Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-03-29

little figure sat on q big tie, at the
switchwest end Of the Millegeville sid
ing. One Of the robbers had a switch
key and had turned the switch so as
TO throw the train off on TO the siding.
This in itself they reckoned would
cause the train to stop The signal
lamp at the switch had been twisted
around until it showed the white light
Of safety. and the CLEAN of the bull s.
eye shed just enough light to show
the robbers in ambush at the edge Of
the woods that their unwilling little
accomplice was waiting and ready 10
giye the signal which would give them
the opportunity of robbing the express
and mail cars OF the most important
treasure bearing train then run by any
railroad in the State of Illinois.
TT must have been ages to those
four watchers. At last. however, the
rumble OF the approaching train could
be heard up the valley. AS it flew
through the steep little hamlet OF Mil
legeville it whistled and the noise re-
echoed against the quiet hills. To the
robbers these sounds meant only the
rapidly approaching chance OF rich
gains, but TO Elsie, who had now
risen and was standing back a short
distance from the track. those fami-
liar whistle shrieks meant far more
They meant that her fathers engine
was drawing the train and that il he
should recognize her in the dark all
her plans would miscarry. However,
there was no time left for speculation.
Six eyes cleaned with satisfaction
through three black masks as the lit
tie figure at the switch light began TO
slowly wave a white handkerchief as
warning signal to the approaching
train.
The infinite pleasure Of having their
well laid plans carry without mishap
was felt by the robbers. as Elsie waved
more and more fUriously, and the en-
CINE could be distinctly heard shutting
off steam and slackening for the stop.
Then suddenly came q quick change.
"Chu chu. chu." came in quick sue
cessiOn from the locomotive, as her
drive wheels slipped or the track and
made a wild plunge forward. "Chu.
chu. chu, chu, chu,' again came from
the engine What could it mean? The
speed Oc the train was increasing in
stead of diminishing. Elsie was now
signaling wildly, yet onward, yet
faster and faster. came the mail and
express. t. entered the siding and
flashed past the little figure at the
switch light Even the suddenly I'M
expected sWerve from the main line on
10 the siding had not diminished its
rapidly increasing velocity. In mo-
nent more and it passed from the sid
ing on TO the main line again and the
signal lights on the rear platform dis
appeared around curve up the line.
The robbers now left cover and
came over to find Elsie in q faint, the
second time that day. This time. how
ever. they did not stop to bring her to.
There was no time to be lost. She had
done her full duty, fulfilled every
promise she had given them. Ger
tainly she was not to blame for the
train not stopping. Little did those
men know as they left her and disap-
peared i'm the woods that Elsie Pow
ers had given her father that signal of
safety universally known among rail
road men as the high ball" Only a
railroad man. certainly no technically
unsophisticated tramp or robber, could
have told that those handkerchief
wavings meant "All right! All right!
Come on fun speed, Come on full speed,
instead of 'Dsngerr and Stop From
her earliest infancy. when she played
train with the parlor chairs. Elsie
knew well the whole code of technical
railroad signals, and she also knew
thatunless her father recognized her at
the switch his UnGJestioning obeQi-
ance 10 the signals of the road would
savethemail and express from robbery.
I'D in Chicago. on the desk OF the
President OF the Jacksonville. Nal
chester 4 Springfield railroad, half
buried under a sea Of important letters
and official papers. there Is little sill
yer frame. containing a photograph OF
the little girl who. when only y years
old. saved the mail and express from
robbery at Nillegeville siding. Each
year. when the president inserts in his
annual report 20 his board of directors
FOR the efficient services rendered by
all EMPLOYEES acknowledgements are
due he takes this picture in his
hands and sits for quite a long time
all alone. buried deep in thought He
knows Elsie intimately now, for she is
the mother of his two grandchildren.
Some Of the society people up in Chi
cago shook their heads and said that
Presidents Roberts son Harry was
throwing himself away when he mar
ried Elsie Powers. But said the
commodore. as he arose and. buttoning
his blue checkered jumper turned
half round toward young Ashley, at
the same time unconsciously extending
his left arm toward No 80. I tell you,
she's as good and true as youn find
them anywhere in the world Chi
cagO News.