St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1875-05-14
TIE TELEGRAPH OPERATOR.

TIE TELEGRAPH OPERATOR
With that perversity for which rail
roads are famous. the line did not enter
the town. but passed along its outer
| most edge. among the farms and wood
| lands. This affected the lit, of the
| place curiously. AT one hour the station
WAS animated and throngcd with peo-
| pie; at another il WAS dull. quiet and
deserted 10y all save the Station master
and his daughter. She il WAS who
guarded the little telegraph office. re
cciNcd dn' sent the tclcgramS of the
| town. and did anything else that per
! tanned to her position. She had IL little
box of Il place portionrd of in one cor
ncr of the ladies waiting-roou, where
there wa> Il sunny window that looked
far up the liuc. and Il little opening
where she received the messages. She
viewed life through this Scant outlook.
and Thought 1t very queer. Were pe"-
! pie always IN Il state of excitement !!
| Did every body have trouble in the
family that drmau,lcd such hIclthlcS~.
| hcart-rcndlnT messages Was II in
every life to have these awful. sudden
things happen Life from her point of
view WAS more traT L. than joyful. and
she sometimes thought ii Il relief to
receive Il plo>y order to ''Tcll Jones
| bring back boots and have mower mend
ed. Sometimes between the trains the
station was quite deserted. aud We're it
NOT for the ticking of the clock. and the
inceSSant rattle of the trettul machine
on her desk. it would he as still as =
church on Monday. At first she anus
ed herself 10y listening to the strange
language of the wires. and she even
made the acquaintance of the other
operators. With one exception they
all failed 10 interest her. They were Il
frivolous set. and their chatter seemed
as empty as the rattle of u brass soundrr.
One girl she knew must hc Il lady. Her
>tN lc of touch. and the general mauncr
of her work. showed that plainly. aud
between the two Il friendship Sprau"
up. though they lived II hundred miles
apart, and had never met. Finally >lr'
took wisely to reading books. and the
Sounder chattclrd in vain. except on
business.
Then there WAS john She SAW him
for one hurried moment every day. and
the thinking of it filled many Il weary
hour. He WAS the engineer "t the cN
press. and stopped at the station every
afternoon at five and just before day
light every morning. She met him at
the watrr-tank by day, and 10y night
she awokr to hear his train thunder
through the valley. She heard it whistle
as II passed the grade crossing. u miic
up the line. and aS it pulled up at the
station. If the night was calm she
heard the faint rumble as il flew over
the rc>ounding iron bridge at the river
Then she slept again. He would soon
reach the city. and on the morrow she
| would see him again.
: The happy morrow alwas found hel
. at her post. busy and cheerful a. the
Z long day crcpt away. and the time drew
! near for his train. oh if her window
. only looked the other way, that SHE
+ might see No. 80 come round the curve
in the woods The station was always
2 full at that hour, and messages were
5 sure To come in just as she wanted t,
| close her little office and 90 ont to tn,
= water-tank. where John waited, oilel
1 in hand, to see her. Strange, that h,
l should always be oiling up just there.
This time she waited with calm fac.
5 and beating heart to see if any stupit
d passenger had forgotten anything tina
: lie must telegraph home. Fortunatel,
d none came. and as the engine role,
: past her window, she hastily put OF
t her pretty hat and ample cloak an,
z went out on the platform. a few quicl
Y steps, and she was beside the noble 80
Ii The fireman smiled grimy smile
If and. while he swung the waterpip'
e over the tender, he gave Il lively whistle
$ The engineer tipped up his oiler witt
81 Il sudden jerk, as if the pston-rod ha,
: quite enough, and then climed haStil.
Y into the cab. There she sat on tn
It tireman's perch. radiant, blushing an,
II winsome.
+. "She's beauty perfectly lovely
a and Westinghouse, too, tried t.
:. see you yesterday. aud aren't YOU yer
er proud of heI 2"
t. John thought he was rather proud q
e 50. She was perfect. Ran her on
Is hundred and fifty miles yesterday. ia
N the first time. The little electrical
Il was charmed. To think that job
Ie should he appointed master of the com
II panys new express engine. Dear tel
1t low. he had run that old I3. till sh
ct was ready to rattle to pieces. An
Is now, what il magnificent machine h
ID had beneath him
I'd And everything is so bright an
ld handsome. | know you're proud ,
Id her"
of John thought he was also proud {
ct somebody else. Then they smiled. an
It. the fireman whistled softly as lie pushe
'e back the water-spout. How brief th
I'd precious moments,
II. John pulled out a little blank boo
lis and began hastily to tell her about til
ly new prize the directors had offered t
ne the engineer who should travel 5OC
miles with the least expenditure of co;
at and oil. 1t would take about twenty