Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1884-02-27
A Telegra9hers' 0 Tale.

bud 10 imagine all SORTS oil horrld
things happening to her poor old boy !?
Couldn't you stay at home just tor this
one nghtf'
Couldn't possibly do it. my love,
said l, struggling into my overcoat'
Nv wiie fingered by the porch. iol-
low ing me with her eyes and 30 long
as Il house was in sight | could, on
lot king back, see her while dress in
The light which streamed through the
open door.
At the time Of which write l was
Tele egrsph Superintendent on line oi
railway. One of the clerks who was
on night duty had been taken suddenly
Ill, aud l bad taken his work myself
until such time as be should recover. l
had only been married few months,
nd was BY no means reconciled to
eavlug MY wife TO pass the night in
that mas ty old box, as Msg called it,.
But 1t was a necessity, and no grumb-
ling Of mine could mend the matter.
A drive Of about eight miles brought
me 10 my post but on that night nv
mind was filed with vague lndehnable
fears, for which l trIed IN vain TO &C
connt. The night was clear and wind
less and away in the northwestern sky
The aurora boreals was fitting TO and
fro in a thousand strange fantastic
shapes.
On entering The telegraph station,
the clerk whom l had come TO relieve
was ready TO 60. -.
You won't Lave much work TO-
night said be. The instru nents are
unworkable D.; no signals have been re
ceived for the last three hours. Good
night.
When was left alone found that
it wa. as be bad said. / drew my chair
to the stove, and, taking down a book
which l saw on a shelf, l lried TO in
terest myself 10 the story but /! had
no power to quiet my wild, wondering
thoughts, While l was turning list
lessly over the leaves the stiffness was
startled by the sharp, quick changing OF
the electric bell, the usual signal to pre-
pare to read of a message. With q
shver Of alarm / turned quickly 10 the
instrument; but soon perceived that
tho bell had been rung by no earthly
power, for the vibrating needles made
no intelligible sign, and l knew that
the sound had been produced by a cur
rent of atmospheric electricity actin
upon the wires. Smiling al the ner-
vou.ness which caused me to start,
turned from the desk and again sal
down by the fire.
But smile as 1 would, and reason as
I might, felt l was succumb bing to
vague feelings. Thinking the atmos-
phere of The room, close and hot, might
ha We something to do with my peculiar
condition of mind, flung open the
door and, stepped outside 10 hope that
the cool air might scare away the
2hantoms Of nv brain. AS l crossed
the threshold the midnight express
crashed past with a speed and force
which shook every timber Of the build
ing, and utterlDg loud shrek, disap-
peared into The tunnel at the summit oI
which my station was placed. When
it had gone there was stiffness, still
ness broken only by the sighing OF the
air passing along.the wires. heard even
10 the calmest Of nights. From that
my miud reverted TO the earnestness
with which nv wife had asked me tc
remain at home that night, aud her
manner when she bade me goodbye
What could be the meaning OF it all
But resolved to stay where was
and get through the night as bess
could. this goes on said 10 my
self; as l turned inside again, aDC
roked up The Goals with more noise
than was necessary If this goes oil
much longer shall have to consult a
doctor, that's plain l filled my pipe
and lit 1t, but the weed had lost iti
trapquilizing power. Agaiu the bel
rang sharply ; but, as before, no lntelli
pible sign was made By the needles.
leaned my elbows on the desk, an'
with my head between my hand
watched their unending motions. Al
hour might have passed thus, wheI
once more was startled by the CLAN
of the bell. This time it was loude
aud more urgent, and, IL seemed to ne
with a peculiar, unearthly sound, sue
as if had never heard before. II seem
ed as if there mingled with the metalli
RUG the tone of human volce-tht
voice of one l knew. The needles,
now observed, began 10 make sign
which | understood and slowly, as
some novice were working the instru
lment, the letters. &C m e. were sig
nailed. No sooner bad l read off th,
| final 'e' than, 10 my amazement, an
terror, saw distinctly the handle
my instrument, although l was no
touching it at the time, as If grasped b.
some Invisible hand, moved rapidly an
make the signal, Understood whlcl
the receiver Of message transmits a
the end of every word.
A cold thrill ran through me. fel
as If every drop of blood were lea iini
ny heart. And now could perceiv
that another word was being slowl'
spell. out. But 80 terrified was l tha
failed 10 catch the signs. Again M
handle moved, and this time made ih
signal Not Understood With Al
overwhelming feeling OF ave, watcbe