The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1921-08-05
The Moving Picture
'Holdup

BY MURIEL BLAIR.

CO. ~ l. Tx BNSS'lSclS, tNtiN
body went forward and gathered
around him, laughing and clapping.
They thought he was going TO offer
something for sale.
Ladies and gentlemen" begaa the
hashily dressed man, Il am going to
repeat TO you what | have just said to
the passengers in the next coach.
When we reach Bad Water, in ten
or SO, a moving picture man
Will be upon the platform to take some
pictures representing a hold-up. l ask
or you, fellow-passengers, to feign
alarm, and if one or two Of the ladies
viii pretend 10 faint il viii help things
along"
Everybody began laughing and
eagerly awaited the stop at Bad Wa
ter. This was the fourth day of the
transcontinental journey, and the pas
sengers were on very good terms with
one another. They began to discuss
train robberies.
III never give up a cent" exclaim-
ed a stout, perspiring drummer, WHIP
ing the alkali dust from his features.
well, as for me, / know / should
just faint answered a demure young
lady. And before | tainted I'd just
hand over everything | had"
Not with me around, you wouldn't
need to- answered the drummer gal
lantly.
The other travellers did not commit
themselves, for at that the
train began to slow down and there
appeared the irrigation ditch from
which the station took its name. Then
the little tin-roofed shanty came into
view, and a moment later q half doz-
en- men, wearing sOmbreroS and mask
ed, with pistols stuck all around their
waistlines, leaped forward across the
tracks. One jumped into the engine
cab n held his pistol to the fore
head Of the engineer. The mail van
was next attacked, while two men
made their way into the foremost of
the coaches.
Upon the platform a moving picture
operator had set up his instrument
and was busily reeling off the film,
the passengers, interested in the scene,
gathered around him.
Now, ladies; now, gentlemen" in
terposed tha hashily dressed mar in
tones of IemOnstrance, won't you
please go back into the coaches and
be rObbedt You're interfering with
thn n,nrntAr Il .,Na;lr ~, ...,l:.- "A
the pictures, your standing around
here as though nothing had happened.
People will think the pictures a fake,
and its going to be exhibited in all the
leading cities of America. Won't you
go back?"
Two or three did turn back toward
the coaches in a half-hearted way. but
the rest remained obdurate. A pistol
shot rang out, followed by a woman's
scream for help.
"You told me it was fun shrieked
a wOman's voice. Il won't gse you
my rings. | wont, l tell you. There,
take them, then. And that's every
penny | have In the world"
ITS Big Ike and his gang" some
body screamed. Its real enough My
God, it's all real!"
Then the 1ashily dressed man came
dashing out of his coach, a smoking
pistol in his hand. He was followed
by two of the gang.
Hands up, you silly sheep he yell
ed. Hands up or / fire. Now, then,
back into the cars. One at a time,
please. You'll keep them above your
heads while Ike goes through you
Sheep, be had called them, and like
sheep they obeyed. The first to do
so was the commercial traveller. There
was a look Of terror on his red face,
and he held his arms erect as ramrods.
Only one traveller remained upon
the platform. 1t was the demure
young lady who had been discussing
her course of action in the event Of a
real hold-up. Instead Of fainting she
stamped her foot violently and actual
ly shook her fist in the fashily dressed
mans face.
Il won't put my hands up and l
won't give you a cent. And I've got
ninety dollars inside my waist and l
defy you to take 1t, you coward.
There"
Upon the platform the operator was
still grinding or his films. The flash
iIy dressed man approached the young
lady, took off his hat, and made her a
q bow.
Madam, you are the only man
among the lot" he said. Pray keep
your money as a tribute to your cour-
age!"
The passengers had all filed in when
the wheels Of the train began to move.
The flashily dressed man stood on the
step and leered at them.
Sorry to brighten you all, ladies I'D
gents he said. IF you'd obliged ne
as I asked Of you to do, l wouldn't
have had TO scare you. We amt, ban
dts; we're just mosats picture peo-
pie; but we had to get ihe picture and
as you wouldn't help us-why, we just
had to help ourselves. Goodbye"