The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-06-26
" the stream of light thrown from q

and gagged upon the floor, but I could
only conjecture that it was Tom, for I
could not see distinctly. z -
There I was nicely Gagged, for it would
be impossible for me to draw those
heavy bolts without attracting notice.
And the bank being robbed, that
was evident. How could l prevent
it? I could not get out; [ could
not reach Tom. Suddenly I re-
remembered the telegraph Office on the
second floor. If I could summon help
from c., it was only five miles, and
there was a long job for the burglars
before they could open the safe.
Icould creep around the staircase
Ii one of those busy men turned his
head T vas lost. 7 crept softly. on all
tours, slowly, watchfully, and gained
the stairs. Up I darted, blessing my
India rubber shoes, till I gained the
door OF the telegraph Office. All WAS
dark there and I dared not strike q
match.
/ listened, and then leaving the door
open, CROPPED my way to the well-known
desk and gave the signal for O..
I could hear my heart throb as / waited
for the answer. 1t came! Still work.
ing in the dark, and sent this message:
""Burglars in the Baysville Bank
vault ! Watchman gagged and bound!
Can you send help?"' -g =
Again the agony of suspense mist
ening, but at last the sound reached me-:
"Will send help immediately"
I crept to the head of the staircase,
afraid the clear ring Of the instrument
had been heard in the vault, but no one
came up stairs. The windows of the
telegraph Office faced the street, so I
returned, Ebolted myself in safely and
sat down TO watch.
The town clock gave n resonant
stroke, breaking the deep silence, and
no signs of Life we're visible in the long
stretch Of road leading to c.. I was
numb with cold, wishing heartily that I
had not left Toms basket under the
staircase, thinking regretfully of my
own cozy bed, when I heard afar off the
sound of horses feet.
No sister Anne, in Bluebeard's tower,
was ever more watchful than I was then.
Would the burglars take the alarm?
The building made a corner of two
streets, and I saw eight mounted men
dash up the road, separate, and while
four dismounted in front, four went to
the cal
The burglars were unprepared for this
flank movement, for while the police in
front were laundering at the main en-
trance, the robbers rushed to the rear
basement door rightinto the arms of the
police stationed there.
T could hear the hubbub, pistol shots
fred the scuf1e of feet. cries, oaths,
and general confusion !; and I slipped
down stairs and out of the now deserted
main entrance and ran home.
Everybody was in bed, andI went to
my room and had a good crying spell,
and comforted my half frozen body in
double blankets, where l soon fell
asleep. -"
Ali this was on Friday night, and I
had no teaching to do until Monday, so
slept late, but coming down, I found all
the family prepared to make a heroine
of me.
81 never knew until mother told me
this morning" said Tom, that it wasn't
grandpa who sent the telegraph to
C.. By Jove, Olive, you're spunky,
if you are little.
81 gave up when four of them bounced
on me from n of the upper rooms.
They must have got in during the day
and hid there" "
tried to make the Knights promise
not to tell my adventure, but could not.
Before night all Baysville knew how
Olive Hudson caught the burglars. I
was in the Office with grandpa, when
over the wires came this message:
"What does Olive Hudson look like2
Everybody in Dryden is talking of her
great exploit"
I flashed back:
"What do you suppose such o woman
would look like?. She is nearly six feet
tall, broad-shouldered, and loud-voiced,
a perfect Elephant"
"Was it really yourself, Elephant"
"Dear Lien, it was" -
"Do.you know, I want to see you. I
am going to New York to-day, but I'll
be back next spring"
If he came to Baysville he did not see
me. I ran away in a fit of shyness.
In March a wonderful thing happen
ed. My mothers brother, who had been
seventeen years-nearly all my lifetime
in Cuba, came out to New York, found
me out, and took me into a life Of ease
and luxury, making me pet in his splen.
did house. He was q bachelor, over
fifty years of age, handsome and well
informed, and with large wealth.
He introduced me to old friends of
his, and my circle of acquaintance
widened every day. I was entirely hap
py, for we loved each other well.
One day Uncle George brought home
to dinner a stranger, who he introduced
as:
"The son Of my old friend, Olive,
MI. Roberts"
I made myself agreeable, as. in duty
bound, to Mr.. Roberts, a man of thirty
or thereabouts, with a face that was
downright ugly, but pleasant from the
expression of frank good humor and in
telligence upon it. We talked of every
thing, and I vas surprised at the con-
genialityo Of taste we soon discovered. In
an animated discussion Of heroines, MI.
Roberts, turning to Uncle George, said:
"You we're kindly inquiring this
morning about my fortune, since father
died, but I did not tell you one little
episode Before I was fortunate enough
to obtain my present lucrative situation,
I was for a time telegraph operator in a
small place called Dryden, and then I
heard of a real heroine, of whom the
world will probably never hear"
: knew what was coming, but kept
my face perfectly composed to listen.
When the story was finished, giving
Uncle George a sly pinch to keep him
quiet, T said: =
"What kind of a looking person was
the wonderful heroine? ?"
"Inever saw her, for although Bays
vile was the next village to Dryden, I
never went there. Butshe WAS described
to me as tall, strong and masculine"
"In short, mydear Lion, II said grave
ly, she was,a perfect Elephant"
Such a stare as greeted me I am GER
tain never came upon Leo Roberts face
before or since that hour. His eyes
dilated till I thought they would pop
out of his dear, ugly face, and his mouth
opened in utter amazcment. Finally
he remembered his manners, and
gasped:
"Pardon me, Twas it really you?"
HUncle George" said Hwill Won