Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-07-10
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 December
night, some three years ago.
My name, then, is Olive Hudson, and
was seventeen years old that same Decem-
Der night, and so very small that Mrs.
Knights Dolly, who was twelve, was half
a head taller than myself.
We were rich folks once, but father died
and left us very poor Mother struggled
along in weary hand-to-hand fight with
poverty till was sixteen, and died. She
had rented two rooms Of Mrs. Knight, a
widow also, with two stalwart sons, an aged
father and two daughters. After mother
died, was adopted by the knights, and
although | was earning support as music
teacher in the Baysville Academy, | was
like one of the family, when was in my
good landladys home.
They were all in good positions, although
by no means an aristocratic family. John,
the eldest son, was in New York in a
wholesale sugar house; Tom was the night
watchman Of the Baysville Bank building,
and grandpa we all called him grandpa
was telegraph operator of the town, while
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, the telegraph
office and a number OF private law offices on
the second floor, and other private offices
on the third floor. In the basement were
post office rooms for sorting the mail, and
also the large bank vaults.
knew the building well, for was fond
of telegraphing, and spent half my leisure
time perched up beside grandpa in his office,
sending and receiving messages, while he
slept peacefully or read the newspapers.
And that was the beginning of my amuse-
ment at Dryden, the next station. The op-
orator at Dryden was a wit, and flashed non
sense to our office when business was dull.
1t fell flat when grandpa was in the office,
but if were there sent back jest for Jest,
and sometimes an hour slipped by like a
minute as we talked over the wires of every
topic under the sun. He called himself
| Lion, and /, for nonsense, signed myself
Elephant laughing while did so at the re
Election of my tiny figure in the office mirror
Beyond Dryden, and only five miles from
Baysville, was c., large commercial
| town, the nearest railway station and where
an office was always open for the accommo
dation of travellers.
| AS have said, Tom knight was the nigh
watchman of Baysville Bank building, ant
lonely time he had of it. The last mai
came by stage at four o'clock in the after
noon, and the post-ofice was vacated at six
The bank closed at three, and by six every
office was deserted for the night
At seven Tom was on duty, and grandpa
who was restless at night, was in the habi
of taking down some coffee and luncheon, a
the building was only stones throw from
our house.
On the December night l have alread,
mentioned, it had stormed heavily all day
and had taken new class at the academy
coming home later in the day than usual
and excited over my increase Of salary.
Everybody else had gone to bed, and
was lingering over the kitchen fire witt
Mrs. Knight, dreading to plunge into m
cold room, where had allowed the fire b
60 out.
The clock struck twelve, and Mrs. Knight
lifting her face from over the fire, said
"Do call grandpa, Olive he's asleep o
the sofa in the sitting-room. I'll hav
Toms basket ready by the time grandp
has his coat and hat on. hate to call hin
for he was complaining of rheumatism tt
day and the ground is very wet, althoug
the storm is over"
Let him sleep" l said; "I'll run owe
with the basket"
"But it is so dark tonight. Are 20
not afraid ?"
"Not bit. I'll slip on my waterproof
and rubbers, and draw the hood OF the cloa
over my head"
"Well, if you will. Though am afrai
Tom will scold me for letting you 60"
"Tll put the basket on the table and rul
and he will never know who left it."
"Go into the rear basement door. II
, leaves that open for grandpa"
al know"
!. grasped the handle of the basket, hu
, ried across the space between the buildin
and the house, and stole softly in at IL
,, rear basement door, in pursuance Of N
! plan to drop the basket and run.
, In my rubber shoes my steps were nois
less, and had scarcely passed the thres
; old when stood rooted to the floor in tern
q fed aInazement.
! Somebody was talking
! | crept forward and listened. The
were men in the bank vault, and lig
I shone under the door.
y While listened, some one said
"There's q" confounded draught her
4 Did you shut the door, Smith ?"
"Yes, but the wind may have blown
open"
| had Just time to dart under the sta
case and crouch down, when the door
" the vault opened, and a man came out.
O He crossed the entry, drew the two heay
Is noisy bolts, fastening the door by which
d had entered and returned without closil
a the vault door.
"a | could look in by the dim light to S
| x.,nrlyinfr at tha aafa 1naEa hu 4
a stream of light thrown from dark lantei
m There was the outline of man bound al
"a gagged upon the floor, but could only &C
~ lecture it was Tom, for could not see d
4. tinctly.
10 There was nicely Gagged, for it would
ID impossible for me to draw those heavy DO
ar without attracting notice. And the ba
lv was being robbed, that was evident. H'
IL could prevent it 2 could not get out
4 could not reach Tom. Suddenly RENE
-'s bered the telegraph office on the second flo
ia II could summon help from c.. 1t "
only FIVE miles, and there was a long job
the burglars before they could open the sa
Could creep around the staircase 7
one Of those busy men turned his head
a was lost. l softly orept out on all fou
ur slowly, watchfully, and gained the stai
I'd Up darted, blessing my India rubber sho
at tin gained the door Of the telegraph Off
en- All dark there, and | dared not strike
m match.
at listened, and then leaving the door op
us grouped my way to the well-known de-
IN and gave the signal at c.. / could b,
le. INV own heart-throbs as l waited for
ID answer. 1t came Still working in
an dark, sent this message
ng "Burglars in the Baysyille Bank vau