The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1902-11-06
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The Lass o. Jericho.
Bu GEN, Charles KING.

"Ihcre's many slip 'twlXt the cup
and the lip,n said the division supcrln-
tcndcnt, rcllcctlvcly.
eyes" said Mr.. Harvey, the veteran
conductor of the road. cit was only
a slip that spoiled the biggest combine
I ever ran foul OFF, And tbe story is
worth The telling:
The night the fast express stopped
at l.anccwood long enough to let of a
pair of passengers and take on brace
of tramps, the former slowing them
selves in hotel bus and the latter on
The front platform of the postal car.
They were already thirty minutes be-
hind time and TO make matters worse
II rcd light swung on The draw. Inc
two tramps slid off the front steps ard
down the cmbankment and both en-
uinecr and conductor, forcgatherlnS at
The cab, blew of q little on their own
account. Ii was then ten minutes past
II and they were past due at jericho,
ten miles beyond.
"Who were those two snoozors, any
how ?" growlcd the engineer.
"Ranchmcn-witha a note from the
o!!ico," snapped Mr.. Harvey. "Iet
her 20 for all she's worth quick we're ?
over, Hank. Hullo what's up the
Three dark forms crouchny there as
cmbankmcnt, popped between him and
the dim lights Of the bridge. AT the
same instant, with lcvclcd rcvolvcrS,
two athletic fellows lcapcd into the
cab from the loft hand side. Some
nIt II l,n r1,r
quickly over the conductors mouth
and strong arms flung him faccforc"
most IN the rock ballasting. Then
there came sharp hiss from the cylin-
der cocks, rumble and clank of
wheels, and when, though gagged and
bound, Harvey managed to wriyylc
over and look about him, the train was
split in two, the baggage and passenger
cars standing fast, while the rcarmost
of the express cars was ust vanishing
across the Santcc. The White Owl
was the prey Of train rohbcrs-llar-
vcy's money and beautiful prcscnta-
ton watch were gonc--and so wclc
the gang.
When released from his bonds by cX.
cited train hands, Mr.. Harvey saw an
other sight that filled him with wrath.
The draw was swinging once again.
Between him and the runaway cars
ana engine yawned the black depths
of the sluggish river. Anything more
complete and scientific as a "hOld-up"
had never been heard Of on the road,
and "thc road' was Ilarvcy's world.
On the run brakeman was started
back to LanccwOod TO wire the news.
Finally, ten minutes later, there came
a half scared hail from the norLhward
bank, and the voice of Crancy, an cX-
press messenger, was heard asking if
anybody was left alive on the bridge,
and, before the bridge was swung t.,
his story was told-Big Hank was shot
and hammered scnsclcss; Jim Hardy,
the fireman, had shown fight, and
Knocked one robbcr endwlsc before
being fclled and stunned by the whack
of Il revolver. The safes were looted
and the robbers had ridden away into
the night westward be md.
The order to stop the lain at Lance
wood was n clever imitatiLp of the SUI
perintcndcnt's style and signature.
The two bearded ranchmcL had gone
to the hotel, but tossing they Sbus driver
half dollar, had slipped away without
entering, or being socn by the night
clerk, and when the brakeman got back
from the scene of the hold-up, we'll
nigh spent with running, he found
frantic operator cut off from commu-
ncatlon with his kind. Thoy reused
the town, replaced the wires, and got
things working again by 2 O'Clock, but
ny this time il was known that the
gang had do,lolcd on their tracks and
made for the Missouri with fiat boat.
The escape might have been SUCCESS
tul, but for lass. "Thcre's many a
slip 'twiNt the cup and the lip" as the
division superintendent had SAID, and
TINS lasslc, but slip of a girl, was the
prcttlcst thing along the whole line, so
sWore dozen of her admirers, and she
was Keeping cash at The dining room
at jericho only until jim Hardy should
be promoted to his engine, when he
proposed to monopolizc her entirely.
TWO very prcscntablc travellers, total
strangers TO the ncighborhood, dropped
Oh the Omaha special one clear Octo-
Der afternoon, and when settling for
their dinner had eyed Miss Fenner
rather ardcntly for so short an ac-
qnaintance, had rendered some rather
iulsomc llattcry and new live-dollar
bill. Without word she handed the
change and turned TO the next conner.
Inc principal speaker was ncttled.
Inc girls indifference piqued him to
further effort. Waiting until the last
passenger was leaving the desk, he
raised his hat with much show of def
ercnce and dark curls, and said, "Par-
aon me, but how does one get over 10
Fort McCrary?"
"There is the ferryman," she said.
WIN nod toward the door.
"Your name is Dennis" ;" laughed the
companion, showing an expensive set
OF teeth, many of them heavily capped
with gold. "Como out of this. y knit
still more ncttlcd, he Of the dark curls
raised MS hat a second time and bowed
with killing grace. "
"Col. Farnham and arc old
friends" said he, "and l half honed
to meet him or some of the oIlicers
here. Are none over to.d day %
"Tho office will know,' answerod