The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1884-01-03
THE LOST TRAIN.

TIE numerous DIduClito VI tuC atCuloOu,
Topeka & Sante Fe Railroad. Twenty
miles southwest of Silver Bow, on the
same track, is Lone Tomb. A like dis
lance beyond this place lies Blue Can
yon, and still farther Golconda City,
where the line terminates. Five OF
these persons had bought tickets for
the Atlantic express. They we're wait
ing to take the momentarily expected
train for Topeka, there to change cars
and reach New York by way of Chica-
90. The remaining two individuals
were the ticket agent and telegraph
operator
On the platform of Lone Tomb were
dozen persons, among them a party
consisting Of a bride and groom, just
married, and mysterious stranger,
dressed in 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 passengers
soon took their seats, the bride and
groom going into the paror car. and
the mysterious stranger entering the
smoker. There were a few interchanges
OF courtesies between the loiterers on
the platform and the conductor. brake
men and engineer, then the bell of the
locomotive rang, and the train moved
on the single track toward Silver Bow
There was not great deal OF traffic
on this branch of the Atchison, Topeka
g. Sante Fe. But two trains ran daily,
Sundays excepted. through the seventy
miles of wild but fairly level country
that had occasionallybeen well traversed
by the James boys and other despera-
does. 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 mo. g."
1t consisted of a Pullman palace
parlor sleeper, smoker. an ordinary
passenger coach, baggage car,
United States express and caboose.
The conductor. Jem Harris, was an
Antietam hero. and favorably known
throughout Kansas, Colorado, New
Mexico and Texas. The engineer, Tim
Herman. enjoyed equally as much
popularity, not solely on account of
his good nature, but also for his skill
in the game of poker. In remote re.
gons such as these the arrival and de-
parture of the train is, outside of an
occasional lynching, the only excite
ment, and the trainmen are looked
upon very much as were the driver and
guard in the old coaching days in Eng
land.
We're twenty minutes behind time,
said Conductor Harris to Engineer
Herman. Shake her up, Tim; Wen
get to Silver Bow by ~
The seven persons on the platform at
Silver Bow toward Z o'clock looked
anxiously up the track for mo. 67,"
but there were no signs of it; 7:l5
o'clock, and still the well-known whistle,
which could be heard often at a dis
lance of three miles. had not echoed
through the thckly- hills. This
was not unusual, "67' had been at
times half an hour late. As the Silver
Bow passengers were beginning to get
impatient, the telegraph operator wired
to Lone Tomb and asked at what time
the train left The answer soon came:
"'No. g.. in charge of Harris, left
here for Silver Bow at 6:20. Fair load. y
| well, remarked the ticket agent
who was in charge Of the station, "she
must be along in a few minutes now
The passengers were satisfied and
content to wait. They walked up and
down the platform and rested OCCASION
ally on their trunks and baggage,
which were piled up ready to be de-
posted in the baggage car Of "67,
1t was now O'Clock and almost
dark, without any indications of the
approach Of the train. Those who be-
fore had been impatient now became
alarmed, especially the step-mother OF
the bridegroom, who, with his father,
intended accompanying the young peo-
pie as far as Topeka, as neither had
been able to be present at the wedding.
The telegraph operator, at the request
OF the ticket agent, wired once more to
Lone Tomb as follows:
% No. 81 y not yet arrived. What s
wrong?"
Lone Tomb replied:
Must be all right; perhaps hot box.
Good night-going home
ut is 9 O'clock" said the ticket
agent to the tired and anxious persons
on the platform. as he looked at his
watch, something must have happen
ed, but / don't think it can be anything
serious. A piece of machinery may
have got out Of order and Tim Tier.
mans repairing it. guess 81 will
turn up by and by in good shape,
The ticket agent talked in this way tc
keep up the spirits Of the others, but il
was easy to see by his forced jollit,
that he did not like the looks of things
What can have happened3' he nut
tered to himself. "She can't hav,
jumped the track or jumped into tn,
= little creek-or have the James boy,
got aboard, stopped the train and sho
Tim Tiernanp If anything of the sor
has taken place it would be at leas
another hour before we could hear of i
here or from Lone Tomb"
10 At 1915 o'clock the ticket apen
came to the conclusion that a seriou
: mishap had befallen the train and re
solved to organize party to 60 up tn
track toward Lone Tomb and learn tn
cause of the detention. The first thin
ne did was TO send to a neighborin
mining camp, two miles away. to "
the services Of the sheriff and some {