The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-02-07

cOOCS UPON the COGINCE ANEW the SSOEc-
keeper and had no trouble in selling him
bill. so that when / finished business
with him a: the end of an hour felt am.
ply repaid fo- my trouble. Then began
to look about for a place to spend tina
night
II found that the Pittsburg express
stopped at Schmucker's Junction, thres
miles up the track, and that by good,
brisk walking would be able to catch 10
| comfortably. / made arrangements to
| have my cases sent on by the local train
next day and then took my leave after
having received explicit directions TO fcl-
low the beaten path along the railroad
/ AS l left the store l noticed but did
not heed the sinister glances that three Ct
The loafers who were sprawled along tbs
counter cast upon me.
1t was a clear night The moon was
just rising above the mountains IN the
east The air was cold and crisp and the
ground frozen hard. In few moments
passed the last house, reached the railroad
/ and was rceling of rod after rod of the
hard white path that stretched before me.
soon arrived at the woods and was plung-
[ ing deep into their heart. had set for
niyself brisk, bracing pace, and at first
/ ielt not the slightest uneasineSs at my
lonely condition, dark and forbidding
| though the woods seemed, but as / pro
/ ceeded deeper and deeper, until looking
behind me / could make out nothing down
( In the woods, heard the sound of wheels
/ I stopped and listened. Ii became louder
Z and louder, as il the vehicle was approach
/ ing near me, and then began 10 die awas
| snd soon was lost in the noise of leaves and
/ limbs.
When I had gore about 1 4 miles,
/ found myself within u few yards Of what
/ appeared to be wood road that wound
! out from among the trees, crossed the track
| and then lost itself in the blackness on the
/ other side. / had just passed this read
/ when was startled by the sudden sound
/ Of a football behind me, and before l could
/ turn two horny hands had seized my
throat and held me fast. l tried to cry
/ oct, but my effort was stopped by firm
clutch of the strong fingers Then two
men appeared. and in another instant
lay helpless on the ground.
The three ruffians were big, burly fell
lows, SO heavily mufiled up that, beyond
few stray whiskers, / could make ont
nothing of their faces. All my efforts at
kicking and struggling proved vain One
sat on my legs and coolly tied my feet, an
other bound my arms, and then the clutch
on my throat was loosened, ana l was al
lowed to breathe. In a few moments they
had taken everything OF any value that L
had upon my persona watch and my
money, not much, only a few hundred
dollars.
! This done, thought that / would be
allowed to go, but reckonod wrongly. One
seized my hands and another my feet, and
they laid me across the track. Ny horror
knew no bounds when realized what this
meant. One OF the brutes tied my feet
hard down TO the rail. i begged and
threatened, pleaded and expostulated, Of
fered them reward for my release and
dire vengeance if they lset me there, but
in vain. They coolly wrapped the rope
round and round my ankles and under the
rail, and then, fastening my arms at the
elbows, they proceeded TO secure my body.
The tighter felt the rope drawing to
hold me until the express freed me from the
track and the world the moro L pleaded.
/ The final answer was blow on the
I mouth and the information that they
/ wasn't soin TO have me teliin tales Then
they left me.
Il heard the rattle of wagon wheels as
they drove away, and then / was alone.
/ twisted and tore and writhed in my
frantic efforts TO free myself until ex-
hausted. Time passed slowly. pictured
myself lying IN pieces along the track
At last / heard a ringing in the rails,
a low, plaintive ringing that told me- that
the express was coming. Only few mo-
ments and it would be on me. i twisted
ard writhed in one last desperate struggle
for freedom / tore and kicked until the
ropes cut deep into the flesh, and my
clothes where the thongs were grew hot
from friction.
The ringing became louder until az
last it developed into roar. i looked
down the track and saw the faint CLEAN
of the headlight rs the engine rounded a
curve. One more minute
Frsntically 1 struggled. Nearer and
nearer came the flying train. Louder and
louder became the roar and ringing In the
rails, so loud that it drowned my wild
screams. Tho headlight was binding me
all was over. No; / continued 70 strug-
gle. Then felt burning sensation in
my legs a terrible heat, and an odor Of
burning clothing followed. / raised my
bead and the gleam OF fame met my
a =
an instant my feet were enveIoped in fire.
i realized It then--jhe friction OF the
thongs, in nay tremendous struggles, bad
set fire to my trousers
Suddenly, almost miraculously, the
ropes unIoosed. They had burned of, and
my feet were free. raised myself on my
back and waved my blazing legs In the
cir. There was whistle fot down brakes,
a jarrin9 Of the rails as tie wheels slipped
over them, the headlight was right over
me, binding me b. It's brillisDcy-but too
late! felt the eowcatchsr's nose gently
rub my back, and then it stopped was
saved
THE whole train crew and all the pas
sengers rushed up. In a few seconds the
FIRE was eXtinguished. and was carried
by kind hands into one Of the cars All,
that was a terrible e1pertsncel 1 hope
may never have another such.
20 do |, . Joined in heartily.
The speaker paid no attention 70 me,
bat continued: Il lost Is pounds IL Is
minutes, n gold watch and $500. Ny
Trousers, q new pair not yet paid for, were
burnes. into knickerbocksrE. The bruises
I recovered from I; was just ak years
ago, and
He blew out a zrea, puff OF cigar smoke
ard Wa about % continue when aboTe
tie buzz q conversation and rattle q the
train arose tae nasal tones q a farmer IL
the seat behind us as be exclaimed 70 his
companion:
II DO beat AL The way this ere ken
trys CROWN. sam Two years ago they
wasn't house er a store .; spiksrs ga
ton an rzz t.'s -pstfa nufes n Mac. -