Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1892-07-14
BY MY HEEL.

crowd Of four or five gentlemen seated
in the handsome private Office of Mr
Ransom, superintendent Of transnorta-
ton of the Chicago and Western railroad
at Omaha, Neb
"Well, replied the superintendent,
good looking young man of tEenty-six
or thereabouts, 'if You viii have the pa-
tience to listen l viii narrate briefly how
my heel caused my promotion and was
the means Of saving many lives"
Five years ago | was station agent
and operator at Hamlin Oh this road.
The depot was the only building at
Ha1nlin, consequently had to az NV
own cooking and sleeping in the depot,
getting my supplies from Rands, place
of about 500 inhabitants. eight miles up
the railroad
lit was about 10 o'clock on hot.
sultry night in August. There did not
seem to be a breath Of air stirring The
windows were up and the doors were
thrown open SO as to admit all the air
possible. No. 81. the fast mail. had ID
be reported before | could get good
night from the dispatchers and retire.
II had pulled off my shoes ana Had
nothing on my feet but my Stockings.
As l was idly leaning back in my chair,
my feet propped up on the instrument
table and lazily drumming Oh the key
with my heel, heard slight noise be-
hind me. Before | could turn around
to ascertain the cause a mans harsh
voice rang out:
Move an inch and you arc dead
man. and at the same moment L felt the
cold muzzle Of a revolver pressed against
my head
Put your hands behind your back
and look straight before you, command
ed the same voice sternly.
II obeyed alacrity.
My hands were seized roughly ana
bound securely to the back of tile chair.
Nov, my beauty. | guess you won't
do much more telegraphing tonight.
and he broke out into a discordant
laugh
He evidently thought it amusing.
didn't.
"'Coms On, boys. lie yelled. I've got
this kid fast
After moment three or four men.
as well as | could judge with my back
to the door, walked in
Ha. tia! cap'n, you've got him, have
your and they All laughed roughly.
Jim, said the man addressed III cap
tain, have you got the spike hftery
You bet has. from one of the men.
The captain then turned and adj
dressed me.
Young man, no harm j. intended
you if you keep perfectly quiet. Doubt
less your curiosity is very much aroused
as to our intentions. Well, it can DO no
harm to enlighten you, as the mischief
will be done before you can give any
alarm. We intend'-and here tile mans
voice became absolutely tendish-'t5
take up two rails on that trestle ont
there. Let rs see. the fast mail is due
here at
My God! man, | broke in with nor
ror, surely y0u don't intend to wreck
the fast mail? Think Of the lives that
Will be lost If it runs off at that trestle.
and great beads Of cold perspiration
stood out on my forehead as | grasped
the full horror of the situation
The trestle referred To was about 100
yards north of tile depot. ana spanned
very wide but shallow creek, fully sew
enty-dve feet below | knew if No. 81
jumped the track on that trestle it meant
death TO every person ON board
Z. Jim, cried the captain. YOU remain
here and keep Jour eye On this fellow
If lie moves kill him. The remainder 0f
you come and let's get to work
Then all except Jim followed the
captain out and soon heard the metal
lie clink of the crowbar as it drew the
spikes from the rails
s-Oh, what could be done.
MY hands were bound ~ that could
not reach tile key, and even if tried the
outlaw behind me would send bullet
crashing th-o. gh my brain. How could
warn tha crew Of No. - Of the inn
pending danger.
The station ten miles above Bands re-
ported No. 52 0n time. Soon it would be
at Rands. Never did time pass 80 quickly
1t was now l0:37 o'clock ana No. 81
must be coming into Rands. Suddenly
all inspiration flashed through me like
an electric shock Why could ! not
warn NO. 81 with my heels It'll my lei
sure moments had amused myself IN
learning to send with my foot, never
dreaming that it would ever be an adj
vantage to me.
III quietly pushed open the key with
my heel and called RI three or four
times as fast as possible, when | WAS ill.,
terTupted by the desperado-
What air You wisgling your foot
about on that table for.
my foot has become crsmped. r.
manning i'll une position ~ long | re-
piled, as carelessly AZ | could, although
my heart was in my throat.
I'm so sorry, he said sarcastically.
| commenced calling r again. 1t was
now lOA0 o'clock and No. 80 must have
left Rands
Too Late, ITO late. Oil, my God.
the agony u those moments was terri
BILE
"Ah, some one broke me; 'i-i-R.'
Robbers are going to wreck No. 81
at trestle Just north of her
III was ticking. when suddenly 1 re-
ceived a blow that sent me to the floor
and left the key wide open
"'D-n you, what were you ticking
on them wires? cried the outlaw
"'How can | send anything with my
footT tremblingly exclaimed That's
Just habit or mine-drumming On the
key with my heel.
Habit or no habit, you won't put
your feet on this table again tonight.
"He evidently believed that could
not send with my heel. but II was not
his intention To take amy chances
II wondered what the operator al
Rands would dopu on his ground
wire and report what had said to the
dispatcher, or jnst think was trying
to scare him and lock up his Office 70
70 home thought the latter more
probable
Anyway il WAS now toe late u stop
the i'll fated fast mail: it wouli soon
plunge off the trestle carrying its cargo
Of human beings to certain death
III lay there waiting fpf The dreadful
crash To come III such an agony of Sns
nensa that the next dav strands of rrav