Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1885-05-14

reach Paris in time. Don't fear for me.n
Itwas dark, cloudy and threatening
storm, and as nearly as could guess,
close upon nine o'clock. / could only
wait and pray. / was too much
stunned even yet to realize the heroism
of this timid woman starting alone up
on the dark ride through a wild coun-
try with storm threatening.
Ten o'clock. The rain fell in torrents,
the thunder pealing, lightning fiashingl
Often had held her, white as death,
trembling, almost fainting, i'm such
storm as this. Had she feared to start
with the storm in prospect, or was she
lying somewhere on the wild road,
overcome by terror, or perhaps stricken
by lightning?
Eleven o'clock. Would the next
hour never pass? Once the clock told
midnight all was safe.
In the dead silence a far-off sound
struck thrill of horror to my.heart,
far exceeding even the previous agony.
Far, far away faint whistle came
through the air. The midnight down
train was coming swiftly, surely, to
certain destruction! Where was my
wife? Had the ruffians intercepted her
at the cottage? Was she lying dead
somewhere upon the wild road? Her
heroism was of no avail, but was her
| life saved?
The heavy train rumbled past the
telegraph office. 1t was an express
train, and did not stop at Deering sta
tion; but as I listened, every sense shar-
pened by the mental torture, it seemed
| Il hof fhn cnnad cfonlyanad lis
tening intently, knew that it stopped
at the embankment, as nearly as l
could Judge. Not with the sickening
crash 1 expected, not preceding walls
and groans from the injured passengers,
but carefully. A moment more and /
heard shouts, the crack of firearms,
sounds of some conflict.
What could it all mean? The min
utes were hours, till 1 heard key turn
in the door of my prison, and a moment
later two tender arms were round my
neck, and Alice was whispering in my
ear:
"They will come in few minutes
love, to set you free"
"But have you been to Paris?"
"Yes; dear"
"In all that Storm"
"Selim seemed to understand. He
carried me swiftly and surely. wa!
we'll wrapped in my waterproof cloaf
and hood. When I reached Paris the
train had not come from D."
"But it is here"
"Only the locomotive and one car
In that car were sheriff, deputy sheriff
and twenty men, armed to the teeth, t.
capture the gang at the embankment
[ came, too, and they lowered me from
the platform when the speed slackened
} so that T could run here and tell you al
was safeW
While we spoke my wife's finger
had first united the handkerchie
around my neck, and then, in the dark
found some of the knots of the cord
binding me. But there was a rush o
many feet on the staircase, and, il
another moment, light and joyful voices
"We've captured the whole nine!'
was the good news. "Three, includin,
John Martin, are desperately wounded
but the surprise was perfect. Now, oil
follow, for you"
A dozen clasp knives at once severe'
my bonds and a dozen hands were eX
tended in greeting.
+, Alice and left 'Deering for o NOR
civilized community the following yeal
But before we went there wasan invite
| ton sent to us to meet cOmmitte
from the railroad company at Paris, Of
Thanksgiving day. We accepted, ha
q dinner, were toasted with a silver te
service as testimonial from the pa.
sengers upon that threatened dow
! train, the express company and railroa
7 directors, in token of their gratitude ft
the lives and property saved by he
lheroism.