The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1855-07-12
THE TELEGRAPH DESPATCH.

1t winds from shore to shore,
BY dark Missouri's turbid tide,
BY deep Niagara's roar.
Bear along the lighting song,
Down the Ohio;
A thousand miles are already up,
And thousands more to 90.
Itwas on Saturday evening in De
cember, 1s47, that after finishing some
engrossing correspondence, ! arose Will
the intention of Immediately proceeding
to my quiet lodgings on Chestnut Street
there to take the welcome rest that usher'
in the day of sacred repose. 1t had beer
a busy day and toilsome one. had
been alone in care of the two registers
connecting with Baltimore and New York
the day cold and rainy, and both lines
working with fitful uncertainty. CORES.
ponding we'll with the weather. Slowly
and tediously had the new wonder per-
formed her Office. The perfection to which
Telegraphic Structure havesince arrived
was then unknown. 1t was the nursing OF
a rickety child, the guiding of keeless
craft. Yet the constant suspicion of my
own ignorance had made me patient
Hour after hour repeated-aye, to the
seventh time each despatch to my patient
associate at the other terminus. l sighed
and longed for dinner, but sighed in vain.
A cup Of coffee from a neighboring res
taurant gave new patience to my troubled
spirit. Yet nine o'clock found me with
my files all clear and letters all written, a
wearied martyr to a new and unpromis-
ing pursuit,
Before rising from the hard stool on
which had performed my martyrdom
Eve had no stuffed chairs in those days.
| moralized a moment. The revolutions
/ had innocently caused on Wall-street
gave me no concern. Wall Street affairs
had no lodgment in my anxieties. Yet
however the day had been eventful. Joy
and sorrow had found in me an interested
medium. I had seen some of the few
phases of eventful life just beginning to
be intrusted to the new messenger which
the kind hearted and ingenious student
of Pougbkeepsie had given to his country
1t had identified me with my race. 1t was
necessity. Love had openened her
heart to me, and in my faithful hands
bad her secret been held. Agony had
forced me to partnership. Jealousy
had made me hear the uneasy gritting of
her teeth. Joy had rung his merry laugh
in my ears, and sorrow had wet my hands
with tears that met my own.
How various had been my mission -
How many vibrating chords had been
sounded that day by my instrumental
to i! had learned lesson of human sor-
row which succeeding years have only
Widened and deepened. / learned to pre-
pare my own heart for the storm of life
and the anguish of the years to come. It
was we'll. Some of these have already
come. 'Tis pleasant to know that amid
life's sunshine as in its darkness, when
the stars are cloudless as when they have
one by one hid behind the gathering gloom
of clouds, that the great pilot is at the
helm, and the War-Sbip of life, careering
upon thousand waves, is still steady on
her course, safe in his hands.
And now for home. Ny little room in
the third story, with its modest furniture,
but clean white bed d-linnen and cheerful
fire, held out new charms to me. Already
| was within its clean warm blankets,
thankful for its sweet and quiet repose,
and dreaming of the coming day, when
man and beast were alike to enjoy the
blcssedBess of the weeks grand holiday.
Before turning off the gas, however, /
went to the Messengers table, to see wheth-
er that worthy bad performed his duties,
and his dispatches duly delivered. One
only remained on his table and, suppo-
sing it to have been one not delivered at
so late an hour, was the point of leaving,
when vague suspicion of its import
crossed my memory, and | returned to
its examination.
Late in the afternoon, little after sun
set had received from Wilmington Del
aware, brief despatch to "James Morn
ingtoD, Kensington," which had excited
my keen interest. Its language was
terse yet touching. 1t uttered a name
dear to me. / had asked its quick deliv-
cry. The unfaithful hound had gone
home chary of the rain. Here it lay un-
delivered. opened it. 1t read as fol-
lows "Poor Mary will die to night; she
asks to see you. Come quick. Rebecca
Warrington" 1t was now half past nine
The cars left at Eleven, by great activity
| could deliver it in time to secure its pur-
pose, with an indignant malediction on
the lazy subordinate; and an indignant
resolution to commence the week by an
act of summary decapitation, l placed the
missive securely in the breast-pocket of
my coat, buttoned myself to the throat,
tucked up my neither garments, and sal
lied out into the storm.
The communication of fsorrowful tidings
is in itself a sorrowful task. To sensi-
tive mind it produces all the agitation of
personal grief The tear is ready to min
gle with the tear expected. The heart
throbs with painful consciousness of the
possession of secret, which discovered,
must agonize which the possessor would
gladly have die with him; but which he
must convey with delicate sympathy lest