Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-09-23
HIS GUARDIAN ANGEL
A STRANGE SECRET A TRAVELLER
KEPT FROM HIS WIFE.

ing Train ana paved MS Lhe-h Soh-
meeting Stage Held Up and the Passen- ]
gers Murdered.
"There are some things man neyertells
| his wife, said John as he gave the tip Of
his half smoked cigar a flip with his little
finger
''rhe ayes have It," replied his friend,
with sarcasm.
II don't mean 1t in the sense you do. /
mean things Of innocent nature"
why didn't you say so them"
After a pause John began TO tell his |
story. II was true, he said, and the sober |
ness with which he told it, and the stern |
look on his face forbade further levlty;
~ went in 1880 to Prescott, A. Il. know |
now went to make jackass Of myself, |
| but thought then was coming back with |
slathers OF money. There were three kinds
OF business done there then, ranching, min
| ing and gambling, and | wasn't good for
any Of these, so | concluded to come home.
There was a fellow named Berry. from
| Cleveland who had been in the territory
| long enough TO get about $4,000 sailed
down, and he said he would come to the
States with me- There was no railroad
then, so we took the stage by way OF Pho
nix 20 Marcopa, riding for two days and
one night.
I'VE got to Maricopa about $3.50 in the
afternoon. There were two ways Of getting
east from here One was TO go through to
San Francisco, and then take the Central
md Union Pacific. The other way was to
leave Maroopa by train, go to Deming,
then take stage there and ride about 40
miles, striking n railroad there, saving
probably $50 in money and four days in
time OF course Berry and 1 chose the
quicker route We bought our tickets and
got our trunks checked by way of Deming.
The telegraph operator told me there was
trouble sometimes on the stage route after
leaving Deming, passengers getting held
up, but there had navor been any one hurt.
THE train lay there at Maricopa half an
hour Tor supper. Berry and l were walk
on the platform smoking. Our trunks he'd
been put aboard, and so Berry said, Let's
get aboard, Jack threw away my CT
gar, 1t was just twilight, and the lights
were lighted on the train. Berry told me
to 20 aboard, that he was going TO get a
glass of beer So he went out of sight. 1t
lacked 10 minutes Of starting time. l
went toward the car, and just before got
to the steps / saw standing on the second
step my little grill My Godl I can re
Z member how ] felt nowl l thought-just
, as man will before reason stops him
l that she had come out west TO get me, and
that her mother was in the car waiting for
Z me 90 come in. But when | got rid Of that
9 thought, realizing that they were at home
in Rhode Island, shiyered from head to
feet and grew 10y cold
/ "rhere on that step stood little EN-. She
hadn't any hat on. The lights from the
4 station lamps shone across her yellow curls
and lighted up her face, She was deathly
o white and, ohi looked so strangely sad.
Her arm was thrown out, barring the way
q into the cur The sleeve Of her little dress
!. had slipped up her arm and left 1t bare. |
looked at her and smiled sadly, but she
i never smiled back. She raised her little
II arm and pointed down the track, which
curved little Just ahead of the station,
r and slowly shook her head from side to
80 side her fnco growing awful in its solem.
$, nifty.
1T Just then n man went toward the steps
O. mounted them, went through the place
y where my child stood, and when he disap
y pcared inside the car abe was not there
Berry came out of the dining room and
At said; 'Hollol Thought you was aboardI
Then ndded, Whats the matterp kindly
g and in concern.
TX "'Tm sick, Berry ! said 4 can't go OF
tonight Hetook me into the dining room
and got me seat and drink OF brandy
,u and then, like n first rate fellow, just as h
W. quest our tickets were taken back an'
III money returned We staid all night at tn
or hotel, MS they called it. 1t would be
nc shanty in the east.
Us Before we went to bed l telegraphed +
io- New York, asking II my wife md chill
= were well, saying, Wire me at once to Lo
Angeles
"irhe next day we left Marleopa at
o'clocl; and got into Los Angeles the 70
I ~. -. &C.. 4
~. telegram there saying they were all we'll O
'av home.
"rhe nowsboy was crying his papers.
on heard his shrill little voice saying, Awfr
a massacre bought a paper, and when
saw the big headline was so sick and fair
bia Ihnd 10 SIT down and walt a moment.
M, "That train which didn't take Mt Mar
Ias copa had carried its eastern passengers I
rs an awful doom. The stage had bee
stopped when it was 10 miles out froi
ns Deming and every soul was murdere'
ON The bodies were all mutilated; some We
bound TO the stage wheels with wire an
oil, burned, There were two women and
,sa baby among the passengers. The baby Il
a. dead with It's pitiful little wide open ey
49, staring up Mt the Implying, bright bit
sky, aud in the mothers hand was olinch,
I'm piece OF it's white dress. Didn't that {,
MN a story
~ "The driver OF the stage was shot, q
four horses killed, and the sight was enc
and horriiy those who found the eight mangl
.ioh and charred bodies.
"lndians, did you says No, people didr
sng think 50. Indians arc dirty. indeoent, fo'
40 ~ immoral but its takes Mexican to Z
In the niceties OF atrocity
No. when got back, my wife said, job
what did you send that telegram FRI
MarcopA fori' 1 saids What do you 50
poser Just wanted to know Il you w
both we'll, that's ALL
Il never told her u word OF what pvete
Z " you. and II Berry is living now and 81
Nv this he will know for the first time WI
. ~ ~ made me 30 suddenly sick at MaIieepa
! ~, New York Recorder.
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