The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-01-07
MY HERO.
A Story Of a Train Robbery.

When I was girl Of sixteen / left
my home I'm Little Rock, Ark, TO spend
several years in the east. 1 was rather
proud OF the rough and ready ways Of
our western men and regaled my girl
friends with stories Of their bravery.
/ really didn't know much about brave
men except what had read in novels.
Nevertheless often kept my asso-
clates spellbound with my tales Of
heroism.
i was so fascinated with my stories
that on my return home was on the
lookout for some of the drastic scenes
had depicted. was not disappointed
in viewing n Scene, but ] was dlsap-
pointed In the bravery OF just such a
man as had selected foi 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 were stuck In his belt He
couldn't have been more than twenty
Eve 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
felt jog, and the train slowed down.
Then the forward door few open, and
masked man stepped In with shot
gun in his hands, the butt Of which he
Immediately brought to his shoulder,
pointing the muzzle at the passengers.
"Slt stillv' he yelled In a stentorian
voice. "Pll shoot up the car II any
one moves"
He hadn't more than spoken the
words before another masked man
passed In front OF him and demanded
the yaluables 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
reyolyers resting useless in their
holsters he sneered: You're a purity
one, amt you? I'll take your guns.
You needn't trouble yourself to touch
'em"
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 a stream Of
blood over his face. Then he took
what money the man had and his
watch and chain and passed on 10 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 a 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 my hero had
made from the pedestal on which /
had placed him! He was still wiplng
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 ret Off.
/ was angered that he had Illifed
the ideas had given my eastern
friends OF western bravery. Just as
he was going out of the doorway
cried:
"Cowardw
He turned and looked at me In a way
l shall never forget.
"Where do you llveP he asked
quietly.
I'm Little Rock"
"Maybe I'll call on you In few
days" he said, "maybe not"
He spoke In such II soft, sad voice
that regretted what had done.
After / got home l kept thinking of
my dethroned hero. Before the rob
berry / 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 reproachfu way
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 took up morning paper and
read the following under big black
headlines:
Last night John Wharton, the express
messenger who was on the Iron Mountain
train that was held up few days ago
Kicked in the door OF little cabin In the
| mountains, shot two OF the men who had
done the robbing, killing both OF them
and captured two others single handed.
What loomed up before me after
reading the words was the messenger
himself at tho car door, looking at me
sad and reproachful when called
him coward, and the blood welled up
In both cheeks. had hoped that he
would keep his word and call on me,
| a.
could look him In the face?
thought all day about It and wondered
II II was my, taunt that had made a
brave man Of coward or If he had
been brave man all the while.
failed to see how he could have been
with two big revovers in his belt,
That afternoon he called
"Yon were somewhat hard on me-"
he said, "the other day, Since then I