Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-06-12
Over the Wires.
BY S. ANNIE FROST.

First, | must tell you who | am, anC
how | came to be in the Baysville Bank in
the "wee sma' hours, one dreary Decem-
Der night, some three years ago.
My name, then, is Olive Hudson, and
was seventeen years old that same Decem.
Der night, and so very small, that Mrs.
Knights Dolly, who was twelve. was half
head taller than myself
We were rich folks once, but father died
and left us very Door. Mother struggled
poverty till | was sixteen, and died. She
had rented two rooms of Mrs. Knight, a
widow also, with two stalwart sons, an
aged father, and two daughters. After
mother died, | WAS adopted by the
Knights, and although l was earning a
support as music teacher in the Baysyille
Academy | was like one of the family,
when was in my good landladys's home.
They were all in good positions, although
by no means IN aristocratic family. John,
the eldest son, was in New York in a
wholesale sugar house; rom was the night
watchman of the Baysville Bank building,
and grandpa-we all called him grandpa
was telegraph operator of the town,
while Mary was milliner, and Dolly still
ut school.
Baysville Bank building was q large
granite structure, containing the post office
and bank on the first floor, the telegraph
office and II number of private law Offices
on the second floor. and other private
offices on the third floor. In the base
ment were post Office rooms for sorting
the mall and also the large bank vaults.
knew the blildng well, for was fond
of telegraphing. and spent half my leisure
time perched up beside grandpa in his Of
flee, sending and receiving messages,
while he slept peacefully or read the news.
papers.
And that was the beginning of my
at Dryden, the next station.
rhe operator at Dryden was wit, and
dashed nonsense to our office when bust
ness was dull. 1t fell flat when grandpa
was in the office, but if were there. sent
back jest tor jest, and sometimes an
hour slipped by like minute AS we talk
ed over the wires of every topic under the
sun. He called himself Lion, and |, for
signed myself Elephant, laugh
ing while did SO ut the reflection of my
tiny figure in the Office mirror.
Beyond Dryden, and only five miles
from Brysville. was C. large
town, the nearest railway sta
tion, and where in office was always open
for the accommodation of travellers.
As have said, Tom Knight was the
night watchman Of Baysvile Bank build
ing and II lonely time he had Of it. The
last mail came by stage ut four O'Clock in
he afternoon, and the post office was va
Gated at six. The bank closed at three.
md by six every office was deserted for
the night.
At seven Tom was on duty, and grand
labit of taking down some coffee and lln-
,heon, us the building WAS only Il stones |
hrow from our house.
On the December night l have already
mentioned, it had sormed heavily all dav,
md had taken new class at the Acad-
,my, coming home later in the day than
Usual, and excited over my increase of
salary.
Everybody else had gone to bed, and |
vas lingering over the kitchen fire with
Mrs. Knight, dreading the plunge into nv
;old room, where had allowed the fire to
70 out.
The clock struck twelve, and Mrs.
Knight, lifting her face from over the
ire, said:
" Do call grandpa, Olive; he's asleep
IN the sofa in the sitting room. I'll have
Toms basket ready by the time grandpa
las his coat and hat on. hate to call
lim. for he was complaining of rheuma-
ism to-day, and the ground is very wet.
the storm is over"
81 at him slpan ~ said IiII RIM o,-or ,
With the basket. II is not n step"