Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1896-06-18
TRAPPED BY
TELEGRAPH.

There have been a great many stories
about attacks on lonely stations in the
West. Here is another, which Is per-
haps one of the best on this well-worn
subject:
While in II small town in Wyoming
Territory | learned that n lady living
there had been the heroine Of a thrilling
adventure with train robbers and curl
osity and love for the brave induced
me to call on her to tell me the story.
When | went to her house | was well
coined by II handsome lady Of about 80,
and in response to my earnest request
for this one chapter of her life, she re-
lated the following:
"ln 1873, when but girl of 1S, left
my home in Omaha and came out to
fill the lonesome position of night op-
orator at a small station on the Pacific
Railway in this territory. 1t was
drcary, desolate spot in the midst of a
desert. The only buildings at the sta
tion, aside from the depot, We're the sec
tion house, occupied by track fore
man and a few Chinese laborers;
water tank, and a coal shed. The day
operator and agent, mere boy, slept
at the section house, 200 yards dis
tant, so that during the long, dReary
nights | was alone in the depot.
"No. 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 imagine
my lonely situation upon the desert
wild. l had my books and guitar for
companions, and passed much of the
time reading, and when the doleful
bowling of the wolves were borne to
my ears from the distant sand hills, I
would pick up my guitar and endeavor
to drown their cries with music and
song.
"The superintendent of the division,
n buoyant, light-hearted young gentle
man, came over the road at frequent in
tcrvals and cheered me up with prom
iscs of Il better position when a va
cancy should occur. He often found
me on the very brink of despair, al
most on the point of resigning my posi-
tion and returning to my humble home
and the mother who depended on my
salary for the necessities of life, but
his promises, his genial conversation
and words of encouragement drove
away the gloom and l came to look for
his visits with a sense of the keenest
pleasure. | began to regard him with
n sisterly affection, he was so kind and
tender and so solicitous for my well
fare and comfort.
zone night shortly after midnight, as
l sat at my table reading late novel,
/ thought | heard a shufIling footstep
on the depot platform, but as it was
not repeated | concluded it was wolf
more daring than his cowardly fellows
and resumed by book. A few moments
later | heard low knocking at the
door, which l always kept locked, and
II strange feeling came over ME. Dur
ing my several weeks stay at the sta
ton l had never had visitor, and the
sudden knock so low, yet so sfartlingly
clear in the stiffness of the IigLt 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 re-
peated louder than before, and muster
ing all my courage l approached the
door and asked:
"'Who's there|
"a gruff voice replied:
"'A traveller who desires to take the
east-bound train
at was my plain, unmistakable
duty to admit him, and with trembling
fingers | drew the bolt.
"Instantly the door was pushed vio-
lently open, and l sprang back to the
table and sank into my chat" in terror
when seven burly men wearing cloth