The Van Buren press., 1878-07-02

One Telegraph ONCE Oh the second 1oor
If could summon help from C.
it was only five miles, and there was
long job for the burglars before they
could open the safe.
| could creep around the staircase
If one of those busy men turned his
head was lost. crept softly on all
fours, slowly, watchfuIly, and gained
the stairs. Up darted, blessing my
India rubber shoes, till gained the
door Of the telegraph Office All was
dark there and ! dared not strike a
match
l listened, and then leaving the door
open, groped my way to the welknown
desk and gave the signal for C.
! could hear my heart throb as l waited
for the answer. 1t came! Still work
ing in the dark, and sent this message:
Burg lars in the Baysville Bank vault
Watchman gagged and bound Can you
send helpf'
Again the agony OF suspense in list
enng, but at last the sound leched me
"Will send help Immediately"
| crept 10 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 |
returned, bolted myself in safely end sat
down to watch.
The town clock gave one resonant
stroke. breaking the deeep silence, and
no signs of life were visible in the long
ctrotrh pf rpnl laodtru n 80,
numb with cold, wishing heartily that |
had not left Toms basket under the
staircase, thinking regretfully of my own
cozy bed, when heard alar off the sound
of horses feet.
No sister Anne, in Bluebeard's tower
was ever more wutchful than | was then
Would the burglars take the alarm?
The building made corner of two
streets, and saw eight mounted men
dash up the road, separate, and while
four dismounted in front, four went to
the rear.
The burglars were unprepared for this
flank movement, for while the police in
the front were laundering at the main en-
trance, the robbers rushed to the rear
police stationed there
! could hear the hubbub, pistol shots
fred the scuflle of feet. cries, oaths, and
general confusion, and slipped down
stairs and out of the now deserted main
entrance and ran home.
Everybody was in bed, and l went to
my room and had good crying spell,
and comforted mys half frozen body in
double blankets, where soon fell to
sleep.
All this was on Friday night, and |
had no teaching to do until Monday, so
slept late, but coming down, found all
the family prepared to make heroine
of me.
:" | 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 pounced
on me from one 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. |
was in the Office with grandpa, when over
the wires came this message:
"What does Olive Hudson look like
Everybody in Dryden is talking of her
great exploit"
! flashed back
"What do you suppose snch a woman
would look like? She is nearly six feet
tall broad shouldered, and loud voiced,
a perfect Elephant"
"Was it really yourself, Elephant"
"Dear Lion, it was.'
{" Do you know, 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. ran away in a fit of shyness.
In March wonderful thing happen.
ed, My mothers brother, who had been
seventeen years-nearly all my lifetime
in Cuba, came out to Now York, found
me out, and took me into life of ease
and luxury, making me pet in his splen-
did house. He was a bachelor, over fifty
years OF age, handsome and well inform
ed, and with large wealth.
He introduced me to old friends of
his, and my circle Of acquaintance widen
ed every day. was entirely happy, for
we loved each other we'll
Onc day Uncle George brought home
to dinner a stranger, who he introduced
as:
I" The son of my old friend, Olive, Mr..
Roberts"
made myself agreerble, as in duty
bound to Mr. Roberts, a man of thirty
or Whereabouts, with face that was
ugly, but pleasant from the ex
preston of frank good humor and intel
ligeuce uponit We talked of everything,
aud | was surprised at the congenialty
of taste we soon discovered. In an ami.
mated discussion of heroines, Mr., Roberts
turning to Uncle George, said
You were kindly inquiring this morn
ing about my fortune'since father died, but
did not tell you one little episode. Be-
fore | was fortunate enough to obtain my
present lucurative situation, ] was for q
time telegraph operator in small place
called Dryden, and then heard OF q real
heroine, of whom the world will proba-
bly, never hear
| knew what was coming, but kept my
face perfectly composed to listen. When
the story was ended, giving Uncle George