The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1888-03-08
TRAPPED BY TELEGRAPu

Territory, learned that a lady living
there had been the heroine of thrilIinr
adventure with train robbers, and curl
osIty and love for the brave induced me
TO call on her to tell me the story. When
| went To her house / was welcomed by
handsome lady of about thirty, and in
response to my earnest request for this
one chapter of her life, she related the
following:
In 1878, when but girl of Is, left
my home in Omaha and came ont to fill
the lonesome position OF night operator
at small station on the Pacific railway
In this territory. 1t was drearv. desc
late spot, in the midst of a desert. The
only buildings at the station, aside from
The depot, were section house, occupied
by track foreman aud few Chinese la
Oorers, water tank and coal she'd
The day operator and agent, a mere bow,
slept at the section house, 200 yards dis
tant, SO that during the long and dreary
nights l was alone in the depot. No. i
express train, bound east, was due at
2.l5 III the morning, but it never stopped
unless slgnaled, and as this was the only
train during the latter portion Of the
night you can imagine my lonely situa-
tion upon the desert wild. had nv
books and guitar for companions, and
passed much of the time reading, and
when the doleful howlings of the wolves
were borne to my ears from the distant
sand hills, | would pick up my guitar and
endeavOr to drown ther cries with music
and song.
"The superintendent of the division,
buoyant, light spirited young gentleman,
came over the road at frequent intervals,
and cheered me up with promises of
better position when vacancy should
occur. He often found me on the very
brink of despair, almost on the point of
reslgnlng my position and returning to
my humble home and the mother who de-
pended upon my salary for the necessa-
ries of life but his promises, his. genial
conversation and words of encouragement
drove away the gloom, and | came to look
for his visits with sense Of the keenest
pleasure. [ began to regard him with a
sisterly affection, he was so kind and ten
der, and SO solictous for my welfare and
comfort.
When the baggageman of passing
train would throw off a new book or a
roll of music, | knew it came from nv
kind hearted superior, and many drcary
hours were made less irksome through
his thoughtfulness for the lonely girl
operator.
"One night shortly after midnight, as
l sat at my table reading a late novel,
thought | heard shutting footstep on
the depot platform, but as it was not re-
peated | concluded it was but wolf
more daring than his cowardly fellows,
and resumed my book. A few moments
later | heard low knocking at the door,
which | always kept locked, and strange
feeling came over me. During my several
weeks stay at the station had never
had visitor, and the sudden knock, 80
low, yet so startlingly clear in the still
ness of the night, caused my form to
tremble and my cheek to blanch.
MY first thought was of Indians, and
then | reasoned thai it might be some
tramp desiring shelter. While l sat
there in alright, the knock was repeated,
louder than before, and mastering all my
courage l approached the door and
asked:
"Who's there?'
A gruff voice replied:
"a traveller who desires to take the
east bound train"
6" 1t was my plain and uumistakable
duty to admit him, and with trembling
fingers | drew the bolt
Instantly the door was pushed vio-
lently open, and | sprang back to the ia
BILE and sank into my chair in terror,
when seven bur men, wearing cloth
masks on their faces and armed to the
teeth, entered the office. One Of them,
evidently the leader, walked up to me,
and, pointing large revolver at my head,
said in low, firm voice:
"Gal, we don't want to hurt you, but
if you make a suspicious move, or scream,
or give any alarm, so that any O. the men
in the section house kin hear you, I'll
spile the looks O. that purity face with
bullet. Be quiet and sensible and be-
have yerself and yer shan't be hurt.
Whar's yer red signal lamp"
"What would you do?" | gasped.
"None o your business. We don't
want to hear any unnecessary back talk
nor no impertinent questions. Whar's
the red lamp?"
"a chill If horror swept over me when
the truth burst upon me that was in the
hands of band of desperate train rob-
bers whose evident intention was to sig
nal the train and rob the express car at
my station. What could do? 1t was
yet three hours until the train was due,
but / could not elude my captors to rouse
the section men and knew by the ugly
CLEAN in the leaders eyee, through the
holes in his mask, that if made the least
outcry he would not hesitate to carry out
his threat and murder me. knew they
could find the lamp easily by searching
for it, and 10 trembling voice told him
it was hanging just inside the door OF the
freight room. One of the men got 1t,
and after examining it to Gee If it was in
order, the rough band took seats to await
tho incoming Of the train.
"The leader lit his pipe; and looking
at nae steadily for Q few moments. said
"Yoosg gal. when that'ar train toots.
her whistle, we've got some work for yon.
An official duty, a. you might call it.
Yon must oit ont thar on the platform