Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1893-01-20

SHE FIRED FROM THE WINDOW.
plenty of telegraph operators out of a
job who could not be induced to take a
lone station at any salary, and sometimes
the company had to send three men to a
station where there was little or nothing
for one to do.
Lone Pine station was up in the noun
tains, Just at the east end of Il long
stretch of snow sheds. 1t was thirteen
miles from Bad Creek to the west and
eleven from Big Rock to the east. The
names of these stations, together with
dozens of others, have been changed. At
the date write of man named Clark
had the Big Rock station. ! had Bad
Creek, and new agent and operator
had just taken possession Of Lone Pine.
That station had been vacant for week.
1t had been held by young man named
Reed for about three months, but ON
night he was found dead and robbed
the work of the lawless element then
overrunning the west. The first news
got from the new agent came from her
self over the wire one afternoon. and
this is what she said:
ALLOW me to introduce myself as Mrs
Hadley, the new agent at Lone Pine. !
am Just ont from Chicago. Charming
place this, and | know | shall like it.
Hope to become better acquainted
found out later on that she was Il
widow about twenty-eight years old, good
looking. well educated and possessed
plenty of courage and common sense.
IL. la 10 ~,
young widows do was no ones business
but her own. Finding that she must
earn her own living, she learned telegra-
ply and came down the road in search
of place. They didn't want to give
her station at Lone Pine. but she was
SO persistent that she was finally in
stalled. AS at many other stations, she
her own provisions. and there were many
annoyances to be encountered.
Clark and | were both knocked out t.
find that woman had been sent to Lone
Pine. Had it been man we should
have expected him t. take care of him
self but as it was we couldn't help but
worry There was hardly day that
we didn't have to drive some tough out
of our houses at the muzzle of a shot
gun, and both of us had twice been helC
up and cleaned out by gangs. Her sta
tiOn was even more isolated. and though
her sex might be respected by some thert
were men abroad as wicked as the OLE
time pirates. In response to our inquir
les she assured us that she had been pro
vided with the regular outfit of weapon
by the company, and that she should no
hesitate to shoot if she found it neces
sary
1t was in May when the little woman
took possession In describing her | di'
not say that she was little. but such wa
the fact. Her weight was not over 10
pounds and she looked more like Il gii
of sixteen than woman of twenty eight
got chance to run up and see her on
afternoon in the month and found he
nicely settled She had been more or les
annoyed by roughs. but there had bee
no occasion to test Ter nerve as yet.
found her double barreled shotgun
loaded with buckshot and her navy re
volver ready for business, and she IA!
sured me that she should not hesitate
fire upon any man who menaced he
safety.
went home much relieved in minC
Outside of the fraternal feeling so stron
among the brotherhood of the key, thel
was something in the thought of ths
little woman being perched up there alor
among the grim hills and wild forest
= calculated to keep man awake when /
should have been sound asleepo on his co
The first alarm came one night early
July In the forenoon of that day tw
very rough looking men had come L
the track from the west. They halted |
my station. sized me mp and then d
manded something to eat. | might hay
given them IA bite had they requested i
stead of demanded: but when saw TIN
they meant to pick quarrel and ha'
an excuse for assaulting and robbing II
] brought out the shotgun and obligt
them to walk on.
AS soon as they were out of sight
notified the little woman at Lone PHI
to look out for them. She replied tn
she would. and up TO 10 o'clock mt mig
|, heard from her every hour, but t
tramps had not put in an appearance
= 1t was 1880 o'clock and was soul
asleep when heard Lone Pine call l.
over the wire. rolled off my cot al
ran to the instrument and asked VIII
was wanted.
The trainps are hereT was the repl
They are knocking on the door al
asking for food and shelter"