The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-01-30
A RAILROAD YACHT.

| Trip 1 Indue Ou Iuo OulOu EdCIIC some
years ago.
Il was on duty at Sydney barracks, and
not having much to do had accepted the in
vitation of my friend Ben Winthrop, di-
vision superintendent at Sydney, to go with
| him on a duck hunt down at Lone Pine, a
| little watering station about twenty miles
| down the line. This was quite favorite
| place for shooting and we had often been
there before on the same GRAND.
1.-The station keeper, Tom Carter, was an
odd genius, whose literary-dime literary
and philosophical turn of mind enabled
him to bear the solitude of his life in a
cheerful way The contentment of men of
this stamp calls for very peculiar tenn
perament-about that of lighthouse
keeper, should Judge.
'This man Carter lived in the little two
room bin provided by the railroad, with
no fanny except a couple of trick dogs, of
which he was very proud, and which could
do everything but talk, he claimed.
1.-The dog fancier was very glad to see US
when we got off the freight that brought us
down and gave us all the information that
he had about ducks and other game. The
ponds were about three miles away, and as
it was already after sunrise some time we
hurried right out to the shooting ground.
II must tell you that Winthrop, my COM
panion, was man in a thousand; he had
worked his way up to his present position,
and before the arrival of the railroad had
been an all around stage man. He was well
up in his business, and had a reputation for
pluck and energy second to no man on the
road
I'VE reached the ponds, found lots of
ducks and tended strictly to business all
day; as Carter did not, of course, own a
horse, we had brought sort of gocart
along to get our game back from the ponds
to the station. 1t was getting quite dark,
and AS we had as many ducks as we cared
to drag three or four miles we concluded
to return.
"We were very tired, very hungry very
wet, but very cheerful-in other words, we
were returning from successful hunt.
We had trudged along, taking turns at the
cart, and were about half way in when we
saw an object lying beside the road. 1t
was dog, and the animal whined when
Winthrop stopped to examine it.
BY George said he, this is Carter's
dog and he's all Wet
$50 it proved; it was one of Carter's pet
dogs. 1t was covered with blood and seemed
weak; yet it managed to lick WintErop's
hand, wag it's tail and then limp off in the
direction of the station.
Something's wrong here, lieutenant
said the railroad man; that dog wasn't
here accidentally Then he added. Car
ter is in some sort of trouble, and his dog
has tried to warn us. Probably tramps;
they make Il row once in awhile at these
lonely stations. The only thing to do is to
push on, though
AT last we got within short distance
of the station, but on account of the lay of
the land it was not in sight.
"'You wait here and FL go ahead and
see what's up, said my companion; so, al
though | did not much like the idea,
stopped with the cart and he went cauti-
ously ahead in the darkness-for it was
now night and the moon had not risen.
Soon he returned, and when l asked what
was up he simply replied, Come ahead
From his manner it was plain some
thing had occurred, but said nothing and
mechanically pulled the gocart with its
load of ducks.
when we reached the little station house
was surprised not to see Carter with
light waiting at his door TO welcome us,
for did not believe anything was wrong
''It was dark and still. We left the cart
and quietly stole up to the building, there
being no one visible. We paused at the
c or; no bark from Carriers other dog.
e quietly entered and could make out
form of man lying on the floor.
Back again? said weak voice which
we both recognized.
Eyes, back again replied my friend
What's the matter?'
"1s that you, Mr.. Winthrop was the
response, somewhat louder.
Yes, of course it is; what's up with
you, anyway? and Winthrop started to
light match.
Don't Don't make lightP exclaimed
Carter, who had partly risen from the
floor they'll see you
Who'll see mes Who's they,
"'Tra;n robbers" was the answer, in q
hosvse whisper.
WHAT almost yelled my companion,
starting back.
TRAIN robbers, l say the man repeat
ed. They're here, an they shot me in the
leg an they've killed my dogs, damn EN-
''We both kDelt down and examined the
mans leg; it was as he said; he seemed to
have bad wound in the ankle, but as it
was bandaged in fairly good way we did
not examine it very closely. The injured
man did not offer any further explanation
and we sat down at his table to await his
pleasure.
lit was a grewsome business sitting
there in the dark wounded man on the
floor raving OF train robbers, and three
hours before any train would be il; but as
it was any way you took it. purely rail-
road affair, | made no comments or sug-
gestions.
AT last my friend the superintendent. /
could stand it DO longer. and, breaking the |
silence, he exclaimed;
Come, come, Carter; explain this thing |
and let's light up. | always told you to |
look out for these trampS'
"'Trampsi tell you It's train robbers, |
an they amt done yet. We did not believe |
him, but thought it best TO humor him |
But I'll do 'en up, don't care 80 much |
for this leg-it'u get well. but they killed /
my dogs
We saw one of your dogs, FASTENED |
TO tell him.
lyon did, Wen. where's tue otheri |
They shot himi l seen him shot an that's |
how they shot me
We still doubted the train robber story, /
but there was evidently something wrong, |
and about the quickest way to get at it
was TO let him 20 his own gait.
p" YOU see, Mr.. Winthrop he went Gu
about two hours ago four fellers rides up
here, al the first thing I knows I'm held
up While one OF EN- keeps the drop on
me the others they goes through my desk
there an fishes out my time tables an i,g-
ures out the trains. While they re fooiin
round my dogs gets gay an commences
ssrEi:i an CrCwlin- This makes one Of 'erzs