The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1878-01-18

there, and dared not strike a match.
| listened, and then, leaving the door
open, groped my way to the we'll known
desk, and gave the signal at c.. l
could hear my own heart throb as /
waited for an answer. 1t came, Sill
working in the dark,I sent this message:
Burglars IN the BaysviIle bank vault,
Watchman gagged and bound, Can you
send help"
| Again the agony of suspense in listen
ing, but at last the sound reached me:
"Will send help Immediately"
1 crept to 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 re
turned, bolted myself in safely and sat
down to watch.
| The town-clock gave one resonant
stroke, breaking the deep silence, and
no signs of life were visible on the long
stretch of road leading to c.. / was
numb with cold, wishing heartily that
had not left Toms basket under the
staircase, thinking regretfully ofmy own
cosy bed, when heard aflr off the sound
of horses feet.
| No sister Annie, in Bluebeard's tower
was ever more watchful than was then.
Would the burglars take the alarm?
The building made a 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 we're unprepared for
this flank movementfor while the police
in front we're laundering at the main
entrance, the robbers rushed to the rear
basement door, right into the arms Of
the police stationed there,
could hear the hubbub, pistol shots
fired, the scuffie of feet, cries, oaths and
general confusion, and / slipped down
stairs, out of the now deserted main en-
trance, and ran home.
Everybody was abed, and l went to
my own room, had good crying spell,
and comforted my half frozen body in
blankets, where / soon fell asleep.
All this was on Friday night, and j
had no teaching to do until Monday, 80
/ slept late; but, coming down, found all
the family prepared to make heroine
of me.
Il never knew until mother told me
this morning" said Tom, "that it wasn't
grandpa who sent the telegram to c.
By Jove, Olive, You are spunky, if you
are little. gave up when four Of them
pounced on me from one of the upper
rooms. They must haye got in through
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. l
was in the Office with grandpa, when
oyer the wires came this message:
@What does Olive Hudson look like?
Everybody in Dryden is talking about
her great exploit"
l flashed back:
What do you suppose such woman
would look like? She is nearly six feet,
broad-shouldered and loud-voiced-
perfect elephant"
Was it really yourself, Elephant"
sDear Lion, it really was"
"Do you know, want to see you.
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 fit of shyness.
In March wonderful thing happened.
Ny mothers brother, who had been
seventeen years, nearly all my lifetime,
in Cuba, came out to New York, found
me out, and took me into a life Of ease
and luxury, making me his pet in his
splendid house. He wasa bachelor, over
fifty years of age, handsome and wellin-
formed, and with large wealth.
He introduced me to old friends of
his own, and my circle of acquaintance
widened very day. l was entirely hap
py, for we loved each other well
One day Uncle George brought home
to dine, stranger whom he introduced
as:
"The son of an old friend, Olive, Mr..
Roberts" =
I made myself agreeable. as in duty
bound, to Mr.. Roberts, man of 80, or
lhereabouts, with face that was down
right ugly, but pleasant from the express
sion of frank good humor and intelli
gence upon it. We talked ofeyerything,
and was surprised at the congeniality
of taste we soon discovered. In an AMI
mated discussion Of heroines, Mr.. Rob
erts, turning to Uncle George, said:
"You we're kindly inquiring this
morning about my fortune since
f.,her died. but did not.tell you one
little episode. Before 1 was. fortunate
enough to obtain my present lucrative
situation, I was, for a time, telegraph
operator in a small place called Dryden,
and then | heard Of real heroine, Of
whom the world will probably never
hear"
knew what was coming, but ] kept
my face perfectly composed to listen
When the story was finished, giving Tn
Gle George sly pinch to keep him quiet
/ said
What kind of looking person was
the wonderful heroine?"
Il never saw her; for although Bays
vile was the next village to Dryden,
never went there. But she was describ-
ed to me az tall, strong and masculine" !"
AIN short, my dear Lion," / said
grayely, @she was a perfect Elephant
Such stare as greets me / am certain
never came upon Leo Roberts face be
fore or since that hour. His eyes dilated
till l thought they would pop out of bis
dear, ugly face, and his mouth opened in
utter anazement. Finally he remem-
bered his manners, and gasped:
Pardon me, Twas it really your
Uncle George, said, @will you please
introduce me properly TO Mr. Roberts,
l believe he thinks your niece must
share your namen