Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1897-01-03
THAT MYSTERIOUS BOX.

"Thrilling?" said the major; well l
should say so. II was the most eXcit-
ing thing that ever occurred TO me. At
the time | was telegraph operator
and dispatched for the Mountain VAL
ley railroad company in a western min
ing country. 1t was a wild and lawless
country, and | was not much in love
with my place.
"Goldton, where l was located, was
really nothing more than railroad sta
ton. 1t vas not on the main line OF
the Mountain Valley roalroad, but on
a spur which ran to the Ingot mines.
Travel was not very extensive; in fact,
but one train day passed my lonely
station.
ION the 18th day of every month !
received by express for the superin-
tendent of the Ingot mining company
the money with which the miners were
paid off. The amount averaged be-
tween $4,000 and $4,000. On June
Il. that year, the superintendent OF
the mines came TO me and said:
Perkins, the pay money will be
here tomorrow, as usual; but want
YOU to exercise more than ordinary
vigilance in guarding it, as l under
stand Grizzly Bill is operating in the
mountains again.
"Grizzly Bill was name to inspire
terror The individual who bore that
unmusical sobriquet was an outlaw OF
great daring and resolution; he stop
ped at nothing.
During the night which followed
violent rain storm swept through the
mountains. Shortly before 10 o'clock
the next morning I received word over
the wire that the train from Pikeville
could not get to Goldton owing TO
washout below Summit Rock. 1t was
tbought that the track could be made
nassable by afternoon and that the
train would reach my station about g
o'clock.
cat o'closk that evening / received
q message saying that it would be inn
nossible for the train to get through
before 9 or 10 o'clock the next morn
ing I sent word to this effect to the
mine superintendent, who, in turn,
communicated it to the men. Feeling
rather tired, I turned in early that
night Sleep, however, was out of the
question.
egraph offices were all under one roof.
One corner of the big warehouse lit
was hardly anything else) was partl-
toned off so as to make private in
closure. The sender and receiver were
affixed to table conveniently near my
bed. and, if necessary, it was possible
to transmit or take a message without
even arising.
"Along toward midnight the tele-
egTaph instrument began to click. L
heard my call, opened the key, and ask
ed what was wanted. The operator at
Pikeville wired back that the train
which had been delayed on account of
the washout had started for Goldton
and would reach there between three
and four o'clock in the morning. AT
precisely 2:45 o'clock the train steamed
| into Goldton.
"The express messenger alighted and
| handed me in huge and many sealed
package It contained S17.5OO.
40, that isn't ALL said the messen-
| ger, with laugh; L have box IN the
| car that's as heavy as lead. we've Deeh
wondering all the way up the noun
tain what it contained
| of the station. 1t was fully seven feet
| placed on end in the freight department
/ Of the station. Itw SAT ully seven 1eet
! long and four wide-horribly suggest
i've of the rough pine box in which
coffin is Enclosed.
II put the pay money in the safe, turned
| the combination lock and retired. fell
into a doze, from which I was aroused
with start by what seemed to be the
tickling OF the sounder 1t said as clear
as if some one had spoken: Beware!
| Danger threatens.
''I sat up in bed The moon was shin
ing brightly through the window. |
gazed intently at the sounder. 1t made
not the slightest motion, yet the message
came again. this time even more start
lingly distinct than before.
Upon hearing the third message my
| mind instantly reverted to the huge box
in the freight corner. The partitionins
| of my little apartment did not extend as
high as the roof, but merely to distance
OF about five feet above the level of my
bed. and by standing on the bed 1 could
peer over the top and see all parts OF the
interior of the station.
st rose stealthily 10 an erect position
and looked over the edge Of the partition
The first thing I saw was the box stand