The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-04-25
ON THE NIGHT PATROL.
fErom the London Evening News.)

LOOKING man. In the prime OF lie, WHO
wore pinned across his breast an empty
sleeve.
I passed the time chatting with the
Waterman, and he told me the story OF
the adventure in which he lost his arm.
I repeat his narrative as nearly as pos
sibIe in his own words:
Before / was intrusted with the night
duties of this station L was one of three
section men who had in charge sec
ton Of track upon our line some 300
miles west of here. in the toughest and
most lawIess part of the territory.
Our section began at Summit station.
and ran east seven miles; thence to
Brewsters, the next station east Of Sum-
init, and 10 mile distant from II was
another section eight miles long
In rain, or shine, snow or sIeet, the sec
ton must be patrolisd by one man-who
employs in good weather a light hand
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 at that du.v. we
started from Summit at 10 o'clock sha7,.
and usually arrived at the halfway
house about ten minutes ahead Of the
train. Here We met one of the men fror,
the section east Of us. who had starte1
about the same ..me, and for the sans
purpose.
Inc men from each section having pa
'IoIed ID miles OF line, meet at a little
shanty situated beside the track inst
large enough to hold a small stove and
Few necessary supplies, and allow Them
TO enter Here they stay until the train
ZINES IN slsht; Then go outside and dis
plaH their two white lights. that the en-
elneer may know all Is well.
one night my turn came tn soc tho
seetoh- Before starting IL occurred TO
me 'hat our supply OF lantern oil az the
halfway house was low. so / procurad
quart bottle and filled Il. put it into
.ne inSIue pocket OF my heavy coat. bat
started anu
II was stormy Summer night as
black as ink AT q bridge crossing snake
RIVER dismOunted from the car and
pushing II ahead of me as / passed 7
gave the structure a careful examination
found everything all right. and was
ABOUT 10 mount my car again when / re-
ceived a violent blow upon nv head
rails. ''V' 'le
recovering consciousness after a few
moments, | found myself bound. gagged
and lying bur a few feet from a ga1e Of
masked men, whom / saw. as well as
the darkness would permit at work with
oars removing one OF the rails, just at
the entrance Of the bridge.
Il tell yer. Sam" one big fellow ex-
claimed. the best way Is 10 tie him
across the rails, and let the train finish
him"
Hold on won't listen to such a pIan -
sald one VINO seemed TO exercise some in
nuence over them. We shall have
enough 70 answer for before rbfs ion -
finished without killing him ITo1, tbjs
boN SUCKS. ne added. spitefully. The
man who drove these spikes must have
meant EN- to stay. He is safe enough
and II we mean business we must b. live
~ The train vii! be here in twenty min
dtes ana we have no time TO lose" and
at the rail they all sprang with a will
Straining AT the cords which bound nv
wrists. / fancied that they gave way a
little. l remembered the trick Of the
conjurers who free themselves from their
bonds by alternatingly contracting their
muscles. and ! lay in silence. working in
perfect frenzy Of excitement until was
able 70 free my hands In an instant nv
knife was out OF my pocket, and nv feet
at liberty.
Without waiting to free myself from
the gag. / spraag 10 my feet. and. at the
top Of my speed. started down the track
in the direction of the approaching train.
With yell that told me / was discoye cred. Z
the whole gang started in pursuit: but /
had some little start OF them. and bound
ed along the ties. bent ~ on stopping the
train At any cost.
As the gag. which ! had not removed
hindered my breathing ] was forced TO
stop for a moment 20 cut il away While
so engaged. there came a volley. and I
was struck in the left arm. midway be
tween the wris: and the elbow
Setting my teeth hard. | overcame the I
faintness, staggered - my feet and ran
on. soon noticed that the pursuit had
ceased Either the train robbers thought
was done for. or they had returned to |
their unfinished work, trusting | should |
be unable to stop the train.
Light | had none-my lantern was with |
the wreckers.
While ! was thus still running on as !
fast as my condition would permit in |
stinctively I felt in my pocket for |
matches. All. the oil, Why had I not |
thought Of that before? OF course
"Of course the al. will stop them. Tom. |
Spread it on the rails. Their locomotive !
can get no grip on that iron. Smear il
thick. Cover IL well. rub il on with your |
palm, so-both rails; don't neglect an inch |
of it. either For life. Tom, for life.
Think of the men. women and little chill |
dren upon that train
l worked with the desperation of a
maniac Upon my knees. the bottle I'M
der my disabled arm. pouring the oil. |
by an inclination of my body, into my
right hand, ana spreading il upon the |
rails
| worked backward from the approach |
ing train. AID now rose to my feet AT
the end of my labor and at the terminus !
of the creased rails.
Already the rails were vibrating as the |
heavy train approached. How awful is |
the sight OF a big locomotive. coming |
straight toward one upon a dark night. |
stood upon the track. waving my
hands. so that the headlight would
shine upon me, and | could be seen by
the engineer.
Now for it," I thought.
She strikes the oil-th- big foot drIv-
ing wheel spin round as though the en-
CINE had been lifted in the air.
In my excitement I screamed as loudly |
as possible in vain protest to the engi- |
neer. who was pulling the little lever |
which sands the rails
Shouting was of no avail, they could |
not hear me- Had there been sufficient /
upgrade there the oil would have stop |
ped them quite. As il was. the impetus |
of the cars composing the train was able |
to push the engine over the oily rails.
But one resource was left. and I |
thought of it just in time. I stepped as ]
all my strength hurled the empty bottle |
at the headlight. 1t struck the glass |
SCATTERING it to splinters. and the light |
Instantly went out.
Then came the welcome signal from |
the whistle for brakes and / sank down |