The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-08-09
There Is a Tide In
the Affairs Of Men
BY OSCAR cox

to fortune" This is my literary stoc
In trade. Since It applies especial
! to my case 1t is quite sufficient for m,
/ From my boyhood / was averse I
I hard work. By hard work / mea
drudgery. think that II had bee
born the president of a manufacturer
company might have managed 1t ad
mirably. question II even lack o
experience would have downed me
The reason / believe this is that whel
fate finally boosted me into a respon
sible position l took to the duties al
o duck does TO water.
aware of what wanted, led me t.
adopt the profession Of a tramp.
began my career In this line at eight
cen years OF age and followed 1t FOL
four years. There was something SC
attractive for me In 1t that even now
don't look back to 1t with the hor.
ror Ii merits. Its very discomforts
were at times attractive Real tramp
ing-I mean on foot-did not interest
me. My favorite method of getting out
Of district 1 had worked dry into
one sufficiently far from 1t that I
would not be recognized as an old Of
fender was hanging on to the under
part of a railway car
And 1t was here that the tide OF my
affairs took me up and carried me on
to fortune.
One day was riding on the bottom
Of car. was located under the bag
gage car, which was next behind the
express car. Suddenly while passing
through an open field the brakes were
applied and the train came to a stop.
| expected that 1t would proceed in a
few moments, but It didn't Il heard
shot forward. This suggested to me
that the train might have been held
up. put my head out where I could
get a glimpse OF what was going on.
I couldn't see much before or behind,
but one thing l saw very plainly-a
masked man with an enormous revol-
yer In his hand hurrying past to the
rear.
A short distance ahead of me--the
express car was directly over twas
cattle guard 1t occurred to me that
from it I could see without being seen.
l made my way to 1t, dropped down
and hid behind a fence beside II.
From between the boards I had good
view of what was going on.
The engineer and fireman were climb
ing down from the locomotive cab, be-
ing induced to do so at the point of
two pistols In the hands of one man.
He drove them back, where he was
Joined by another man. could see
no more train robbers and believed
that the rest of the gang were going |
through the passengers for their valua- |
bles. One man was hammering at the |
rear door of the express car. 1t was
evidently locked, and he could not |
open It. Another man climbed up be- |
side him, and they consulted as to |
means of forcing the door Both scan
ned the ground beside the train for
some implement by which to effect
100 yards from the car log.
Both men jumped down and hurried
.oward this implement.
Here came the opportunity of my
life. What other robbers there were
we're In or about the rear cars. Tho
engine and express car were unguard-
ID Like a fash OF lightning an idea
entered my head. was not ten yards
rom the rear end of the express car.
-ea wing my hiding place. / got under
he car, crawled to the rear end, mount
d the platform and released the brake.
This / accomplished without the men
rho were going for their battering ram
eeing me, for their backs were still
oward me.
Jumping down on the side Of the
rain that put 1t between them and me,
made a dash for the locomotive,
limbed into the cab and turned on the
team. The men had reached the tie
nd were lifting 1t on to their shout
ers. They had barely succeeded in
ding so when they saw & widening
ap between the express car and the
ain. Dropping their burden, they ran
Or the part that moved. One of them
an so fast that he tripped and fell.
he other kept on and, catching the
andrail on the rear platform Of the
xpress car, managed to swing him
III on.
II seemed reasonable to suppose that
3 would climb over the car and shoot
e as he came. ! had no weapon. so
for defense with a chunk Of
,al. But did not need It The man
d not appear. The noise of the en-
ne and car prevented my hearing any
ing that might be Soing on In my
ar. but after having run some five or
K miles at sixty miles an hour the
,ng In the cab sounded a signal to
op. Not knowing who had given II,
kept on. but presently rounding q
rye I saw the express agent on the
atform Of his car. | slowed down,
d be came forward. He told me that
hen the train moved he ventured to :
en- the front door and then the rear .
or of his car. He held a cooked re- <
liver In his hand and, seeing a robber I
the r-nr platform. shot him before !
could defend himself. q
had saved $4,000 dollars from the =
Dbers. Being asked what the COM I
ny could do for me. said would 4
e a Job that would keep me moving &