Golden Valley chronicle. (Beach, Billings County, N.D.) 1905-1916, 1909-02-12
MY HERO.
A Story of = Train Robbery.
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II A Story of Train Robbery. (
Cs;;:o;>;occ OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Copyright 1909. by American Press Asso-
ciation.l
When was a girl Of sixteen left
my home in Little Rock, Ark, to spend
several years in the east. was rather
proud Of the rough and ready ways Of
our western men and RECALLED my girl
friends with stories Of their bravery.
really didn't know much about brave
men except what had read in novels.
Nevertheless l, often kept my asso-
ciates spellbound with my tales of
heroism.
/ was so fascinated with my stories
that OH my return home was on the
lookout for some of the drastic scenes
! had depicted. was not disappointed
In viewing scene, but l was disap-
pointed in the bravery of just such a
man as had selected for most of my
heroes. | was at the time on pas
senger train of the Iron Mountain
railroad in the first car, and in front
of me was my typical brave. He wore
his hair long under the broad brim Of
his sombrero. and pair of enormous
revolvers We're stuck in his belt. He
couldn't have been more than twenty
FIVE or twenty-six years old and was
very handsome. Somebody told me
that he was an express messenger.
1t was about 10 O'clock at night that
l felt a jog, and the train slowed down.
Then the forward door few open, and
masked man stepped in with a shot
gun in his hands, the butt of which he
Immediately brought to his shoulder,
pointing the muzzle at the passengers.
"Sit still!' he yelled in stentorian
voice. "Tll shoot up the car IL any
one moves!'
He hadn't more than spoken the
words before another masked man
passed in front of him and demanded
the valuables of the first passenger he
reached. He relieved several of them
before he came to my hero. AS soon
as he caught sight of the messengers
revolvers resting useless in their
holsters he sneered: you're q purity
one, amt you? I'll take your guns.
You needn't trouble yourself to touch
'enl."
He snatched one Of the pistols out
Of my adored ones belt, then the other,
and raped the owner over the head
with its butt, bringing stream Of
blood over his face. Then he took
what money the man had and his
watch and chain and passed on to the
next passenger. When he got to the
end Of the car he went out, the man
at the door still pointing his gun at
us. In this position we remained till
we heard shout, and the man at the
door went out. Pretty soon after this
the conductor came into the car and
told us the robbers had gone.
But what an awful fall nv hero had
made from the pedestal on which
had placed him! He was still wiping
the blood off his face when the train
moved on, and every one was guying
him. We stopped at the next station,
and he arose from his seat to get of.
was angered that he had nullifled
the ideas I had given my eastern
friends of western bravery. Just as
he was going out of the doorway
cried:
"Coward!'
He turned and looked at me in way
I shall never forget.
"Where do you liveT' he asked
quietly.
Gin Little Rock''
maybe I'll call on you in few
days." he said, maybe not
He spoke in such soft, sad voice
that regretted what had done.
After got home kept thinking of
my dethroned hero. Before the rob-
berry I thought l should fall in love
with him because he looked SO hand
some and brave. After he spoke to me
in that sad, half reproachful way I
thought should fall in love with him
because felt SO sorry for him.
couldn't understand why he was going
to call on me, but hoped he would,
because wished to apologize for call
ing him coward. We girls are queer
things anyway. Three days after my
arrival l took up morning paper and