The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1895-01-18
THEIR PRIVATE LINE.

Jack English was ticket agent, bag
gage master and telegraph operator
at the little station called Ranch
mans Center. 1t was new station,
far out on the prairie, fully half a
mile from the nearest habitation, but
being situated in a wild belt of ex-
cellcnt grazing country, it already
did more business than many places
on the road boasting Of several hun
dred inhabitants.
There were two freight trains a day
each way-the through and local, the
latter Of which carried passengers.
| Then there were the two a,conrmoda-
tions going in opposite directions
and the daily mail and express east
and west, which passed through the
lonely place between the hours OF 10
and II at night.
AS the last train--the eastbound
cxpress-passed he locked up the
station and crossed the prairie to the
little cottage hall mile away, where
his mother and sister Lizzie kept a
pleasant home for him.
Lizzie was bright, active girl of
fourteen, but with all her intelligence
and industry she was an inycterate
coward. She was afraid Of everything,
and often made herself miserable by
imagining danger when none existed.
When he took charge of the little
Office down at the crossing she an
nounced her determination of study
ing telegraply. Jack assured her
that the art was as full Of electricity
as a thunder storm, Of which she
stood in mortal dread, but she perse
yered in her effort Notwithstanding
and ia a few weeks could manipulate
the instrument so us to receive and
send messages as correctly, if not
quite as speedily, as her teacher.
; Pleased with her progress, th(
brother secured two secondhand in
struments and coil of wire and put
line from the house to the station
so that she might have practice with
out having to walk to the Office dur
ing cold weather.
Fearing that the oillcious lnemar
might object to the instrument on hi
end Of the line being in the Office
Jack put it upon the side of the big
empty freightroom, and here, whel
the weather was not too cold, h
spent many lonely half hour il
conversing with the little sister a
c home.
: One night about the middle of Feb
ruary there was a terrific thunder an,
: wind storm, with Il binding fall 0
rain aud hail, very unusual thing a
t that season Of the year. 1t came u
r suddenly about II o'clock, after TIL
e west-bound train had passed, and a.
+ hour before the eastern one was due
Above the roar of the thunder an
n the beating of the bail against tn
+ window, he heard the chatter of horses
/, feet. A moment later there came
loud knocking at the outer door,
Thinking they were people from
distance to wait for the train, he II
Quired, more from habit than lror
suspicion: "Who is there %
= Passengers to take the midnigh
train" was the quick response
"We're wet to the skin and ha
! frozen"
: Without moments hesltatio
; Jack drew back the heavy bolt an
threw open the door, when in crowde
u half dozen rough-looking me
muflled to the ears in furs and WOO
il en- comforters.
J. He was seized by one of the sta
n warts and hurled unceremoniously
It the floor. Then, while two of I'll
r. number held him down, the othel
5, busted themselves In binding hi
Is hands and feet.
He supposed, Of course, that the
It would 60 through his pockets
,e search of the key OF the safe, but tht
Y didn't; instead, they carried him I'M
le the frelghtroom and laid him dow
K, against the side Of the building, viii
Y the INJUNCTION TO keep mum, II
is valued his bacon"
His thoughts were interrupted