Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1881-03-30
BY TELEGRAM.

was appointed telegraph operator
ut the town of Denvers some iiv
years ago while ] was waiting tor
law suit to 10 decided which woul'
leave mo absolute penniless or give m
a clear five thousand year from uncl
Randolph's estate,
My only near relative was Aunt Nh
iccnt, who lived at Denvers, and sh,
cordially invited me to makche hous'
my home until ! knew whether ] wa
to bo able to support II home of m
own or not,
Hostiablc rs the invitation was, i
troubled mo to bring the burden o
my support upon Aunt Mlliceut'
slender purse, and ! resolved TO flint
some occupation that would give m
food at least. Telcgraphing was th'
one avenue opened TO me, for my dea'
father had followed that business 70
thirteen years, and | had been hi
willing clerk and assistant. Often ant
often when the war tidings kept tn
wires clicking day and night, I ha'
taken my post at tn" desk and allow
ed father hours Of sleep. Girl rs
was-for was but seventeen when h
dicd-h. know that ho could trns
me.
Then came two years OF idleness
as Uncle Randolph's heiress and pet
ted niece; and again death tore ava,
my protector, and my inheritance wa
involved in a lawsuit. 1t was there
fore miracle of good luck when
arrived ia Danvers to find there was
a telegraph operator needed immedi
ately, as advertised in the Denver
Gazette, and / lost NO time in apply
ing for the place. The company wa
speedily satisfied as tony qualification
for the post, and l spent nine hours {
day in the Office, being relieved a
night by the former operator by day
who gladly accepted the increase o
pay for night work.
So it was one day in July when tn
flies droned about nv dull little office
as there had been no call for m.
professional energies for about a week
I was aroused into life by q summons
for attention to Cincinnati, and which
gravely demanded if we were all dea'
at Denvers, and informed me that tn
"ellow" at the otherend of the wir
would perish it something excltlng o''
not arrive his way before long.
With a mischlevous delight in mys
tifying him, I answered a
mother feller" and described the ut
ter stagnation then rejgniug at Den
yers. Back came half-burlesqu
description OF Cincinnati in July, ant
SO we commenced our correspondence
Throughout the summer and fall m.
Cincinnati friend, who signed himsel
sDamon" seemed to spend all his leis
urc time dashing nonsense to me acros
the wire, and under the signature o
"Pythias." answered him in kind. Bu
there grew to be strange faclnatlol
for me in the communications OF thl'
unknown Damon, and we conversed
as friend, making the wires carry serl
GUS controversy to and fro, discussing
our favorite authors, oar opinions up
on politics, our theories upon many
topics, sometimes even our religious
views.
Witty and grave by turns-now sar
castle, now doleful, now merry, noV
philosophical Damon was delightful il
every turn and twist his mind threw
across the wires; and never had my
brain been aroused to keeDcr activity
my ideas spurred on more swiftly thar
when Damon flashed his "Pythias,
are you therel into my office.
All through the winter this was my
recreation, my mental feast. Damon
hours seemed to be from 3 to IS; TO
at no other time did he ever sumno nj
me or answer my call.
But in the spring, when May was