Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1878-03-28
Over the Wires.

some three years ago.
NV name then Is Olive Hudson, and l
was seventeen years old. On that same De-
cember night. and so very small that Mrs.
Knights Dolly. who was not twelve, was
half head taller than myself.
We were rich folks once. but father died
and left us verv poor. Mother struggled
on In weary hand to hand fight with pow
erty till I was sixteen. and died. She had
rented two rooms OF Mrs. Knight. widow
also, with two stalwart sons, an aged father
and two daughters. After mother died I
was adopted by the Knights. and. although
| was earning a support as music teacher
IN the Baysville Academy. was like one
Of the family when was in my good land
lady's home.
They were all In good positions although
by no means an aristocratic family. John.
the oldest son. was in New York. In q
wholesale sugar house; Tom was the night
watchman OF the Baysville bank building,
and grandpa-we all call him grandpa
was telegraph operator Of the town; Mary
was milliner. and Dolly still at school.
Baysville bank building was large
granite structure containing the Postof}ice
and bank on the first floor. the telegraph
Office and a number Of private law Offices
on the second floor. and other private off,
FfS on tue 'illFl IpbI. III the bHsstutbl
were postoflice rooms for sorting the mail,
and also the large bank vaults. knew the
building we'll. for was fond of telegraph
ing and spent halt my leisure time perched
up beside grandpa in his office. sending
and receiving messages while he slept
peacefully or read the newspaper.
And that was the beginning Of my amnse-
ment at DRYDEN, the next station. The
operator at DRYDEN was q wit. and flashed
nonsence to our office when business was
dull. II fell fiat when grandpa was In the
office. but IL | was there I sent back Jest
for lest, and sometimes an hour slipped by
like a minute as talked over the wires o!
every topic under the sun. He called him.
self Lion. and l. for nonsense. signed my
self Elephant. laughing as did so at the
reflection Of my tiny fingers In the office
mirror.
Beyond Dryden, and only five miles from
Baysvile, was C, large commercial
town. the nearest railway station, and
where an Office was always open for the
accommodation OF travellers.
As | have said. Tom Knight was the
night wstchman OF Baysville bank build
ing, and lonely time he had Of it. The
last mail came by stage at four O'Clock la
the afternoon, and the Postofflce was va
Gated at six. The bank closed at three and
by six every office was deserted for the
night.
Al seven Tom was on duty, and grandpa
who was restless at night. was in the habit
OF taking some coffee and luncheon. as the
building was only stones throw from
our house.
On the December night | have already
mentioned II had stormed heavily all day
and had taken new class at the acsd
emy. coming home later in the day than
usual and excited over my increase OF sal
arv.
Everybody else had gone to bed, and
was lingering over the kitchen fire with
Mrs. Knight. dreading the plunge into my
cold room where | had allowed the ire t.
go oft
The clock struck twelve, and Mrs
Knight, lifting her face from over the fire
said:
''Do call grandpa. Olive; he is asleep OF
the sofa In the sitting room. I'll have
Toms basket ready by the time grandps
has his hat and coat on. hate to call him
for he was complaining OF rheumatism to
day. and the ground is very wet, although
the storm is over"
Let him sleep" said. I'm run over
with the basket. 1t Is but step"
''But il Is so dark. Aren't you afraidT
Not hit. I'll slip on my waterproof
and rubbers and draw the hood Of my
cloak over my head"
We'll. II YOU will. Though | am afraid
Tom will scold IT nv letting you GO"
III put the basket on the table and run
and he will never know who left It.
$50 Ia the rear basement door. He
leaves that open for grandpa"
II know"
grasped the handle of the basket, hur
ried across the space between the building
| aud the house, and stole softly in at the
rear basement door. in pursuance or my
plan to drop the basket and run.
In the rubber shoes my steps were noise,
less, and had scarcely passed the thresh'
old when | stood routed to the floor In ter
rifed amazement.
Somebody was talking,
crept forward and listened. There were
men in the bank vault, and glimmer o.
| light shone under the door.
While listened, some one said
There's confounded draught here
! Did you shut the door"
"Yes, but the wind may have blown Il
| open
! had just time to dart under the stair
| ease and crouch down. when the do n
the vault opened, and a man came on.
He crossed the entry, drew the heavy
noisy bolt fastening the door by which
had entered, and returned without closing
| the vault door.
could look in BY the dim light to see
| two men working at the safe locks, by tht
| stream of light thrown from dark-lsntern
There was the outline of q man bounc
| and gagged upon the hoor, but could only
| conjecture il was Tom, for | could not see
| distinctly.
There was nicely Gagged. for 1t would
be impossible for me to draw those heavy
bolts without attracting notice. And the
! bank was being robbed. that was evident
How could prevent Il? | could not ge
out could not reach Tom. Suddenly
remembered the telegraph office on thu
second floor. II could summon help frsu
| c.. II was only tive miles. and there
was a long job for the burglars before they
| could open the safe.
| Could creep around the staircase? i
one Of those busy men turned his head
| was lost. | softly crept out on all-fonrs,
slowly. wstchfuliy, and gained the stairs
| Up darted. blessing my India rubber
| shoes, till reached the door OF the tele
graph office All dark there, but dared
rot strike match.
| listened, and then. leaving the dool
| open CROPPED my way to the well known
desk and gave the signal to c.. l cOulC
hear my own heart throb as waited fol
an answer II came! Still working in the
dark. sent this message:
Burglars In the Baysville Bank vault
Watchman gagged and bound! Can yor
send help?"
| Again the agony of suspense in listening
but at last the sound reached me:
will send help Immediately"
| crept to the head of the staircase, afraid
| the clear ring of the instrument had beer
heard IN the vault; but no one came NJ
stairs The window Of the telegraph offic,
! faced the street, so returned. bolted my
self in safely and sat down to watch.
| The town clock gave one resonan
stroke. breaking the deep silence, and M
signs of life were visible on the long stretcl
| of road leading to c.. WAS numb will
the cold. heartily wishing that had no
| lett Toms basket under the staircase
| thinking regretfully of my own coy bed
when | heard afar off. the sound Of horses
| feet.
| No Sister Annie, in Blue Boards tower
was ever more watchful than was then
| Would the burglars take the alarm?