The Louisiana cotton-boll. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], Attakapas, La.) 1872-1883, 1878-07-25
" OVER THE WIRES"

First, [ must tell you who am, and
how came to be in the Baysville bank
in the "wee sma' hours" one dreary De
cember night, some three years ago.
My name was then Olive Hudson, aud
l was seventeen years old that same De-
ceuIber night, ami SO small that Mrs.
Knights Dolly, who was not twelve
years old, was half a head taller than
myself
We were rich folks once, but father
died ard left US very poor. Mother
struggled along in weary hand-to-hand
fight with poverty till l was sixteen.
and then died. She had rented two
rooms OF Mrs. Knight, widow, also, with
two stalwart sons, one sged father, and
two daughters. After mother died was
adopted by the Knights, and, although
| was earning a support as music teacher
in the Btysville academy 7 was like one
of the family when l WIS in my coed
lsndlady's home.
They were all in good positions, but by
no means an aristocratic family. John,
the eldest SOD, was in New York in a
wholesale sugar house; Tom was the
night watchman OF the Baysvil'e bank
building, and grandpa-we all call him
grandpa-was telegraph operator of the
town, while Mary was a milliner, and
Dolly stayed at the Office, sending and
receiving messages,
Baysville bank building was large
granite structure, containing the post
Office and the bank on the first floor, the
telegraph office and number of private
law Offices on the stcond floor, anu oUller
private offices on the third floor. In
the basement were post,ofice rooms, for
sorting the mail, and also the large bank
vault, .....
| knew the building well, for was
fond Of telt ltgraphing, and spent half my
leisure time psrched up beside grandpa,
while he slept peacefully or read the
newspapers.
And that was the beginpi g of my
amusement at Dryden, the next station
The operator at Dryden was a wit, and
flashed norsense at our office when bust
ness was dull. II fell fl f4t when grandpa
was in the office, but if l were there
sent back jest for jest, and sometimes an
hour slipped by like minute as we
talked over the wires of every topic
under the sun. He called himself "Li9n,"
and l, for nonsense, signed myself E'e-
phant," laughing a. | did SO at the
reflection of my tiny fuge. in the Office
mirror,
Beyond Dryden, and only FIVE miles
from Baysville, was c., large COM
mercial town, the nearest railway station,
and where an Office was always open for
the accommodation 0: travellers.
AS have said, Tom Knight was the
night watchman Of the Baysville bank
building, and lonely time he hai of it.
The last mail came by stage at four
o'clock in the afternoon, and the post
Office was vacated at six. The bank
closed at three, and by ak O'Clock every
office was deserted for the night.
At seven Tom was on duty, and grand
pa, who was restless at night, was in the
habit of taking down some coffee and
luncheon, IS the building was only a
stones throw ffom the house.
On the December night have already
mentioned, it had stormed heavily aH
day, and ! had taken 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
I was lingering over the kitchen fire
with Mrs, Knight, dreadiug the plunge
iuto my cold room, where had allowed
the fire to go cut.
The clock struck twelve, and Mrs.
Knight, lifting her faco from over the
fire, said
.'Da call grandpa, Olive; hes asleep
on the sofa in the sitting room. III have
Toms basket ready by the time grandpa
has his hat and coat on. I hate to cali
him, for he was complaining of rheuma
tisn, ell day, and the ground is very wet,
the storm il over"
s'Let him sleep" said "1'll run over
with the basket. Il is but step"
tBut it is 50 dark; are yeu not afraid
"Not a Bit; Tllstip on my waterproof
and rubheFs and draw the hood Of my
cloak over my head"
"Weil, if you will, though am afraid
Tom will sculd at my lettisg you CO.
''fn put down the basket and run,
aud he will never know who left il.
go to the rear basement door; hd
leaves that open for grandpa "
81 know"
grasped the handleof tha basket, and
hurried scross the spaca between the
building end the house, sud stole softlg
10 At the hassmsnt door, III pursuance Of
nv plan 70 drop the blsket aud ron.
In my rubber shoes my steps were
and ! had scarcely passed the