THE EXPRESS MESSENGER'S ADVENTURE.

Evening Post, Volume XLI, Issue 138, 13 June 1891, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE EXPRESS MESSENGER'S ADVENTURE.

I always knew I served the company in a dangerous capacity, but I had been an express messenger for so many years that I thought little or nothing of the risks I ran, My route was through a rough region, too> after I changed from the Central Pacific to the South Pacific road, a region but half settled and half civilised, whore Indians and ruffians wore as plentiful as Chinamen in 'Frisco, My " ruu" was a long one through a now country, whore statious vtaie often one hundred miles apart. The miles pnssod slowly after I had BOrtert and billed the express matter, and the constant roar and rumble of the train cheered me in the day, and lulled mo to Bleep in the night, when tho windows wore securely fastened, tlio lamps lighted, and several rifles and revolvers huug round in cauo of emergency. 1 travelled as express messenger several yoars without being in an accident, or naving the train stopped by robbers. Some of my brother messenger* met with adventures on nearly every trip, but for a long time I was unmolested, until I began to disregard the danger altogether. Train robberies had lately been frequent, and, whilo I did not expect to bo attacked, I learned to be on the look-out. I had a set of signals with the bell-rope to let the trainmen know when I was in danger. Robberies wore often accomplished while the trains wiero in motion, and the express moMfcngers were either bound Land »ad foot or killed, the robbers being desperato men, who hesitated at nothing. Occasionally, howevor, I did relax my vigilance, and slept as soundly as at the hotel where I boaided. Finally my turn camo. The train arrived at Tuscon one n ; ght nearly an hour late. There was a great deal of express matter to exchange, and for fifteen minutes I was kept busy loading and unloading bundles and boxes. The passengers walked up and down the platform to stretch their logs ; the engine's safety vulvo hummed with escaping steam, and tho long train reached tho full length of the platform, presenting a picture of bustle and activity. When the last bundle was piled away, the train started, and I closed tho door, locked it, and turned to tho boxes and packages that were scattered about. The first thing that attracted my attention was a long pine box. I had not noticod it when it was loaded, and thinking it was a queer time for a funeral to start, I examined the address. It was consigned to New Orleans. I entered it in the book, and for an hour or more, while sorting over the packages, I took no notice of my silent companion. It was a common thing to have one or two funerals the whole length of the trip ; and I thought of this as I had thought of others — " Some poor fellow who left a pleasant home to come here in search of a fortune, only to dio on tho alkalai plains without a friend." And aftor I had pushed the box aside, I opened a bundle of newspapers and selected one to read. It was not very late, and, tilting my chair back beneath a lamp, I was soon interested in the news of the day. How long I was in that position I do not know, but unconsciously I fell into a light sleep when 1 had finished reading the paper. I awoke with a feeling of dread and fascination in possession of mo. I did not move ; I could not. Something held me almost breathless, and it was several minutes before I could open my eyes. Whon I did my heart gave a quick throb. The top of the pine box was partly raised, and the features of a man, shaded, from the dim light, were re- , vealed to my acute senses. Even then, though greatly Btartled, I did not make a motion, and my eyes were all but closed. Peering from the corner of one eye, I tried to make out his features, but saw nothing beyond the brutal eyes and half-savage mouth. In an instant it flashed across me that he was a train robber. He waa evidently waiting to see if I was fast asleep, for ho did not move during several minutes, keeping his eyes fastened on me with the steadiness of an animal. I scarcely breathed. The rifles and revolvers were on the opposite side of the car. If I attempted to get them he would shoot bofcro I mado two steps. With my blood tingling and my ears strained, I waited expectantly for him to move, resolving to wait for a favourable opportunity to spring on him. Probably there were a dozen more of his associates in the passenger-cars, and aB soon as he had secured his prize they would be notified, and the passengersrobbed, There was enough gold and silver in bricks in my car to make one man independently rich. The small safe was full of specie, amounting to one hundred thousand dollars' worth. With the thought of my responsibility camo a feeling of resolution. I must do something without hesitation. The dark eye 3 glared at me, but the robber never changed his position. I could read the meaning of tlioir cold glitter, and I must act as if I was to savoury life. I pretended to awaken by making two or three iuovomonts with my hands, and to my iutense relief the cover of tho pine box quickly and quietly dropped to its place. Without making any hurried motion, 1 rubbed my eyes, gasped once or twice, and slowly ro6a to my feet. " Well, well," I said aloud, " I've beon asleep." Then I proceeded to rummago about the car as if nothing had happanod, but my nerves were not relaxed a instant. Before tho train had gone five miles, farther I had some nails in my pocket. A quick careful glance showed mo a hole in the side of the box, through which tho robber was undoubtedly watching every movement I made. I did not go wear the revolvers or rifles. It would havo taken but a second for him to have raised the lid and shot mo, and I kr.ew ho would do so if I approached them. Instead of that, I carelessly sorted a pile of

expreSS matter near the box, with a vieW to what I was about to do. I was terribly excited, though I • tried to appear cool. When I was ready, I threw several heavy packages on the lid, sat down on the box, and hastily nailed down the lid. I heard a noise within, and felt a pressure as my prisoner endeavoured to raise it. But the weight was too proat, and I soon had all the nails drivon in to hold him fast. He was securo, but to niako sure of him I surrounded the box with heavy bundles, and piled upon it the heaviest boxes the car contained. I sat down for a minute to recover myself ; then, taking down a rifle, I cocked it loud enougn for him to hear. " Sow many more are there aboard the train?" I asked, placing my mouth to a crack between the boxes. In reply I heard a muffled sound of which I could make nothing, and as the holes through which he might shoot were covered with gold and silver bars, I put my mouth nearer and asked the question again. I received no reply, and, going to the other end of the car, I quietly oponed the door leading to the platform. The night air rushed in, and the noiso of the train came with it, making a din in my ears. We were running at a high rate of speed around the hills that abound in that region. I stepped to the platform of the noxt car. It was a smoking-car. The train robbers were already at work. Two men in the forward end, within five feet of me, commanded a view of every passenger with their lovelledrovolvers, and two more were going down^theaisle for the valuables. It wns a terrible momont for me. I folt a keen sympathy for the passengers, whose terror-stricken faces I could soe in the dim light from the lamps, but I was helpless ; doubtless a similar scene was being enacted in the other passenger and sleeping-cars. I was hot and cold by turns. I watched the villains going cool'y on with their work until I began to think of my own safety. Charlie Slate, a brakeman, was bound hand and foot to the forward seat; in a few minutes they would finish their daring work and come to my car. I did not doubt that the fellow I had imprisoned in the pine box was an accomplice, and if they should find the door of the express car locked, they would break it open to see what had" become of him, and kill me if I resisted. This would enable them to take possession of the money, bullion, and valuable packageo and escape. I knew they would not kill any one if he did not resist, and within five minutes they would demand an entrance to my car. Already the two robbers had nearly reached the farther end of the smoking car Most valuable property was in my care ; I must Bave it. Without any more hesitation, I stepped to the platform of my car, grasped the lever that operated the coupling, and, with a quick, strong pull, separated the two draw-heads. I was not a moment too soon. Before the engine and express car had shot 200 feet ahead of the train, the door of the smoking-car oponed, and the robbers stepped out. I heard their cry of rage, saw the flashes of their revolvers, and the bullets struck the wood-work behind me. Hurrying forward, I told the driver what I had done. He heartily approved of my action, and his words reassured me. I had taken a desperate course, but I had saved a great deal of valuable property. We hurried on through the darkness and Boon reached the next station, from which the news was telegraphed to the company's offices in San Francisco and Tuscon. The robber in the pine box was then socured, but refused to say a word, and, with a gang of trackmen, armed, we returned to where we had left the train. The robbers had departod, taking everything valuable with them, and the passengers hailed us with shouts of joy and eigha of relief. — Pearson's Weekly. CONCERNING EYES. Long, almond-shaped eyes, with thick-skinned eyelids that cover half of the pupil, are (writes one who pretends to know) indicative of genius when they are found in conjunction with a brow which is full over the eyebrows and which has one deep, perpendicular line between the eyebrows. I have frequently noticed this combination in the faces of distinguished literary men and artists. The almond-shaped eye, however, even without this peculiar form of forethought, always means a susceptible, impressionable nature. Eyes which are large, open, and very transparent, and which sparkle with a rapid motion under well-defined eyelids, denote elegance in taste, somewhat susceptible temper, and great interest in the opposite sex. Eyes with weakly-marked eyebrows above them, and with thinly-growing eyelashes which are complete without any upward curve, denote feeble constitution and a melancholy disposition. Deep-sunken and small blue eyes, under a bony, almost perpendicular forehead, are indicative of selfish aud cold-hearted natures. Eyes wtich show. not only the whole of the iris, but also some of the white, both above it and below, denote a restless, uncortain nature, incapable of repose or concentrated thought on any subject. The eyes of a voluptuary move slowly under heavy lids. Sound-shaped eyea are never seen in the face o£ a highly intellectual person, but they denote a kindly, faithful, and innocent nature. Eyes which (when Been in profile) are so protuberant as to run almost parallel with the profile of the nose show a weak organisation of body and mind. Eyes of rather clear penetration, but closo together, denote cunning and an untruthful disposition. Eyes rather far apart show an honest and guileless nature. When, however, the eyes are vory far apart they denote stupidity. Eyes with sharpjy defined angles, sinking at the corners, show stupidity of mind ; the sharper the angle and the more it sinks the greater the delicacy of perception it denotes ; but when very much developed it shows also craftiness amounting to deceit. Well-opened eyes, with smooth eyelids and steady aud somewhat fixed glance, denote sincerity. Lines running along the eyelids from side to sido, and passing

out upon the temples, denote habitual laughter — a cheerful temperament, or, at any rate, one in which the sense of fun is strong.