El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-10-24

{ township for a few days. the air being
! quite warm about his own town These
/ were the bright, golden days OF frontier
life. days never to be forgotten, the
I days Of Texas in its making
Tells Of Panhandle Experience.
! One evening when the captain was
in Just the right humor, he told me
what he thought was the most I'M
handle country.
When the old North Star stage line
{ was started through that country and
! away across the deserts OF New Mexico
and Arizona, and into California, Capt.
Be-Es was made superintendent OF
the line between the PecOs river. to
! where the line crossed the Rio Grande
at Las Cruces. New Mexico
FL Paso at that time was a sleepy
Mexican town of about 5000 inhabitants.
The captains duties called him to
make frequent trips on his stages be
tween his division points TO see mat
the stock was kept up In good shape
for hard work, and that his changing
stations were provided with everything
required in their business
While at Las Cruces, he received
word 10 get to the Pecos to meet the
big guns" of the company, who We're
making their annual inspection trip
over the whole line in several special
coaches When taking the stage at Las
Cruces. he noticed the only passenger
they had was a woman
Now, a lone woman, travelling over
the stage line was q novelty, and Capt
Beggs carefully noted that she was
rather young. and mighty good look
ing It struck him very fOrcibly that
here was an opportunity to show his
fellow passenger what COurtesies and
comforts the North Star Stage company
could, would, and did show TO people
who patrOniZed the line.
Offers His Services.
Their route lay across the dry and
at that time. arid desert of the
western Panhandle Of Texas. and Capt
Beggs felt IL incumbent upon himself
to make the trip as pleasant for the
woman passenger as possible; so
gradually. and with alb possible polite
ness. with hat in hand, he gently Of
Tered his services and begged her to
command him in any and all ways she
might wish.
After a little while the young woman
requested the captain to ride inside, as
with a certain sense Of modesty, he had
been occupying a seat on the outside
with the driver.
After a little CT the ordinary CONVEX
satiOn about the weather, the rough
ness Of the road, and the Inconvenience
Of a young woman travelling without
escort on a stage coach, the captain
began 10 notice that she seemed 10 be
suffering, and that finally she began
10 sob, and to use her handkerchief in
WiDIng away tears
Not being able to control herself
the woman burst into q good long,
/ nervous spell of crying.
To say that Capt Beggs's sympathies
were aroused would be putting il mild
" II finally worked on his feelings
60 strongly that he was barely able to
control his emotions, and begged the
woman, the best he was able, TO have
I ali confidence in him. and tell him
/ her troubles, assuring her in the gen
TEST manner possible that both himself
! and the company would see that she
Z got through with her trip all right. and
7 II there was anything they could do
/ Tor uer comfort and convenience, she
had only 70 name it.
After recovering herself and calm
J ing down she began TO tell him that
she was q widow, had but a few
: months before buried her husband in
Z California, and was trying TO make
Z her way back to her home in Missouri.
: Capt. Beggs assured her, that il that
! was all, not TO worry herself; the
J stages would carry her through, and
Z he would give her a special message
! TO all superintendent on the line for
! them 10 look after her comfort on the
Z trip.
She thanked the captain for his kind
/ ness, but this did not seem 10 relieve her
/ anxiety. Her face would become red
I and white by turns; there seemed TO be
J something else on her mind that she
I wanted 10, but did not know how to,
+ tell
s7VAAANALAAL4E was EAEd44e hAO4lE
I the captain could not for the life OF
} him figure out what IL was Clearly
I the captain was puzzled, and he racked
I his brain in trying TO figure out what
! was worrying the fair passenger so
! deeply. He decided to ride outside for
awhile to give her time to recover her
cOmposure.
Evidently this made matters worse,
as he could plainly hear her crying as
If her heart was broken. Capt Beggs
! ~ "a a b II
school to hear a woman in such deep
distress, and he decided that at ali
hazards, cost what 1t might, he was
bound to get at the bottom OF her grief
and trouble, thinking that she was per-
haps grieving over the loss Of her hus-
/ band, or was hOmesick, or something
that a few kind and cheerful words,
would be a great consolation to her.
COnfides in the Captain.
The captain had the coach stopped
and he got inside again, and in the
gentlest manner possible, begged her TO
cOnfide in him, and tell what her trou-
bic was This rather brought matters
TO a crisis. and between sObs and tears,
she informed him that she had started
on this trip expecting to get home be-
fore she should be taken sick, but that
it could not be hidden any longer
that she was in a very embarrassing
condition, and was going to be sick the
sickness Of motherhood
A baby, Great Jehosaphats. and hop
ping horned toads, a baby; out in that
desert-nO doctor, no nurses, no woman
within 40 miles, no accommodations OF
accessories for any such an event.
Capt. Jim Beggs was dumbfounded,
paralyZed, speechless for a time, but
| finally he managed to suggest that she
should keep up courage, that there was
a stage station a short distance ahead,
and he would get her there quickly as
possible.
Getting outside again, he ordered the
driver to hurry TO the station ahead
with all speed, as the passenger inside
was very sick.
The keeper Of this station was a well
I known character all through the Pan
handle country, better known as Doe
Williams, called so by everybody. in
! fact the station was named for him.
! and was known by that name for years
/ after. even after the stage line was
| forgotten.
| The stage was driven in with a rush,
! horses in lather Of sweat, the captain
| proceeded to let out yell that brought
! Doc out running. Capt BeEgs took
| him off to one side and very confiden-
1 tally informed him that they had
| sick woman TO care for. a case Of child
I birth, and begged to know what they
I two lone men, out in that country, could
/ do in such an emergency.
| "DOc' Williams Takes the Case.
| Doe looked beWildered at first but