Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1875-12-23

her first gray hairs. Would they notice
her signal at the office in the great city so
many miles off, or would they be too
busy with listening to the messages from
more important stations and would her
petition for help be audible? Would they
be able to signal along the line Of her own
town, where she knew that the telegraph
office was open all night, and have a mes
senger sent to the railway station in time
TO stop that train which was travel
ing swiftly along the line to sure
destruction, bearing that President whose
whole fortune was in the line,
and without whom the whole thing
would go up?" Would Christmas be a
day of sorrow to the loving hearts which
were waiting for the many men and women
on that train, or would it be made a day of
thanksgiving for danger escaped? Again
and again she made her signal slowly and
clearly, and at last The answer came, evil
IDENTITY given by an operator with plenty OF
time, and some surprised ill-humor;
"What on earth do you want"'
Back went the answer Stop the ex-
press train on the Southern Road. Plot TO
Kill the President"
The answer was prompt: " Send a mes
sage off Immediately" Ten minutes ait
er came another message Have re-
ceived telegram from Creysville. Man
gone down to the station. Train Will be
stopped. Tell us about it,"
But the telegraph operator at the cen
trail station was racked with the pangs of
curiosity for hours, tor Miss Fairbanks
tainted, and Johnny did not know the tel
egraphic alphabet, and was slightly afraid
of the apparatus, having vague ideas as TO
its capabilities OF "going Off" and when
she recovered the oil in the lamp was ex-
hausted, and she did not care to try 10
signal in the dark, and was too nervous
to do so intelligibly, even if she had
tried
At last, at Johnny's suggestion, she
gathered together her scattering faculties,
and the two walked slowly up the road.
clambered over the pile, which might
have been so fatal but for them, and went
on toward the station. Suddenly, to their
intense horror, they saw the headlight of
an engine approaching them. Had their
labor been in vainy Miss Fairbanks
screamed as Johnny shouted, and the en-
CINE, which was moving very slowly and
TO which no train was attached, stopped
almost Immediately, and half dozen men
came toward them.
johnny told the story, and Miss Fair
banks stood and listened, and everybody
shook hands with her, and she found that
she was heroine, and also that the Presi-
dent and his son We're in the party to which
she was talking, and she also learned that
gratitude could be oppressive; and then
they all got on the engine and steamed
down to the obstacle and inspected it, and
then Miss Fairbanks was sent back to her
own town on the engine, with man who
carried an order from the President for
immediate dispatch of instruction
train and gang of men. She went home
and went to bed, and her family physician
says to this day that if she hadn't been Il
disgrace to her sex she would have had u
brain fever, instead OF which she was up and
ready TO receive the President and his son
when they called upon her in the evening.
And that's all about her Christmas Eve
seven years ago." said LeEox, ascending
the door-steps of his boarding-h house.
Is that really all?" ! asked.
ooh, you want to know what came Of
it?" asked LenoX, with provoking smile.
Well, she married the Presidents SON
He's my cousin, and that's why | know
the story SO well. Good night"