The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-08-25
EClOSo tho Circuit"

A telegraph operator IN Chicago recently
SAID about the strangest thing remember
was when was working nights at little
81 1ation on the Chicago, Burlington and
Quincy Road. The wire was pretty busy,
for 1t was bad, sleety night, and the
trains all got of their time and had to get
orders from the train dispatcher at almost
every station. Atabout one O'Clock IN the
morning the line was opcned-that is. the
circuit was broxen--for little while, and
then heard the word "Help" come over
tie line several times. The dispatcher be-
came very angry aud when the line closed
al instant he would make figure 8,
which means for eVeryb ody TO close the
circuit and keep off the line. That word
help came dozen times or so, and then
the line was lett open. Somehow | was
awfuly frightened. | could feel chills
running down my back, and felt as if
there was something standing right Behind
me. We all had to switch Our instru-
ments to another wire and finish up the
work that needed to he done at once.
Then we set about locating the break by
means OF our ground wires. While this
was gong Oh became very nervous and
was sure something terrible had happened;
and that same feeling that something was
L
to look. Then the door rightsbch,nd me
opened, and the day operator stood a mo-
ment and said Help IN strange, weird
kind Of voice, and went away with not
another word, closing the door as he went.
| was so frightened l did not follow at
once, but when ! went ont Frank-Frank
Jefferson was his namc-was nowhere to
be seen. felt strange. kind Of bewtl-
dcrcd, as ii it was half dream and half real.
When went back III the office the dis
patcher had located the break between my
tffice and the next one east, absut six
miles away. In those days the operators
i were all supplied with climbers, and had
| to 90 ont and repair lines under such cir.
| cunlstanCes, but wouldn't have gone out
over the line that night for tho whole rail
road l was ordered to go east until I
met the operator who would go out from
the next staten, but l didn't do 1t.
said l would, and then l lay down on
my lounge and waited for something to
turn up; and l knew 1t would be some
thing terrible. | thought of Frank 3
strange way OF coming 10 the door and
saying 'lielp' IN 30 agonizing tone,
anti then going away and not coming back,
and came to the conclusion there had
been smash. up and Frank had run off to
it. But if had known ought to 20 /
couldn't have done ii, for l was as weak
[ as cat.
In about half an hour the line was
closed, and III another half hour d mas.
sage vas received from the next station
saying the break was at bridge between
our stations, andr that Frank Jefferson lay
there with both legs cut off, dead, and
with one end of the broken wire In his
hand. We atterward learned that Franl,
had been over to the next town to Il dance,
and was coming home on freight when
he fell of unseen on the bridge and was
run over. Then, with his little ramainiug
life, he crewled to the edge Of the bridge,
wtere the telegraph wire was strung,
and breaking the wire telegraphed the
word Help that we heard by touching
the ends together. If you can tell how
it was | saw Frank in the door way at tho
time lie lay there dead, or dying, you cal
90 more than l hope ever TO do. Any
way, shall always think he died at JUS
the minute 1 saw HIM in the doorway;
and, moreover, ! shall always think there
Is something true behind some of tn.
ghost stories.