Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1878-12-20
GIRL or NERVE.

in the "wee, sma' hours" one dreary
December night some three years ago.
MY name, then, is Olive Hudson, and
l was seventeen years old on that same
December night, and so very small that
Mrs. knights Dolly, who vas not
twelve, was half head taller than N.Y.
sell.
We were rich folks once, but father
died and left US very poor. Mother
struggled along in q 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, an aged father,
and two daughters. Alter mother died
was adopted by the Knights, and al
though was earning a support as music
teacher in the BaysVille Academy, was
like one of the family when was in my
good Iandlady's home. r-i
They were all in good positions, al
though by no means an aristocratic
family. John, the eldest son, was in
New York in wholesale sugar house /;
Tom was the night watchman of the
Baysville bank building, and grandpa
We all called him grandpa-was tele-
graph operator of the town; Mary was
a milliner, and Dolly still at school.
Baysville Bank building was a large
granite structure, containing the post
Office and bank on the first floor, tele-
graph cf1ce and number of private
law Offices on the second floor, and
other private Offices on the third floor.
In the basement were post-ofice rooms
for sorting the mail, and also the large
bank vaults.
knew the building well, for l was
fond of telegraphing, and spent half my
leisure time perched up beside grandpa
in his Office, sending and receiving mes
sages, while he slept peacefully, or read
the newspapers. And that was the be-
ginning of my amusement at Dryden,
The next station.
TIE operator at Dryden was a wit, and
flashed nonsense to our Office when bus
iness was dull. It fell fat when grand
pa was in the Office, but when was
there ! sent back Jest fer Jest. He
signed himself Lion, and ], for nonsense,
signed myself Elephant, laughing as l
did SO at the reflection of my tiny figure
in the Office mirror. r-l
Beyond Dryden, and only five miles
from Baysville, was C., Il large com
mercial town, the nearest railway sta
tion, and where an Office was always
open for the accommodation of trav-
elers.
As have said, Tom Knight was the
night Watchman of Baysville Bank
building. The bank closed at 8, and by
s every Office was deserted for the night.
At z 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 our house.
On the December night already mem
toned, it had stormed heavily all day,
and had taken new class at the aead-
emy, coming home later in the day than
usual. Everybody else had gone to bed,
fire with Mrs. Knight. The clock struck
l2, and Mrs. Knight said:
"Do call grandpa, Olive he's asleep
on the sofa in the sitting-room. III
have Toms basket ready by the time
grandpa has his hat and coat on"
"Let him Sleep" l said. 'I'll run
over with the basket 1t is not step"
"Well, If you will. Though / am afraid
Tom will scold at my letting you go. Go
in the basement door. He leaves that
open for grandpa"
/ hurried across the space between
the building and the house, and stole
softly in at the rear basement door, in
pursuance of my plan to drop the basket
and run. In my rubber shoes my steps
were noiseless, and l had scarcely passed
the Threshold when l stood rooted to
the floor in terrified amazement. Some
body was talking! ~,
While / listened, some one said:
There's confounded draft here. Did
you shut the door, Smith%"
"Yes, but the wind may have blown it
open." 5-a
had just time TO dart under the stair
case and crouch down when the door Of
the vault opened, and a man came out.
He crossed the entry, drew the two
heavy, noisy bolts, fastened the door by
which had entered, and returned with
out closing the vault door.
] could look in by the dim light to see
two men working at the locks by the
stream of light thrown from dark Ian
tern. There was the outline of a man
bound and gagged upon the floor, but
could only conjecture that it was Tom.
There was nicely Gagged, for it would
be impossible for me to drag those
heavy bolts without attracting notice.
Suddenly l remembered the telegraph
Office on the second floor. IF l could
summon help from C-l 1t was only
Eve miles, and there was a long JOB be-
fore the burglars before they could open
the safe. 2,
OsIld / creep around the staircase2
If one Of those busy men turned his
head was lost. softly crept out ON all
fours, slowly, watchfully, and gained tn,
stairs, up / darted, blessing my indiil
rubber shoes, till l gained the door of
the telegraph Office. All dark there,
and ] dared not strike match.
listened, and then groped my way 10
the well-known desk, and sent this mes
sage:
"Burglars in tile Baysville 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"
! crept to the head Of the staircase,
afraid the clear ring Of the instrument
bad been heard in the vault. The vim
dow of Il - telegraph Office faced tile
street, so ] returned bOltpd myself in