Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1888-03-15
TRAPPED BY TELEGRAPH.

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| there had been the heroine ola thrilling
| adventure with train robbers, and cur.
,osity and love for the brave induced me
to call on her | was welcomed by Il
handsome lady Of about thirty. and in
resi- olca to my earnest request for this
one chapter of her life, she related the
folIowlng:
I'm 1878, when bnt girl Of Is, I
left my home in Omaha and came out
to fill the lonesome position Of night op-
orator ut a small station on the Pacific
railway, in this territory. 1t was a
! dr.ary, desolate spot, in the midS Of a
desert. The only buildings at the sta.
ton, aside from the depot, were IA sec
ton house, occupied by a track foreman
AID Il few Chimes laborers, water tank
and coal shed. The day operl'o or aud
agent, mere boy, slept at tne section
house. 200 yards distant, so that during
the long and dreary nights | was alone
in the depot No. 4 express train, bound
east, was due at 2 Is in the morning,
but it never stopped unless signaled,
and as this was the only train during
the latter portion Of the night, you can
imagine my lonely situation upon the
desert wild. | had my books and guitar
for companions and passed much Of my
times in reading, and when the doletnl
howlings Of the wolves We're borne to
nv ears from the distant sand hills, |
wonld pick up my guitar and endcavor
to drown their cries with music and
song.
"Thc superintendent Of the division,
a buoyant light spirited young gentle
man, came over the road at frequent IN
tervals, and cneercd me up with promi-
ses Of better PCS tlon when vacancy
should occur. He often found Inc on
the very brink Of disrair almost on the
point Of re:ignlng my position aud re-
turning to NV humble home and the
mother who depended upon my salary
for the necessaries Of lie but HI, pro-
misses his grnlal conversation and words
Of encouragement drove away the loom
and | came to look for his visits with Il
sense Of the keenest pleasure. | began
to regard him with sister y Affection
he was IS kind and tender, and sole i.
tous for Inv welfare and comfort.
when baggage master of a passing
train would throw Of Il new book or a
roll of music. | knew it came from my
kind heated superior, and many drpary
hours were made less lrksome through
his thoushtfuIncss for the lonely girl
/ operator.
"O.e night shortly after midnight, as
rat at my table reading a late novel, |
thought heard shuiling footstep on
the depot platform, bat as it WAS no;
repeated ! concluded it was but Il wolf
more daring than his cowardly fellows,
, aud resumed my book. A few moments
later heard u low knocking at the
door, which | always kept locked and 4
strange feeling came over me. During
my several weeks stay at the station
had never had visitor, and the sudden
/ knock, 50 low, vet 50 startling V clear
| in the stiffness Of the night, cause my
form TO tgtmbIe aud my cheek 10
! blanch.
my first thought wa OF Indians,
and then | reasoned that it light be
some tramp desiring shelter. While |
sat there il alright, the knock was re-
peated, louder than before, and muster
ing all my courage approached the
door and asked
"Who's there ~
A grntf volce:.replied:
"A traveller who desires TO take the
cast bound train.
"It was nv plain and nnmis'akable
duty to admit him, and with trembling
fingers | drew the bolt.
, "Instantly the door was pushed VIC.
lem ly open an | spran9 back to the ta-
bic and sank into my chair in terror,
when seyen burlv men, wearing cloth
masks and armed 20 the teeth, entered
the office. One of them, evidently the
leader, walked up to me, and pointing
large revolver at my head, SAID in a
( low, firm voice:
. Gal, we don t want to hurt YOU, but
if YOU make a suspicious move, or scream
or give any alarm, 80 that any o the
men in the section house can hear you
I'll sple the looks o that purity face
with a bullet. Be quiet and sensible
an you shant be hurt. Whar's is yer
red signal lamp?'
"What would you do ." ! grasped.
,tNopo n'vour hucinnsa We don 7