Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1888-12-13
The Red Light.

Jim Perkins, the section foreman
whose section ended at the little, tow
of P - on the South Shore Railroad
TO the accompanying passenger witt
whom he had struck up a conversation
while they were both waiting on tn,
station platform for the eastbound pas
scnger train.
He nodded his head as he spoke to
ward girl sixteen or seventeen year:
of age, who was hobbling up the roat
toward the depot,
The passenger said he saw her an,
Jim continues:
well, sir, that little girl is he no
WINE. she's got more bravery in hor
than any two people t l know on
Sand! Why.she's got more sand than
the biggest mogul engine on the South
Shore Road. Ye don't see wha,
chance she has to show it. ell?
'Well. I'll tell We story that'll opet
yer eyes, Pm thinkin'; hold on till she
gets b."
How DIDO. Mary" he said, as the
girl approached, and after acknowl
edging his solutation she passed OF
and stopped at the waiting-room door
at the farther end of the platform.
Jim wanted until she had got out OF
ear-shot. and then turning again to his
listener, proceeded with the story.
tsDEwoS tUn vnary ora La anita,
tux this ere seclion," he said. that
the thing happened. Mary her
names Mary Whccler-lived over
there in that little house ye see, jest
this side o the big red barn. with her
mother. wilder, and her little sister.
Her brother Jack was express mes.
senger on the late t:rin. No. 81. that
passed here ut lilo at night. He
boarded at Swanton. IT,. nd o tbs d.
vision O The road au vas only at
home when he got Il day ~.
The road was new at lac time, and
the gravel pits along the track hadn' t
been closed up yet They still had
gravel-lrans running, and the gang
that loaded The cars was IL lot of dirty,
nasty Italians that herded together in
old box-cars' switched of on shaky
side track sum- ares, or in shauties
built for 'cm by the company in the
pits.
''Dugan's pit is just across the trestle
over cast there. aud around the curve.
It's about half mile from here and
We can see it from the car window n
20 pass.
''At that time about $50 Italians was
workin' in Dugan's and about hun
tired on 'em lived in tho shanty they
had between the main track and the
gravel.pit side track.
They was hard Set and used L
have lots o rows up there nights, and
specially payday nights. when they
gen'a!lt had key or two o beer at
the shanty and plenty of dago cussed.
ness for it to work on.
Some one o 'enI was killed OF
stabbed about every pay day night; buI
Lord! Their wasn't any notice tuck OF
'em. dead or alive, aud the town au,
thOrities wouldn't o cared ii they d
all been murdered longs they fought
amongst 'emseIves. and didn't oher
no violence to white folks.
"Well. one payday night, Mary
been over to johnny Jhompson's q
friend o her'n that lives down the
street a piece, and she was havin' such
good time that before she knew il
twas half a past ten o'clock.
20 course she got ready to 90 hum.
Jenny offered to 90 halfway with her,
hut she said she wasn't afraid. aud Ia.
kin her crutch she started out.
"Twasn't very dark and she'd got
along all right till she can't the cor.
ner of Granger barn, when she saw
two men coming up the road toward
her.
"She didn't think they'd seen her.
so she stepped in under the shadder o
The carriage shed roof to let 'em pass.
They kim along till they got il
front o the shed. but stead o goin
by they turned in too. and for min
ute she was 'fraiG they'd seen her q
in ami was follerin' her
But they hadn't; and 50 soon q
they got inside they began talKin' to
gether kind o low like; not so low
though, but Mary could hear wha
they said. She was only bout fou
feet away. aud there was wagon be
tween the men and he.
They were tramps ma along witt
another of the same * they'd beer
slealin' a ride on the cont end o. tn
baggage-car of No. {, he night before
when old Tom Bak , the conductor
spotted. 'em. and WItn the train 60
here lie stopped and fired 'em of.
They were awful mad and they,
made up their mind to get square wit
him. So they planned as how one G
EN- was to sneak down the road in til
afternoon till he got past Dugan's pi,
and hide in the woods there till afte
dark; then cum over to the track an
pile some ties on it, SOS to wreck No
81 when she cum long o. cours
they'd light out after they'd had thei
revenge and everybody think twas til
drunken dagoes I did it.
After they'd talked it all over an
arranged as how they was to 90 b
different routs to Swanton and NEE
there again, they separated and walk
ed off
MARY had her mind made up. Sh
knew that everybody Ia town had gon
10 bed by this time. and she was tn
only one that had any chance % savir
Jack and the other passengers on 81.
There was an old red lantern {
Jacks in the woodshed of her hous,
aud she hurried round and got it SD
fonnd match in the shed and lit tn
lantern with it. Then she cum out I
tho road again and started for the d.
pot.
Just as she struck the railroa
track the moon went behind a pack