Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1884-12-20
13. FROSTBURG, MD, DECEMBER 90 1884
SELECT STORY.
HOW A ROBBER WAS CAPTURED.


town of st. Thomas and station on
the Pacific railroad, in one of our far
western States. 1t was thinly set
tied part of tho country, and the
road ran chiefly through tracts of
unbroken woods at the foot of lone
ly range of hills.
The coach was quite full, every
seat being occupied and in conse-
quence there were some expressions
Of dissatisfaction when sharp shell
10" ahead announced another pas
senger.
The newcomer stood on the side of
the road-a tall, lank youth of six
teen or seventeen, with q freckled,
good-humored face, bright, quick,
gray eyes, and an air of alertness,
which seemed to announce HIM as
ready for any emergency. He was
clad in suit of coarse, home-spun,
walnut-dyed, and carried small
bundle on stick over his shoulder.
"Any room inside, gentlemen, y
cried the driver, as he pulled up his
horses and stopped down to look into
the coach.
"Not an inch,' answered the pas
sengers, simultaneously.
"Mebbe you might manage to make
room for this ERE lad. He is slim,
and will easily slip in" suggested the
driver.
"Can't do it; all eel couldn't slip
in we are over-crowded now," was
the reply from "a, cross-looking gen
tleman, with a red nose, and big,
gold watch-chain.
The lad had stood silent, wistfully
cycling the coach and the passengers.
"Couldn't l ride stop?" he in
quired anxiously.
"Couldn't do it, my lad. Them
amt passengers quarters, and we
have too much top-weight already. l
am afeard we can't take you up"
"Well, l can tramp alongside, l
reckon" he replied quietly. And he
shifted his bundle to his right
shoulder, and without more words,
set off with long, regular strides
though with stoop of the shoulders,
which betrayed that he was already
weary.
"The lad has pluck" remarked the
old gentleman with the watch chain,
''and l propose, gentlemen, that we
make room for him when we come to
the gulch. We won't mind little
crowding, and he won't take much
room."
Encouraged by this promise Mar
tin trudged along more cheerful than
before. Now and then he fell behind,
but at the rough places, where the
coach was forced to 60 at very slow
pace, he would overtake itagain. He
listened to the conversation of the
passengers and the driver, and now
and then answered some questions
addressed to himself. Thus the
passengers learned that his name was
Martin Sherwood, that he was the
eldest son of a poor widow with 9
large family, and that as soon as he
could find work "out west" they
would sell their little farm in Ken
lucky and join him, where he thought
they could do better than in their
present unpromising home.
The sun had set as the stage-coach
approached what the driver an.
nounced the "Murderer's Gulch.'
This was a rough, rocky declivity,
descending into narrow valley, OF
gorge, through which ran shallow
| stream.
"Why do you call this place SC
horrld a name ?" inquired an old
lady of the driver.
"Because, marin, about ten years
ago some travellers were stopped
here and robbed and murdered"
"Good gracious !"' said the old lady
nervously, l hope no such things
happen nowadays"
"Well, marin, they don't happen
often, only now and then; about
| once in a while, some desp'rit ras.
ellis will stop party, or mebbe q
! stage coach, and help 'emselves tc
what they can get. But it's six
months since the last robbery on the
road"
claws sakes!" gasped the old lady
and she instantly insisted on giving
up her seat near the window, and
take another between two gentlemen