The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1875-03-27
'what is the message, and to WHOM

NnaC is Lne message, anu 10 WHOM
Is it to go?'
Il want you to tell Jim Fellers, of Co.
hoe, that the bull quit here las night,
an ther sheep'll be close on his heels.
AS he delivered this sentence he look
ed at me as IL he expected me to be
mysti6ed. But thought 1t best not to
appear so, and / said carelesslyj
4 suppose you are dealer in stock
and this is your partner? All, sir, the
telegraph helps you fellows out of many
sharp bargain
'Ya'as.' he answered slowly, eviden-
tly pleased with the way I took it.
'Ya'as, that's 'um. I'm sendin' down
a lot % stock. Bought it. dog cheap
over in Genesee. Yesterday. Purity lot
as ever you see.'
turned to my instrument. What
was to be done7 Though ours was a
railroad olfice, We often sent business
messages; and If did as usual now |
should probably get rid of my unwel"
come visitor without further trouble
But in the short conversation with him
had somewhat recovered from my
first alarm, and l now conceived the
idea of attempting to capture Tim
Lynch.
/ was only poor salaried operator,
trying to save enough to marty in
spring. Five hundred dollars would do
me great deal of. good just now-to
say nothing of the eclat Of the thing.
But how. was it to be accomplished?
Here 1 was alone in the depot with a
man big enough to whip his weight in
such little men as I was several times
over. ANY attempt to secure him sin.
gle handed was not to be thought of
But could not excuse myself, and 60
ing out fasten him in7 No; we'll knew
from the distrustfu look in his face thai
any proposal of mine would be per.
emptorily objected to by him. What
then2
Why, simply this. 1 would telegraph
to the downtown station. But alas
That very day the connection between
the two Off ces had been cut for repairs
1t was seldom used at any time Of
course. But what of that? 1t wa:
only a qucstion.of few seconds more
time.
ali these thoughts went through my
mind with the rapidity of tightening a
/ went to the battery. Lynch regarded
me from the corner of his uncovered
eye with a suspicion that made me
shake in my shoes. As sat down he
arose and came to my side.
Look here, young feiler, he hisset
in my ear, and his breath was sicken
ing with the fumes of liquor, perhaps
you mean fair enOugh-I hope We do
for ser own sake. But / don't under
stand nothing bout them tellygrams,
and l jist want ter tell ye that you't
better be squar'-for by the Eterna
Godl eff you go back on me, l'll stretch
you on this yer floor as stiff as did any
man yltr and felt the cold muzzle O
his revolver on my neck. Perhaps my
voice trembled little, but was still
unmoved in my resolution, as replied
Never fear, sir; "I'll tell him al
about the stock He muttered some
thing to himself, and still remained
standing over me.
YoI have heard perhaps how mucl
chara cter and expression a telegra ri
operator can put into his touch. Why
there were dozens of different opera
tors communicating with our Office, ,an(
| could tell at the instant, without eve
making mistake, who 1t was signal
ing. You could tell II man was ner
pous from his telegraphing just as wei
IS you could from his hand writing
The call that sent hurrying across th
State to Council Bluffs, must hav
rung out upon the ears of the operate
like shrek.
&C. b. Are you there?' was what
asked, and almost instantly came bacl
reply in the affirmative. Then witt
trembling hand, 1 ratified OF my mes
sage; 'Forthe love of God, telegraph t.
our down town Office at once. Tel
them that Tim Lynch is within tw'
feet of me, and they must send help.
A short pause, as though my mes
sage occasioned some surprise. and thel
came the response; AN rightP whicl
assured me need not repeat.
'Wal,' growled the deep voice o
! Lynch, ARE you going to send my mes
sage?'
| 4 have sent 1t, SIR
What Does all that hckln' meal
what told your