Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-07-26

| time Wild excuses of life out there.
nor in any of the hurry burly of from
tier existence. He has always pursued
the even tenor of his way on his little
ranch near Dillon and ever been re-
garded as the safest and most peace
able citizen in the community. He lis
called Old Man Lane out in Montana
and everybody knows him. Several
years ago the old man went down to
| he'd ROCK, which is nearer to his ranch
imam Dillon is, 10 take the stage for
junction The mules We're pulling the
| outht along pretty lively through a
| right nasty piece of road, when the
passengers were startled by hearing
voice commanding the driver to
throw down his reinS. There wera
three or four passengers on the inside.
and If it had been light enough to see
them they would have looked mighty
Whlte, tell you. But old man Lane
was made Of different kind of stuff.
Nhen he heard the agent tell the
driver to drop the reins he Just reach
ed back and pulled out two guns that
he used to carry, because it was the
custom OF the country to do it. and
Kept his eye fixed on the doors. look
ing hrst at one door and then the
other quickly, so as to see the thieves
when they made an appearance.
A shadow fell in each door window
about the same time. and quick as a
Hash old man Lanes guns were stuck
through either opening and off they
went. He got meat both cracks Then
he leaned out the window and banged
loose at the fellow who had ordered
the driver to hold up. He got him, too,
and then jumped out of the stage.
There were four of the road agents.
and the last one, alarmed at the fate
OF his companions, stuck spurs into his
horse and rode away up the trail.
The passengers, who had nearly re-
covered from their terror and surprise,
were now amazed to see old man Lane
cut the harness from the lead mule,
jump on his back, and go sailing away
after the fleeing fugitive. Shots were
heard pretty soon, and in ten minutes
or so back came old man Lane, lead
ing the bandits horse, while the man
himself was sitting up in the saddle,
shot through the back On eXamina-
ton it was found that two Of the at
lacking party were killed and the
other two wounded, and the whole
quartet was brought into junction.
When old man Lane was asked what
caused him to bloom out into such
progressive citizen of the territory,
he draWled out. Well, | had a good
deal Of business to attend to up here
at Junction and l didn't like the idce
of being stopped when [ was on my
way to attend to it. One of the men
was not very badly wounded, and be-
fore leaving Junction to return home
old man Lane went to see him in the
temporary lookup. Look here, my
FRIEND be remarked, I just want to
give you little bit of advice. If you
persist in a-followdng of the business
that you have started out in when [
sort Of stopped you, J. think it would
be safer for you if you would look
over the way bill of any stage you
might intend to hold up, and find out
in advance who it was a-carrying.'
Old man Lane is living yet, and is
hale and hearty as you please, and if
he starts on a stage ride now any
where in Montana the driver don't
even think it necessary to lock the
troaSuro box