Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1893-12-02
A RAILROAD YACHT.

II notice that some pretty fast time /,
being made ON the eastern railroads lately,
remarked the major ~ he laid down hi,
paper 1T reminds me OF a fairly rapid
trip ! made ON the Union Pacific som,
years ago.
Il was on dnty at Sydney barracks, and
not having much TO do hal accepted the In
vitation Of my friend Hen Winthrop. di
vision superintendent mt Sydney, to no with
him on n duck hunt down at Lone Pine. a
little watering station about twenty miles
down the line. This was quite favorits
place for shooting and we had often been
there before On the same errand.
THE station keeper. Tom Carter, was an
odd genius. whose literary-tiime literary
land philosophical turn Of mind enablesi
him 10 l,s-ar the solitude OF his life In a
chr~rf,il way. The contentment OF men OF
this stamp calls for very peculiar TEN.
perament-ahout that Of lighthouse
keeper ! should judge.
''This man Carter lived in the little two
room cabin provided by the railroad. with
no family except n couple OF trick dogs, Of
which he was very proud. and which could
do everything hut talk. he claimed
THE dog fancier was very glad to zee Us
when we got of the freight that brought ms
down and gave us NIL the information that
he had about ducks and other game. The
ponds were about three miles away. and M
II wHs alrraly after sunrise nome time we
hnrrietl right ont TO the shooting ground.
II must tell you that Winthrop, my com
panion. was MAN In thousand; he hnd
worked his way npto his present position,
and lsfore the arrival Of the railroad Ind
h~er an all around stage man. He was well
mp In his business. and had reputation for
pluck and energy second to no man on the
roah.
I'VE reached the ponds. found lota Of
ducks and tended strictly TO business all
day; ~ Carter did not, OF course, own a
horse. we Ind brought n sort OF gocart
along 10 get cur game back from the ponds
To the station. IL was getting quite dark
and ~ we had IN many ducks ~ we cared
10 drag three or four miles we concluded
10 rpiurn.
ave were very tired, very hungry, very
wet. hut very cheerful-in other words. we
were returning from successful hunt.
We had trndgetl along. taking turns at the
cart. and were about half way In when we
Eiw nm object lying beside the road. II
was dog. and the animal whined when
Winthrop stooped to examine IL.
"'l,y George ssid he. this Ia Carriers
dog AMI he's all wet
80 Il proved; II was one OF Carter's pet
dogs. TWAS covered with blood and seemed
weak; yet u managed 10 lick winthrop's
han'l. wag its 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 In In some wort OF trouble. and his dog
has tried To warn ma Probably tramps,
they make n row once In awhile at these
lonely stAtions. The only thing to do In TO
push on. though
AT last we got within short distance
OF the station. but on account OF the lay Of
the land II was not I'm sight
'lou wait here and I'll go ahead and
see what's up. said my companion: 30, al.
though | did not much like the idea, |
stopped with the cart and he went cauti-
osIsiy ahead In the darkness-for IL was
BOW night and the moon had not risen
Soon he returned, and when asked what
was up he simply replied, Come ahead
From his manner 1t was plain some
thing han occurred, but said nothing and
mechanically pulled the gocart with It's
load Of ducks.
when we reached the little station house
wa surprised not to sac Carter with "A
light waiting mt his door to welcome u.s.
Tor 'lisl not believe anything was wrong
"lt WIS dark aud still We left the cart
anil quietly Etole up TO the building, there
b~ing no one visible. We paused at the
door. no bnrk from Carriers other dog.
We quietly entered and COT d make out
the form OF n man lying on the floor.
'Back AISainr said n weak voice which
we 10th recognized.
ie-. hack again. replied my friend.
What's the niatterf
IL that you, Mr.. Winthrop was the
response. somewhat louder
fes. of course II IL, what's up with
you. anyway and Winthrop started TO
light match.
"i,Un't. Don't make a lightr exclaimed
Carter. who had partly risen from the
floor. they'll see you
Who'll Nee mel Who's thew
.rrssiu rohl,ersi' was the answer, In n
hoans whisper
"'whatr utmost yelled my companion.
starting hack.
Train robbers, | nay the man repeat
Ell. They're here. An they shot me In the
ieg an they've killed my dogs damn ,em.,
We lsoth knelt down and examined the
mans lex; Il WAS ~ he said: he seemed 10
have had wound IN the ankle. but M II
wiz lanslaged In fairly good way we did
mt examine It very closely. The injured
man did not Offer any further explanation
snd We ssst down az his table to await his
pleasure.
'it was grewsome business sitting
there In the dark, wounded man on the
fiosr raving Of train robbers, and three
hours before amy train would be ia. but NJ
Il WAS any way you took IL. purely rail
roah affair. made no comments OF suR
ssstiots
Al last my friend. the superintendent,
could stand Y no longer. and. breaking the
ziieucs. he exclaimed;
Come. come, Carter, explain this thing
and let's light mp. | always told you 20
look out for these tramps'
frampsl ! tell you It's train robbers,
m they sin't done jet. We dill not believe
nini. but theught IL best to humor him.
hut III do iem upl don't care so much
Tor this lsg-it'n get well; but they killed
ny dazp.'
I'VE .aw one Of your dogA. hAstsnsd
10 tell him.
.''Yoa didi Well. where's the oef1ers
They shot himi seen him shoE an that's |
how they shot me-
I'VE skill doubted the train robber story,
but there WAS evidently something wrong, |
and about the quickest way 70 get st II |
was % les him go his own gait
You see. Mr.. winthrop be went on. |
about two hours ago four fellers rides up |
herr. an the first thing ! knows Im held |
up. While one Of 'em keeps the drop on .
me the others they goes through my desk |
INNrN an fishes cat nv time fahi.m an as.