now to knock down a
Washoe squaw.
Snap went the whip; the windows
were both banged together in twink
ling, and the sleet-covered barrel of a
Henry rife shot past the writer's Win
dow like flash.
At the station in the morning excite
ment ran high over the robbery, as told
by driver, messenger and passengers,
while hastily taking breakfast. Just
as we were about to start again, the
express agent stood braced against a
snow-bank talking to Curley Jim about
five minutes the new driver for the
next route, into Sacramento, was the
since celebrated Hank Monk, and while
he was shifting the mail-sacks, boxes
and bricks about, Curley shouted out,
suddenly:
Hank, that's the boz the one with
the strap round it. Knock hot spots
out of any one who dares to interfere
with it !"
"You bet your bottom dollar ~ was
the terse response from a mouth cram
med with tobacco.
AS the stage neared Sacramento the
passengers were made acquainted with
the fact that it would drop the little
woman from Carson" at her mothers
door before entering the main street.