The Washington critic., 1889-01-24
WASHINGTON CRITIC
TRAPPED BY TELEGRAPH.

oSlty and love Tor the brave induced me
to call on her to tell me the story
When | went to her house l was well
coined by handsome lady of about 30,
and, in response to my earnest request
Tor this one chapter of her life, she re.
lated the following:
"In 1883, when but girl of 1S, left
my home In Omaha and came out here
to fill the lonesome position of night
operator at q small station on the Pacific
Railway in this territory. 1t was q
dreary, desolate spot, in the midst of n
desert. The only buildings at the sta
tion, apart from the depot, were Sec
tion.house, occupied by track foreman
and few Chinese laborers, water tank
and coal shed. The day operator and
agent, mere boy, slept at the section
house, about 200 yards distant, so that
during the long, dreary night was alone
In the depot.
mo. express train, bound cast, was
due ut 2:15 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 the time reading, and
when the doleful howlings of the wolves
were borne to my ears from the distant
sand hills, would pick DIP my guitar and
endeavsr to drown their cries with music
and song.
"The superintendent of the division, a
buoyant, light-hearted young gentleman,
came over the road at frequent intervals
and cheered me up with promises of q
better position when vacancy should
occur. He often found me on the very
brink of despair, almost on the point of
resigning my position and returning to
my humble home ssud the mother who
depended on my salary for the necessi-
ties of life; but his promises, his genial
conversation and words of encourage
ment drove away the gloom, and came
to look for his visits with sense of the
keenest pleasure. began to regard him
with ssterly affection, he was so kind
and tender and so solicitious for my well
fare and comfort.
Zone night, shortly after midnight,
as / sat at my table reading late novel,
thought heard a shuflling 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 knock at the door,
which always kept locked, and strange
feeling came over me. During my sew
eral weeks stay at the station l bad
never had o visitor, and the sudden
knock, so low, yet so startlingly clear in
the stiffness of the night caused my
form to tremble and my cheek to bancb.
My first thought was of Indians, and
then ] reasoned that it might be some
tramp desiring shelter. While / sat there
in alright the knock was repeated louder
than before, and mastering all my cour-
age approached the door and asked:
"'Who's there?
"a gruff voice replied:
"A traveller who desires to take the
eastbound train
''It 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 l sprang back to the
table and sank into my chair in terror,
when seven hurley 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 TO my
head, said in low, firm voice:
Gal, we don't want to hurt you, but
If you make suspicious move, or scream,
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 yer shan't be
hurt. Whar's yer red signal lampP'
"'What would you dor 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 OF horror swept over me wheI
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 a
my station. What could do? 1t wai
vet 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, eyes, through thu
holes in his mask, that if I made
the least outcry he would no
hesitate 20 carry out his threa
and murder me. Iknew they could fine
the lamp easily by searching for it, ant
in trembling voice told him it wal
hanging just outside the door Of tn,
freight room. One of the men got it
in order the rough band took seats t
await the incoming of the train
The leader lit his pipe and looking al
me steadily for few moments said
"'Young gal, when that ar train toot'
her whistle we've got some work for you
An official duty, as you might call it
You must 60 out thar on the platform
an signal the train to stop an take OF
some first-class passengers. An, locke,
hear, if you make suspicious move, oI
don't swing the red lamp in the prope
way, We'll just ventilate that graceful
body with bullets, an jump on ouI
horses an git. Do you understand?'
"a desperate resolve had been taking
shape in my bewildered brain. l replied
that fully understood him, and with ;
piteous cry, 'Oh, you will make mur
derer of mel | threw my arms and my
head down upon the table and began tC
cry and sob as If my heart were breaking
Had he seen my face he might have
noticed total absence of tears. / wa
crying for purpose.
when my arms dropped upon thu
table l allowed my hands to fall upon thu
armature of the telegraph instrument, 81
that 1 could prevent it from ticking
while my right hand rested upon thu
key. Sobbing, so that any slight clicking
the key might make would not reach tn,
robbers, opened il and slowly made th'
telegraphic characters:
II Il l. z,
"These repeated several times hopiny