Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-07-05
A WESTERN HEROINE.

w nlie IN IL SIN Ill town III wyoming
territory, says writer in the Balti-
more News, l learned that a lady living
there had been the heroine Of thrill
ing adventure with train robbers, and
curiosity and love for the brave induo-
cd me to call on her TO tell me the
story. When l went to her house |
was welcomed by a handsome lady of
30, and in response to my earnest re-
quest for this one chapter of her life
she related the following true tale:
In 1873, when but girl OF Is, left
my home in Omaha and came out here
to fill the lonesome position of night
operator at IL small station on the Pa
citic railway in this territory. 1t was
a dreary, desolate spot, in the midst OF
desert.
The only buildings ut the station,
apart from the depot, were section
house, occupied by "a track foreman
and IA few Chinese laborers, a water
tank, and "a coal shed. The day oper-
ator and agent "A mere boy, slept at
the section house. about 2O0 yards dis
tant. SO that during the long, dreary
night was alone in the depot
No express train, bound east, was
due at 2:l5 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. j had my books and guitar as
companions and passed much of the
time reading, and when the doleful
h0wlings of the wolves were borne TO
my ears from distant sand hills would
pick up my guitar and endeavOr to
drown their cries with music and song.
The superintendent OF the division,
"a puoyant, light-spirited young gentle
man, 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. al
most on the point OF resigning my
position and returning TO my humble
home and the mother who depended
on my salary for the necessaries OF
life; but his promises, his genial con-
versation and words of encourage
ment drove away the gloom, and |
came To look for his visits with
sense OF the kecnest pleasure. | be-
gan To regard him with sisterly af-
lection, he was 80 kind and tender and
solicitous for my welfare and com fort.
One night. shortly after midnight,
as ! sat at my table readiuga late nov
ell, thought heard shutting foot
step on the depot platform, but Is it
was not repeated ] concluded it was
but IA wolf more daring than his cow
ardly fellows, and | resumed my book
A few moments later | heard a low
knocking at the door, which / always
kept locked, and a strange feeling
came over me. During my several
weeks stay at the station had never
had visitor. and the sudden knock,
30 low, yet so startlingly clear in the
stiffness of the night. caused my form
to tremble and my cheek TO blanch.
Ny first thought was of Indians,
and then | reasoned that il might be
some tramp desiring shelter. While /
sat there in alright, the knock was
repeated louder than before. and. mus
tering all my courage, approached
the door and asked:
who's there?"
A gruff voice replied:
"A traveller who desires TO take the
eastbound train"
1t was my plain and unmistakable
duty to admit him. and with trembling
fingers drew the bolt.
Instantly the door was pushed vio-
lently open and ! sprang back To the
table and sank into my chair in terror,
when seven burly men, wearing cloth
masks and armed to the teeth, entered
the office. One of them. evidently the
leader. walked up To me. and pointing
a large revolver at my head, said in "a
low. firm voice;
'.Gal, we don't want 10 hurt you, but
IL you make "a suspicious move, or
screrm, or give any alarm, so that any
o. the men in the section house kin
hear you. I'll spile the looks o. that
pretty face with bullet. BE quiet
and sensible, and behave yourself and
YOU shan't be hurt. Whar's your red
signal lamp"
'.What would you do?" gasped.
"None q your business. We don't
want TO hear any unnecessary back
talk nor no impairment questions.
Whal's the red lamp"
A chill of horror swept over me
when the truth burst upon me that |
was in the hands OF band OF desper-
ate train-robbers whose evident iuten-
ton was to signal the train and rob
the express-car Mt my station.
What could do? IL Was yet three
hours until the train was due. but |
could not elude my captors to arouse
the section men and ] knew by the
CLEAN in the leaders eye through the
holes In his mask that il / made the
least cutlery he would not hesitate TO
carry out his threat and murder me.