Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1872-06-19
II ON Chambers Journal
4 TELEGRAPHIST'S STORY,

"And must you really 90 away,
and remain in that nasty old box of
yours, and leave your little Rosebud.
as you call her, all alone here to I'LL
aglne all sorts of horrid things hap
pcning to her poor old boy? Could't
you stay at home just for this one
night"
Couldn't possibly do it,my love- -
said l, struggling into my great coat,
and possessing myself at the same
time of my big driving gloves, which
my little wife was absently trying to
tit On her own little hands.
"Not if very. much wished it,
Willie: ID" you know felt so strange
and lonely last night when you were
away, that ! could hardly make up
my mind to 90 to bed at all: and to
night can scarcely bear the thought
that YOU should be so long absent:
You know what timid foolish thing
am
Her arm quietly stole around me-
and she looked up to NV face with q
wi>tiul, anxious look, while IL teul
stood gli>tenimg in the corners of he,
sweet blue eyes.
"W by, you wee goosc,' said l.
kissing away the bright token of lie,
carnrstncSs, 'what has put sucl
absurd thoughts INFO that wise nod
die of yours! Are Won afraid thai
the tairrs will wayIav me. and spirit
me away TO their eltin land! If the,
do. | shall tell them that | have left 4
fairy at home, and not even the
Establishments of the queen herself
shal tempt me into their uncanny
country. But seriously, Maggie
there is nothing to be alarmed about
l shall be home about seven o'clock
at the latest; but since you are sc
ceric. will call at fathers as l pass
and send up my brother Tom to keer
yom company aud stay in the house
all'night. Will that:contcnt you Httl.
woman?'
"No don't do that: it would look
foolish, aud Tom would only laugh
at me when he came. He does not
understand me. think no one does
understand mc-cXccpt you. dcal
WILL
"Thank YOU Mag: think do un.
dcrstand you. But, h,rc com g the
gig: SO good bye, and don't fret tnl
lac short tim" time | am awa,.l shall
be back long before YOU have don,
hrcaming. :" saving. | mounted
the 81" and dr"v" rapidly along tn,
frozen road. But my wife fingered
! by the perch. follow inw me with hen
eyes and - long as the house was
IN >i"ht. could. on looking back
see her white dress ~hinmcrin4
"ho>t-likr IN the lj"ht which >trru,nrU
through the open door.
At the tim" ~ which | write wa,
Telegraph -".,rjni"uurnI on iii,
Will"nanh I.on"bauIl line ct railway.
One OF the clerks. who was Oh might
duty. had been taken suddenly
| i'll. and. unable to find Il suitable sub.
Stitutc, had taken his work mySeli
until such time as he should recover
| had only been married a few
months. and was by no means re
conciled to the necessity of leaving
my wife and home to pass the night
in that "nastv old box" rs Mag
called it--and she was perfectly cor
rect in her description. But | knew
that it was a necessity. and | knew
likewise that l,o Grunbling of min.
could mend the matter.
\ drive of about eight mile
brought me to my post. There wa
nothing very extraordinary ill thu
duty to which | had been ral!cr
away, nor WAS it any any new
experience to me: but on that nigh
my mind was filled with vague indie
Unable fears. for which | tried il
vain TO account.
The night was clear and windle->
and away in the cnnrthwe>trru Skv til,
aurora horcali- was fitting To and fir,
in a thou sand strange fantasli,
shapes. As ! watched the >hiiiin.
CLEANS, now shuutIn" in rapid sue
crs>ion from one luminous centre
and anon spreading and rollin" WAY,
after wav" across the starry heavens
] began to think of the diSaStrou
omcns of war. plague and famine
which, i'll nldcn times, men drew
from such ii lights. Somewhat of til,
same emotion felt in my own mind
and reason rs would, | felt it i'm
possible to shake off the CROWN:
sense of uncasiness and gloom whicl
had taken possession of me. On en-
tering the telegraph station. the clcrl
whom had come to relieve, wa
ready to depart.
'iou wont have much work to
night, SIR" said he. ."The instruments
are quite unworkablc;nO signals hav,
been received for the last three hours
Good night"
When | was left alone, found tina
it was rs he had said. The elcctri.
currents, which are developed in tn,
atmosphere during the most meteor
illogical changes. had rendered tn,
wires quite useless; and although I II,
needles sWavru cca>elrsslv back ward!
and forwards, they made no Sigi
which the wisdom of man could in
t"rprct. Seeing that my office wa,
likely to be Il sinccurc. drew IN,
chair to the stove, and taking dowl
Il book which | saw on the shelf
| tried 10 interest mysclfin the story
The volume which | had discovered
was Jane Eyre: and although sine,
that sine, have read. with tear
and laughter, ii and the works whicl
came from the same true and loving
pen. yet on that night the spell o
her who is SO powerful to awaker
our sympathy-who has given III
Black Rochester and the noble Shirley
and gentle Mary Home; who chroni
cled with no unkindly hand the vag
aries Of the three eccentric curatcs