The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-08-21
.ClOBe tho Ciroult,o

A telegraph operator III Chicago recently
SAID about the strangcst thing remember
was when was working nights at q little
station on the Chicago, Burlington and
Quincy Road. The wire was pretty busy,
for 1t was bad, slcety night, and the
trains all got of their time and had to get
orders from the train dispatcher at almost
every station. At about one o'clock III the
morning the line was opencd-that is, the
circuit was brokcn-for a little while, and
then heard the word "Iiclp" come over
tie line several times. The dispatcher be-
came very angry and when the line closed
an instant ho would make figure 8,
which means for everyb ouy to close the
circuit and keep off the limo. That word
help came dozen times or so, aud then
fthe Alae.. was LETT open. Somehow l was
awfpl!y frightened i coulds feel chills
runnihg down my back, and felt as If
there was something standing right behind
| me. We all haG to switch our iDstru-
| mcnts to another wire aud finish up the
work that needed to be done at once.
Then we set about locating the break by
means OF our ground wires. While this
Was gong on became very nervous and
was sure something terrible had happened:
and that same feeling that something was
behind me grew until was almost afraid
to look. Then the door right behind me
opened, and the day operator stood a mo-
mcnt and said Help IN a strange, weird
KIND OF voice, and went away with not
another word, closing the door as he went.
was 30 frightened l did not follow ut
once, but when went ont Frank-trank
Jefferson was his namc-was nowhere to
De seen. felt strange, kind Of bewil-
uered, as If it was half dream m | half real.
|
patchcr had located the break between nv
OH >e and the next one cast, about six
miles away. In those days the operators
were all supplied with climbers, and had
to go out and repair lines under such cir
cumstanccs, but | wouldn't have gone out
over the line that night for The whole rail.
road was ordered to 90 east until /
met the operator who would 20 out from
the next STATEN, but | uldn't tio It. /
SAID 1 would, and then | lay down on
my lounge and waited for something To
turn M; and | knew 1t would be some
lining terrible. thought OF Franks
strange way OF coming to tha dior and
saying 'liclp III 80 ag0niZng a tone,
and then going away and not coming back,
ana came To the conclusion there had
been smash up and Frank had run off to
1t. Bnt il had known ought to 20
couldn't have done it, for was as weak
as 4 Cat.
In about half an hour the line was
closed, and IN another half hour a mas
sage vas received from the next station
slyIng the break was ut bridge between
our stations, and that Frank Jefferson Law
there with both legs cut of, dead, anu
with one end Of the broken wire In his
hand. We afleswHrd learned that Frank
lld been over To the next town to u dance,
and was coming home on Il freight when
nc fell OH unaech on the bridge and was
run over. Tllen, with his lrLc Mmaiuing
life, he crWwlcd to the edge Of the bridge,
wtere the telegraph wire was strung,
and hrcak.ng the wire tcegraphch the
word 'llelp, that We heard by touching
The ends together. If yon Gun tell how
it was | saw Frank in the doorway at the
lime lie lay there dead, or dying, Won cnn
do more than | hope ever To do. Any
way, shall always think he dic, at inst
the minute saw hun in the doorway;
and, moreover, ! shall always think there
is something true behind some of the
ghost stories.