Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1895-11-23
TRAPPED BY WIRE.

lett my nome Ill Omaha anu came out
to fill the lonesome position of night
operator at small station on the Pa
cific railway, in this territory. 1t was
a dreary, desolate spot in the midst Of
II desert, The only buildings at the
station, aside from the depot, were a
section house, occupied by track
foreman and few Chinese laborers, a
water tank and coal shed. The day
operator and agent, mere boy, slept
at the section house, 900 yards dis
tant, so that during the long and
dreary nights | was alone in the de-
pot.
No. 4 express train, bound east, was
due at 2.15 in the morning, but it
never stopped unless signaled, and as
this was the only train during the
latter portion of the night you can
my lonely situation upon the
desert Wild | had my books and
guitar for companions and passed
much of the time reading, and when
the doleful bowling of the wolves was
borne to my ears from the distant sand
hills would pick up my guitar and
endeavor to drown their cries with
music and song.
The superintendent of the division,
a bouyant, light spirited young gentle
man, came over the road at frequent
intervals and cheered me up with
promise Of better position when a
vacancy should occur. He often
found me on the brink of despair, al
most on the point of resigning my po-
sition and returning to my humble
home and the mother who depended
on my salary for the necessaries of
life, but his promises, his genial con-
and words of encouragement
lrove away the gloom, and / came to
look for his visits with sense of the
keenest pleasure. | began to regard
him with sisterly affection, he was so
kind and tender and so solicitous for
my welfare and comfort.
One night shortly after midnight.
as | sat at my table reading late
novel, ! thought | heard a shuffiing
tootstep on the depot platform, but as
it was not repeated | concluded it was
but a wolf more daring than his COW.
ardly fellows and resumed my book
A few moments later | heard low
knocking at the door, which | always
k ept locked, and a strange feeling
came over me. During my several
weeks stay at the station | had never
had a visitor, and the sudden knock,
so low, yet so startling clear in the
stiffness of the night caused my form
TO tremble and my cheek to blanch.
My first thought was of Indians,
and then | reasoned that it might be
some tramp desiring shelter. While |
sat there in alright the knock was
repeated louder than before, and, mus
tering all my courage, | approached
the other door and asked
who's there p
A gruif voice replied:
IL traveller who desires To take the
east bound train"
II was my plain, unmistakable duty
to admit him, and, with trembling fin
gers, | drew the bolt.
Instantly the door was pushed vio-
lently open, and | sprang back to the
table and sank into my chair in terror
when seven burly men, wearing cloth
masks on their faces aud armed to the
teeth, entered the office. One of them,
evidently the leader, walked up to me,
aud pointing large revolver at my
head said in a low, firm voice:
Gal, we don't want to hurt YOU,
but il you make Il suspicious move or
or give any alarm, so that any
o the men in the section house kin
hear you I'll spile the looks o that
purity face with bullet BE quiet
and sensible and behave yourself, and
yer shan't be hurt. Whar's yer red
signal lamp"
"What would you do?' ! gasped.
"None o yer business. We don't
want to hear any unnecessary back
talk nor no impertinent questions.
Whars the red lamp?'
A chill Of horror swept over me
when the truth burst upon me that |
was in the hands of band of dcsper-
ate train robbers, whose evident inten
ton was to signal the train and rob
the express car at my station What
could ! do? Ii was yet three hours
until the train was due, but | could
not elude my captors to rouse the sec
ton men, and | knew by the ugly
gleam in the leaders eyes, through the
holes in his mask, that if made the
least outcrv he would not hesitate to
carry out his threat and murder me.
| knew they could find the lamp
easily by searching for it. and in a
trembling voice | told them it was
hanging just inside the door of the
freightroom. One of the men got it,
and after examining it to see that il
was in crd .r the rough band took
seats TO await the incoming train.
The leader lit his pipe, aud looking