The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1903-06-26
How | GOT RICH
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pOSltlOu VI hight OpeIutOT lucre. bul
I did, and my being there resulted il
an important change in my life. II
freed me from the necessity of earn.
Ing my own living.
The place being so exposed, 1 kept
q revolver under lounge In my Of
nce, on which often rested when not
busy. I confess that l never thought
I should use 1t even If an unarmed
man were coming to murder me.
always handled it as would viper
that would sting me. l often thought
what would do If some villain should
come along to interfere with me, but
az I could not screw up my courage
even in fancy to shoot him I didn't
zee how would be likely to do it in re-
atty.
One night trouble came, sure enough.
Two men stepped into the station, and
without a word one Of them came to
he and ordered me away from the tel
egraph instrument, while the other
took up a red lantern from the floor
and went out. 1t was plain that the
man who had approached me intended
That I should not sound a warning
while the other was to stop the train
that was due at the station in about
half an hour. Knowing as I did that
the train carried an express safe, l
surmised that these men were but two
Of gang intending to stop the train
and rob the safe.
For few minutes I was frightened
nearly to death. 1t was only when the
man with the lantern went out and
the other quietly took seat where he
could watch me that it occurred to me
they would not likely hurt woman
unless she interfered with their plans.
From that moment l began to regain
my composure. Then l began to think
Of some trick by which might send a
message. To do so openly was impos-
sible. The man would not let me get
near enough to the instrument. 1 be-
gan to talk to him.
IL know" l said, chat it wouldn't
do for you to have me touch that key
and my life would pay for doing So;
consequently you needn't trouble your
self to watch me-"
"Pll keep an eye on you, all the
same" he replied.
ITO show you that l have no inten-
ton Of touching the key III go and
sit on that lounge If you will permit
me-"
go ahead" He seemed rather TAX
en- with an idea that would remove me
further from the instrument. l got up
and, going to the lounge, sat down on
II. My revolver was directly beneath
me. If were man and quick to
move and shoot, the robber would be
at my mercy. But woman! Great
heaven. what was l thinking Of?
heard the key clicking message to
me from the dispatcher asking If the
track was clear. The man listened,
looked at the key and, doubtless fan
cying that it would be better to cut off
communication, went to it and placed
a paperweight on it. While doing so
his back was toward me.
/ can never think Of the impulse that
seized me and my action at that mo-
ment without wonder. 1t seemed that
q cyclone of mingled rage and resolu-
ton swept over my brain and hurled
me into that of which I was incapa-
BILE. In a second l had bent down,
seized the revolver, cooked 1t, pointed
1t at the man standing at the table and
cried fercely:
Hands upw
He turned like a flash, started to
grasp one of his revolvers, saw by my
eye that I was about to fire and put
his hands above his head. Keeping my
eye riveted to his, ordered him away
from the table, went there myself, felt
for the key and sent warning.
Now that the message had been sent,
what was l to do? Stand there cover
ing the man till the train came along?
I had been able to save the train;
was not equal to saving myself. felt
a buzzing in my ears and that was all
I knew for an interval. Then, coming
to myself, what was my relief to find
the station empty.
Rising, tottered to the instrument
and called the station below. The dis
patcher, angry that had made no re-
ply to his message, began to berate me
for being away from the station. AS
soon as l could stop him l told him
what had occurred. Since the man
who had left me knew that had dis
patched warning 1t was decided that
the danger lad passed. Then the train
came on slowly, but with all hands
armed, reaching the station without in
terruption. 1t was lucky, however.
for the story I had told that they
found material gathered for barrier,
which had either not been made or
taken down when 1t was learned that
the plan to rob the express safe was
a failure. When the train pulled up at
the station every man aboard rushed
into my Office to see the girl who had
covered a desperate with one hand
and sent a message with the other.
They found her lying on the lounge in