The times., 1898-04-25
ON THE NIGHT PATROL.
From the London Evening News.)


Wishing % take the night tram at
small station out West, and there oelhs
nothing 10 engage my attention aoou5
the village. | went early 10 the station
and was ushered into the waiung-roofn
by the watchman, stout good-natured
looaing man. in the prime of life, VINO
wore pinned across his breast an empty
sleeve.
[ passed the time chatting with the
watchman. and he told me the story OF
the adventure in which he lost ms arm
/ repeat his narrative as nearly as pos
sibIe in his own words:
Before | was intrusted with the night
duties of this station | was one of three
section men who had in charge a sec
ton of track upon our line some 300
miles west of here. in the toughest and
most lawless part of the territory.
Our section began at Summit station.
and ran east seven miles; thence to
Brewster's. the next station east of Sum
mil, and 10 mile distant from it was
another section eight miles long.
In rain, or shine. snow or sleet, the sec
ton must be patroned by one man-who
PUDfOES Ill BODu weather Il llSul MANU-
car for the purpose-ahead of our over
land Pullman train. The train passes
over our section at midnight. and our
departure was timed so as to inspect the
track Immediately ahead of it,
SO. taking turns a that dusy we
started from Summit at 10 o'clock shafi,.
and usually arrived at the halfway
house about ten minutes ahead of the
train Here We met one of the men from
the section east of us. who had started
ABOUT the same >.me. and for the sans
purpose.
The men from each section. bav,ne no
trolled l5 miles of line meet al a ,ittIe
shanty situated beside the track inc,
large enough to hold a small stove and
a lew necessary supplies and allow theu
TO enter Here they stay until the trair
comes IN sight; then go outside and dis.
play their two white lights that the on.
| Slneer may know all is we'll
one night my turn came to see the
section Before starting 1t occurred Il
me that our supply of lantern oiI az tb(
halfway house was low, so | procuraf
quart bottle and filled it. nut If fnte
/ tile inside pocket of my heavy coat. but.
| toned the latter snugly about me. ant
started
1t was a stormy Summer night =.
Diack as INK At a bridge crossing Snak,
/ 'N'' - : bioiiioIultu from the and
! pushlng IT ahead of me as | passed
/ gave the structure a careful examination
1 iound everything all right and wa,
ABOUT TO mount my car again when 7 ra
ceived violent blow upon my head
| which stretched me senseless uDon III,
! rails
Recovering consciousness after a few
moments, | found myself bound. gagged
and lying but a few feet from q eanes n
Ntrh
the darkness would permit at work witt
bars removing one of the rails. lust n
the entrance of the bridge.
Il tell yer Sam one big fellow ex
claimed. the best way is to tie hin
across the rails, and let the train finisl
! him.
Hold on! won't listen to such plan.
5aid one who seemed to exercise some in
| huence over them. I'VE shall hay
enough TO answer for before this lob /
finished without killing him. How tbi
| bolt sticks he added spitefulIv. "T6
man who drove these spikes must hay
| meant EN- to stay. He is safe enough
and if we mean business we must be live
~. The train will be here in twenty min
utes and we have no time to lose" an
at the rail they all sprang with q will
Straining at the cords which bound m
wrists. | fancied that they gave way
httle. remembered the trick of tn
conjurers who free themselves from thei
bonds by alternatingiy contracting thei
muscles, and | lay in silence. working i
a perfect frenzy of excitement until wa
able 10 free my hands In an instant m
knife was out of my pocket. and nv fee
at liberty
Without waiting to free myself fror
the gag, | sprang To my feet and. at IN
top of my speed, started down the trac
in he. al 1f- -l,~
With yell that told me | was discovered
the whole gang started in pursuit but
had some little start of them, and bounC
ed along the ties. bent upon stopping I'll
train at any cost.
AS the gag, which | had not remove
hindered my breathing. | was forced
stop for moment TO cut 1t away. Will
so engaged, there came a voiley, and
was struck in the left arm, midway b,
tween the wrist and the elbow
Setting my teeth hard | oVercame th
faintness. staggered to my feet, and ra
on. | soon noticed that the pursuit ha
ceased. Either the train robbers though
I was done for or they had returned
their unfinished work. trusting | shouI
be unable to stop the train.
Light | had none-my lantern was wit
the wreckers.
While | was thus still running on {
fast as my condition would permit, il
StinCtiVely | felt in my pocket f.
matches All. the oil Why had l NJ
thought Of that before? or couIie.
"Of course the oil will stop them. Ton
Spread ii on the rails. Their locomotiS
can get no grip on that iron. Smear
AUDITOR OF STATE.