Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1878-07-18
TIE HERALD


years ago.
My name was then Olive Hudson,
and | was seventeen years old that
same December night, and so small
that Mrs. Knights Dolly, who was
not twelve wears old. was half head
taller than myself.
We were rich folks once. but father
died and left US very poor. Mother
struggled along in weary hand-to-
hand fight with poverty till was six
teen, and then died. She had rented
two rooms of Mrs. Knight, widow,
also, with two stalwart sons, one
aged father, and two daughters. At
ter mother died was adopted by the
knights. and, although / was earning
support as music teacher in the Bays
vile Academy, was like one of the
family when / was in my good land
lady's home.
They were all in good positions, but
by no means an aristooratic family.
John, the eldest son, was in New
York in wholesale sugar house !;
Tom was the night Waterman of the
Baysville Bank building, and grand
pave all call him grandpa-was
telegraph operator of the town, while
Mary was milliner, and Dolly staid
at the Office, sending and receiving
messages.
Baysville Bank building was q
large granite structure, containing
the postoffice aud bank on the irst
floor, the telegraph Office and num-
Der of private law offices on the Sec
ond floor, and other private offices on
the third floor. In the basement
we're postoffice rooms, for sorting the
mail, and also the large bank vault.
l knew the building well for / was
fond Of telegraphing, and spent half
my leisure time perched up beside
grandpa, while he slept peacefully or
read the newspapers.
And that was the beginning of my
amusement at Dryden, the next sta
ton. The operator at Dryden was a
wit, and flashed nonsense at our of.
fee when business was dull. 1t fell
fiat when grandpa was in the office,
but il | were there sent back Jest
for jest, and sometimes an hour went
by like a minute as we talked over
the wires OF every topic under the
sun. He called himself Lion and /,
for nonsense, signed Myself 'Ele
phant,' laughing as | did so at the
reflection of my tiny fingers in the Of
| fee mirror.
Beyond Dryden, and only FIVE
miles from Baysville, Was c., a
large commercial town, the nearest
railway station, where an Office was
always open for the accommodation
of travellers.
AS l said, Tom Knight was the
night Waterman of the Baysville
Bank building, and a lonely time he
had of it. The last mail came by
stage at four o'clock in the afternoon,
and the postoffice was vacated at six.
The bank closed at three, and by six
o'clock every office was deserted for
the night.
At seven Tom was on duty, and
grandpa, who was restless at night,
was in the habit of taking down some
coffee and luncheon, as the building
was only stones throw from the
house.
On the December night l have al
ready mentioned, it had stormed
heavily all day, and / had taken a
new class at the Academy, coming
home later in the day than usual, and
excited over my increase in salary.
Everybody else had gone to bed,
and was lingering over the kitchen
fire with Mrs. Knight, dreading the
plunge into the cold room, where l
had allowed the fire to 60 out.
The clock struck twelve, and Mrs.
Knight lifted her face from over the
fire, and said:
DO call grandpa, Olive he's
asleep on the sofa in the sitting room.
I'll have Toms basket ready by the
time grandpa has his hat and coat on.
| hate to call him, for he was com.
planning of rheumatism all day, and
the ground is very wet, although the
storm is over
Let him Sleep l said I'll run
over with the basket. 1t is but
STEP
But it is so dark; are you not
afraid 2
Not bit; I'll slip on my water
proof and rubbers and draw the hood
of my cloak over my head
well, if you will, though l am
afraid Tom will scold at my letting
you go.
I'll put down the basket and run,
and he will never know who left it,
go to the rear basement door; he
leaves that open for grandpa
Il know
/ grasped the handle Of the basket,
and hurried across the space between
the building and the house, and stole
softly in at the basement door, in
pursuance of my plan to drop the
basket aud run.
In my rubber shoes my steps were
noiseless, and l had scarcely passed
the threshold when / stood rooted to
the floor in terrible amazement.
Somebody was talking.
/ crept forward and listened. There
was a man in the vault, and light
shone under the door.
While listened, some one said
"There is confounded draft here
did you shut the door, Smith ?"
"Yes; but the wind might have
blown it open."
had just time 10 dart under the
staircase and crouch down, when the
door of the vault opened and man
came out.
He crossed the entry, drew two
heavy, noisy bolts, fastened the door
by which l had entered, aud returned
without closing the vault door.
/ could look in by the dim light
and see two men working at the safe
locks by the stream of light thrown
from dark lantern.
There was the outline of a man
bound and gagged upon the floor,
but could only conjecture that it