Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1884-09-13
FROSTBURG MD. SEPTEMBER Ii, 1884.

he laid his hand significantly on his
belt. I'll fetch it in ter-morrer if
it's convenient" .r.
fastened to say that the charge
could be paid just as we'll at the
other end by his friend.
"Umph! Plaguey little you'll git
o Jim. Howsumdever, perceed." ~
"What is this message, and to whom
is it to go?"
81 want you to tell Jim Fellers, of
Cohoe, that the bull quit here las
night, and ther sheep'll be close on
his heels"
AS he delivered this sentence he
looked at me as if he expected me to
be mystifed.: But l thought it best
not to appear so, and l said careless
ly:
81 suppose you are dealer in
stock and this is your partner? All,
sir, the telegraph helps you fellows
out of many d sharp bargain"
:'Ya'as," he answered slowly, evi.
IDENTIFY pleased with the way l took it.
"Ya'as, them's um. I'm sending
down lot o stock. Bought it
cheap over in Genessee yesterday.
Purity lot as you ever seed"
| turned to my instrument. What
was to be done? Though ours was
railroad Office, we often sent bust
ness messages; and if l did as usual
now | should probably get rid of my
unwelcome visitor without further
trouble. But in the short conversa-
ton with him | had somewhat re-
covered from my first alarm, and 1
now conceived the idea of attempt
ing the capture of Tim Lynch.
| was poor salaried operator, try
ing to save enough to marry in the
spring. Five hundred dollars would
do me great deal of good just now,
to say nothing of the eclot of the
thing. But how was 1t to be accom-
plished? Here / was alone in the
depot with man big enough to whip
his weight in such little men as I was
several times over. Any attempt to
secure him single handed was not to
be thought of. But could I not excuse
myself, and, going out; fasten him
in? No; we'll knew from the dis
trustful look in his face that any pro-
posal of mine to leave the room
would be peremptorily objected to by
him. What then?
Why simply this. l would tele-
graph to the downtown station.
But alas. That very day the con-
nection between the two offices had
been cut for repairs. 1t was seldom
used at any time of course? But
what OF that. 1t was only a question
of a few seconds more time.
All these thoughts went through
my head with the rapidity of light
ming as | went to the battery. Lynch
regarded me from the corner of his
uncovered eye with suspicion that
made me shake in my shoes. AS |
sat down he arose and came to my
side.
"Look a-here, young felIer," he
hissed in my ear, and his breath was
sickening with the fumes of liquor,
'p'raps you mean fair enutf-I
hope ye do for yer own sake. But |
don't understand nothin' bout them
tellygrams, and I jest want ter tell ye
that yer'd better be squar-fur, ef
you go back on me, I'll stretch you
on this yere floor as stiff as ever | did
a man ylt!" and felt The cold muz-
zle of his revolver ON my cheek.
Perhaps my voice trembled little,
but | was still unmoved in my res
olution as | replied:
"Never fear, sir; I'll tell him all
about the stock" He muttered
something to himself and still re-
manned standing over me.
You have heard perhaps how much
character and expression telegraph
operator can put into his touch.
Why, there were dozens of different
operators communicating with our
Office, and | could tell at the instant
without ever making a mistake, who
it was signaling. You could tell if
man was nervous from his tele-
graphing, just as we'll as you could
by his handwriting. The call that I
sent hurrying across the State to
Council Bluffs, must have rung out
upon the ears of the operator like a
shrek.
~