Year: 1878

) About eight years ago, when I had
not railroaded it as long as I have now,
! was employed as a messenger on a
western railway. don't know as it is
necessary for me to say what line Il WAS,
but l will call it the B. T. & G. R. r.,
to save myself the trouble of pronoun-
cling the whole name.


I had not been on the run more than
a month previous to the date OF the oc-
currence of which I am going to tell you.
I had been running on a branch route
for more than year, and I might have
staid there good deal longer, if 1 had
not been chosen to take Paxton's place
when he went off. You see, two or
three attempts had been made to rob
the express Car, and at last, at the end
OF long run, Paxton was found dead in
the car with bullet hole in his head.
But the safe was closed tight and secure,
though an attempt had been made to
blow it open, which proved Intellectual.
But the strangest part of it all was that
the key was missing from Paxton's
pocket, and it was not found till a good
Six weeks afterward. Then it was dis
covered at the side of the track, with a
card tied on it, on which it was written
that robbers were in the car, and he ex-
pected they would murder him if he re-.
fused to give up the key. He was true
to the last. Well, You may suppose
that felt just the least bit squeamish
about accepting such an uninviting
berth; but the superintendent gave me
orders, and I meant to do my duty, how
ever disagreeable it might be. Then
the pay was larger than I had ever re-
ceived before; and was acquainted
with good girl who was ready to help
me inhabit house whenever I should
be able to own one, and that was quite
an object to me, 1 can assure you.


Well. everything passed off smoothly
enough for several weeks, and I had be-
come accustomed to the route, and
made dozen or so of very pleasant ac-
quaintances, and was growing to be
pretty well contented with my life. I
had almost begun to think the robbers,
whoever they might be, had given up
all thoughts of ever making anything
out Of my car, and had sought another
field of operations.


One day l was informed by the agent
at R that some time within a week
l would have to take charge of about
$50, 1000 in specie in its transit over our
road. The officers of the express COM
pany had been advised of this intended
important shipment in order that they
might exercise redoubled vigilance in
view of the great risk incurred in the
transportation of snch valuable con.
signment.


The evening after my conversation
with the agent he called me into the
Office, and told me the specie was to 20
over the road the next day but one. he
produced an envelope and handed it to
me, saying as he did so:


There, Bill, are your orders, direct
from the superintendent, with his own
signature attached. Head them care.
fully and obey them TO the letter, for
tls mismove might cause a great loss
to the company and cost you your posi-.
tion."


II shall do my duty ia the very.let-
ter" replied.


81 am sure you mean to do so," said
the agent, "but you cannot be too care.
full. Some of the members of the light
fingered profession are smart as light
ming. The plans they can't devise amt
worth thinking of, and they are as fer
tile in eSpedieuts as the evil one him.
self. | thought Id just put you on your
guard in friendly way, and"