Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1889-09-20
BUTLER. PA, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1889.

D hAbAi 4" an 'tA4i'N ~ ii'4'
Il don't want any supper tonight, Mrs.
Stearns, aud you tell the other pumper I'll
stay on for the night turn"
'All right, Mr. Croffut; I'll tell him,
Mrs Stearns answered, and turned To go
home Then she discovered the number of
Men who had been behind her. Her way
was blocked, and she had To step back to
avoid being tramped upon. The men in the
rear We're advancing and pushing those m
front, who forced Mrs. Stearns nearer To
the station, she wondering what il meant
Jim made it plain tn her when, in cold,
deliberate tones, he said, Ben Harbaugh
and you other men, you needn't think that
you can find protection behind a woman,
for as sure as live, if you come ten steps
further, I'll throw a can at you
why, Jim, You wouldn't kill woman"
Harbaugh exclaimed
Not Intentionally; but I'm here to take
care of this pump, as | told you and don't
you men come ten steps closer, that's all.
Mrs. Stearns had faced about, and was
looking at jim. She realized her danger, if
he meant what he said, and when her eyes
rested on his resolute face her cheeks
blanched, and a shiver passed over her.
The men behind seemed to disbelieve jim,
for they were steadily advancing, while
Jim was counting their steps: "0ne, two,
three, four, five, six, seven"-then he
stopped and lifted a can-''eight, nine"
Stop, or he will kill u.s." shrieked the
widow, seeing Jim swing the can, and her
words called halt Jim lowered the can,
and awaited the next movement of the pro
ducers.
He's crazy" said Harbaugh, 'and he
will throw those cans at us, sure. Let us
fall back and wait till after dark"
In minute the widow was left standing
alone, her knees shaking, and her breath
coming in short convulsive gasps. Tears
filled her eyes, and through the mist before
her she gave Jim a reproachful look; then
turned and walked slowly away
He would have thrown that bomb
whether it had killed me or not" she mur-
INJURED, ''and all for that old pump that
could he replaced in three weeks.
She began to sob, not caring that many
men were looking at her, desirous only that
Jim should not see her. Suddenly the
growing darkness against the western hill
side reflected tn her eyes yellowish tint.
She looked back. The big gas jet at the
station was ablaze. Jim had taken advan-
tage of the momentary discontinue of the
producers to light it, and the wide circle of
its light made the ground within one hun
dred yards of him almost as plain as it was
in the daylight. And in spite OF her grief
she was glad he had the protection that the
gas jet gave him
As the darkness settled, the silence in
the valley was broken only by the crickets,
and from toward Hartford came the faint
sound of the whistle of locomotive Jim
moved restlessly on the small platform,
wishing the officers of the Lines would
send a rescuing party. Again the whistle
sounded nearer this time, and Jim hoped
that the approaching train bore to him re-
lief from his trying position. While he
looked down the valley and listened for the
rumble of the cars flash illUmined the
darkness of the wood, and he fell prone
upon the platform. He was shot through
the side. There was shout from the mob
as they charged on the pump station.
jim heard the cry of onslaught, and stag
gered TO his feet. BY great effort he was
able to appear strong in spite of the stream
of warm blood on his leg.
Stop, you devils, or I'll kill every one
of you!' and he threw can of glycerine
right in the path of the producers. 1t
burst and the explosion covered them with
dust and pebbles. Stop" he yelled again,
as he swung another can into the air.
The producers huddled together and
then fell back to wait until Jim was ex-
hausted by the flow of blood from his
wound. The sweon came sooner than they
expected As he sank on the platform, the
short, sharp whistle that to the railroader
means down brakes" sounded in his ears
Immediately the producers charged on the
station; but Harbaugh called halt before
they reached it, for he saw the sheriff and
his armed deputies (many of whom were
clerks and employees of the Lines) advanc-
ing from the train just come to stand
still Seeing the namber of the sheriffs
posse, the producers fled, and scattered
under cover of the woods
There was a surgeon with the sheriff 5
force, who dressed Jim's wound, and then,
on stretcher, the pumper was carried to
his room at Mrs. Stearn's house. His re
covery was slow, and the widow was un-
failing in her attention To him. She was
kind and gentle, but there was change in
her manner that distressed jim. He could
not account for it, and spent many an hour
in silent meditation upon it, One day
light broke i'll upon him, and he framed
question for the widow
did you think | would a throwed that
can at you that day when the producers
was pushin' yer lords the stationf'
When he launched the query at her the
widow was confused, and answered dis
connectedly that she had thought he would
have thrown it.
"You was mistaken, for would have let
'em smash the old pump rather than run
the risk of takin' an innercent life, much
less yours, or even hurtin' you, for I've had
hankerin' after you this many day"
The widows cheeks flushed deeper red,
and her eyes sparkled with the light of
JOY; but she could not resist the temptation
to say, "You looked good deal more in
earnest when you threatened to throw that
can at me than you do now, and if was
mistaken then, mehhe | oughin't 10 be
quick in believing now
II had to look mighty much in earnest
then, for looks had to do the business, but
now Pm trustin' mostly to words
well, if you can trust them, ! guess |
can too
After that declaration there was nothing
in the widows manner that distressed Jim.
Il. KINKEAD IN HdrpeJ'S Weekly.
Electric Force in a Derrick.