Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1898-08-13

L
promptly smo.e him over the head
and laid him senseless on the damp
earth.
The Tain was miles away, and the
robbers dispersed with their booty,
when he recovered consciousness.
Abpu. mile distant be saw light
tainkling through the darkness, and
made his way in that direction the
best he was able. 1t proved to be
the small railway station at Blue
Creek, and the night operator, who
had heard nothing of the robbery
and hold up, was rather startled
when al elderly party, wearing
neither shoes FOR hat, burst in upon
him at ouch q late hour.
"Who in the Sam Hill" be !
gan the telegraph operator.
Now IN cid man is more sensi-
tive to ridicule. especially concern
ing matters OF the heart, then q
young man; SO that when Mr.. Hay
don was questioned he said /:
~ don't know how in the world
it happened, unless | jest walked in
my sleep, and l hain't done sech a
thing since | was a boy that / know
Of. But | was passenger on that
Chicago and Alton train, and I
didn't know | was out of it until
half hour ago, when / come to
sitting by the side of the track
and my head affecting fit to bust,
and | knowed | was left and see
your light. Say, mister, amt there
some way to TELEGRAPH to that train
and stop it? I've got a-a-friend
on board who win feel powerful on
easy"
"Oh, that will bs easy enough !
We can send telegram to Slater
the passenger reaches there at
twelye-thirty-and you can have
your friend wait for you, or at least
satisfy his mind. What's your
friends name Z" be asked, turning
to prepare a blank.
Alas ! our hero was past that
adolescent period of versatility in
the art Of equivocation. He did not
wish to give the name of his wife,
nor did he wish TO run the risk in
any way Of the accident being
found out by his friends at home.
He did the elumsiest thing that he
could have done. He went on ly-
ing in the inexpert way he had be-
gun.
CAS- sure as you live, I'm that
dszed that l can't remember our
names" he said
what r exclaimed the night OPP.
orator in growing suspicion. GLOW
in the Halifax am / to send tele-
gram, unless know who to send it
TO ~
Cant you jest telegraph to the
conductor, the lost is found er
something of that kind !? He'll know
it means me-"
The operator looked at his yisi-
tor few moments with we'll defined
suspicion in his glance, then care
fully edging his way back OF the
little counter TO his instrument, he
nervously licked off:
Station Agent at M-Send some.
body down here at once. Crazy man
off at No. A."
The answer came at once:
"Ed and Jerry on the yard engine
10 ten minutes
M-was six miles away.
Now" eaid the operator, sooth-
ingly, "cant you remember your
friends name p He would endeav-
or at least to keep the suspected
lunatie's mind occupied.
"No, | can't" said Mr.. Hayden,
snappishly. "But jest send the
telegram, will We, I'll pay the ex-
pense. No, can't either, for I've
left my pocketbook. How long will
it take? Send it anyhow / tell We
I'm good fer hundred times the
amount" and he glared so wildly
that the operator sent this message
to the agent at Slater:
"Tell conductor on No. 4 that the
man lost off the train is here and
inclined to be unmanageable. Have
sent to M---tor help TO secure
him."
"There, now he said again 10 a
pacifying tone, Just sit down and
keep calm few moments, until we
get an answer for he heard the
whistle of the engine from M
The engine pulled up to the plat
farm, and three men got off. Jerry
was a big Irishman who walked
cautiously up to the supposed
lunatic.
"Now thin, will ye go quietly wild
us, or must we use force ~
BY this time the unlucky bride
groom's fluctuations had indeed
made him slightly hysterical and
supposing the men were trying to
Joke with him, he made a lunge at
the grinning Jerry that would have
done credit to Youthful puglist.
Jerry and two others caught him
by the arms and legs, and the
more the poor old man tried to ex-
plain, tue more his rawlings were