Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1889-01-26
The Red Light.

Nnere with a crutch 90 We So Shld Dau
Jim Perkins, the section foreman.
whose section ended at The hi.le town
ofP--on tine South Shore Railroad,
10 the accompanying passenger with
whom he had struck up conversation
while they were both waiting on The
station platform for the easlbonnd pas
ssRger train.
He nodded his head as he spoke to-
ward q girl sixteen or seventeen years
Of age. who was hobbling up the road
toward the depot.
Tie passenger said be saw her and
jim continued:
.'WslI. sir. that little girl is n hero
wIue, she's got more bravery in her
than any two people 3 / know on
Saudi Why. she's got moro sand than
the biggest mogul engine ON the South
Shore Road. Ye don't sec what
chance she has TO show il oh?
4-WelL. I'LL tell We story thasn open
yer eyes. Pm thinkin'; hold on ill she
gets b."
How DIDO. Mary" he said. as the
girl approached, and after aeknowl-
edging his solutation she passed on
and stopped at The Waiiing-room door
at the farther end of the platform
din waited until she had got ont of
ear-shot. and then turning again to his
listener. proceeded with the story.
Twas two years ago shortly arter
I The -, saofSRr, - hE Sain hat
tIse thing happened. Mary-her
names Mary Wheeler-liyed 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
seuger on the late train. No. 81. that
passed here at 1850 at night He
boarded at Swanton. the end o this di-
Eisioa o. the road and was only at
home when he got a dzy of
The road was new at the time. and
the gravel pits along the track hadn't
been closed up yet They still had
gravel -lraius running, and the gang
that loaded the cars was a lot of dirty,
nasty Italians that heried together in
old box-cars' switched OF ON n shaky
side track sum- ares or in shanties
buiIt for 'em by lhe company in The
pits
-.Dugan's pit is just across the trestle
over east there. and around the curve.
Its about half mIle from here and
Ne can see it from the car window n
80 pass.
AT that time about $50 Italians wa
workin' in Dugan's and about hun
Llred on 'em lived in tbs shanty theJ
had between the main track and til,
gravel-pit side track.
They was a hard set, and used 4
have lots o. rows up there nights, ant
specially payday nights when The.
geG' ally had keg or twoo' beer n
the shanty and plenty OF dagO enssed
ness for il to work on
.Some one o 'em WAS killed o
stabbed about every pay day night; bu
Lord! Their wasn't any notice tuck o
Fem. dead or alive, mud the town an
fllorilies Wouldn't o cared if lhey''
all been murdered s'loDg's they fongh
amoungsG 'emselVes. and didn't ole
no violence 10 white folks
-'Well. ono payday AighR Mary
Deea over to johnny Jhonpson's
friend o. her'n that lives down tn
street piece. and she was baVin' sue
a good time that before she knew
Ais - .~..k 49,. rxprlonE
% course she got ready to go hum
Jenny offered 10 go halfway with heI
6Gt she said she wasn't afraid, and Ia
kim her crulch she started Oat-
~Twasn't very dark And she'd &c
aIong all right till she eam't the COZ
ner of Granger barn. when she sa'
two men coming mp the sOad towar
her.
She didn't think shey'd seen hel
SO she stepped in under The sbadder {
the carriage shed roof 10 lei 'em pas
They kim along ill they got
front o the shed, bat stead o goiT
By they turned in too and fer mil
ute she was 'fraiG they'd seen her 2
in aad was fOllerin' heE
But they hadn't; AID SO soon s
they got inside they began Ialkin' u
gether kind o. low IkeS net 30 los
though. but Mary eould hear VIII
they said She was epls 'beut for
feet away, and there was a wagon b.
tween the men and her
They were trampS and along Wi
another of the same Ink they'd bee
stealth q ride on the front end o Il
baggage-car Of No. 81 ihe night befOr'
when old Tom Baker. The conducts
spotted. 'em. and when she train 2
hero he stopped and Fred 'sm OF
They were awfnl mad and hoy
/, made up their mind 10 get square vii
him So they planned rs he. enc I
9em was to sneak down the road int
afternoon till he goa past DugaR's ri
and aide in tbe weeds there 'tili att'