Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-06-12
CHRISTIE'S TELEGRAPHING,

CHRISTIE'S TELEGRAPHING.
| am very glad that telephones have
been invented; and yet | am glad they
were not sooner invented. L should
like to tell you the reason. That will
lake some time, for it is quite q story:
We live in the country, at Oakbrook,
and my father is the Treasurer and
Superintendent Of the OakbrOok mills.
Our house, very pleasant country
house it ISIS situated on q beautifully
wooded slope close to the river, and is
quarter Of mile from the mills.
That is why a telegraph wire was placed
between the two.
I promised father when it was putup
that | would learn to send messages
over it. There was no one else in the
family who could have learned. Both
my brothers were at boarding school,
and mother would as soon have thought
of studying the Chinese language as
tClegraphy.
Father declared that I never would
learn. Girls had but little patience for
such things, he said. Nevertheless,
the wire was put up and connected with
4 battery in the library, and in just
four months time | had mastered the
alphabet and technicalities of the in
strument SO that | could use it readily
and was able to read the messages by
ear.
1t was Harry Randall who taught
me. He was one of the clerks at the
office, and he had learned to use the
instrument, because it was necessary
TO have somebody to send messages by
the wire that ran from the mills to the
adjacent City of Palmer.
Having explained SO much, think l
have said all that is necessary to en-
able you to understand what occurred
on certain February night, about
which | am going to tell you.
We were through supper. and were
sitting together, father, mother and /,
around the table in the library, when
Joseph, our coachman, and man-of-all
work about the place, brought in the
mail as usual.
Father eagerly took q letter that
seemed TO have been expected, from
the other letters. | noticed disturbed
expression upon his face as he read it;
and | was more anxious than surprised
when he arose and went to the hall
door and called TO the girl who was in
1he din,Eg-rOom.
MARY, said he, tell Joseph to har-
ness Prince at once. | must get to the
junction in time for the s o'clock eX-
press. He'll have to finish his supper
when he gets back"
Then he turned and said that letter
contained intelligence that made it
necessary that he should go to New
York that night. OF course rs the
wife and daughter of 4 business man,
we knew what it meant, and that there
was not word of remonstrance to be
said. So mother went to make for him
what preparation was needful, and /
should have followed her u moment
&ater, but father called me back.
Christie" he said, rather soberly,
Il am going to tell you something that
no one knows anything about save
Harry Randall. | have quite large
sum of money-oYer $2,000-in my
pocket" He touched his breast with
his finger Il never keep large
amounts of money by me, but in this
case il was unavoidable. and thought
[ should feel less anxious to have it
the safe at the office [ cannot, of
course, take it TO New York, so [ want
you TO take charge of it and keep it till
tomorrow morning, and then carry it
to Randall for him to deposit in the
bank Don't say anything to your
mother about it. She is so timid and
nervous that she would not sleep Il
wink all night if she knew so large a
sum was in the house. Do you under
Stand?'
With no slight feeling of response
bility took the leathern pOcket-book
which he handed me and placed it in
the pocket of my dress.
Father went on: Perhaps you had
better put it under your pillow. OF
course it is fire that | am most anxious
about. There is no danger of the
money in any other way. Not 4 soul
knows it.
Then he went into the hall and came
very Unexpectedly upon Joseph, for l
heard him speak somewhat sharply to
him because ne had not gone 10 the
stable, and declaring that his business
was of more Importance than his sup
per. [ heard Joseph mutter something
about taking time to finish his meal
Ten minutes later, as father was go
ing down the steps to get into the car
riage, he turned back TO me, and hold
inc his umbrella so mother should not
hear, he whispered:
give been thinking, Christie, that
young Randall had better come and
sleep at the house. l shall feel easier
about you. He is to be there at work
70 nioht until very late