The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1884-02-15
A TELEGRAPHER'S TALE.

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"And must you really go away and
remain all night in that nasty old box
Of yours, and leave your Little Rose
bud to imagine all sorts of horrid
things happening to her poor old boy?
Couldn't you stay at home just for
this one night?"
Couldn't possibly do it, my love-
said /, struggling into my overcoat.
My wife fingered by theporch, follow
ing me with her eyes and so long as
the house was in sight 1 could, on look
ing back, see her white dress in the
light which streamed through the open
door.
At the time of which I write I was
Telegraph Superintendent on a line of
railway. One of the clerks who was
on night duty had been taken suddenly
ill, and 1 had taken his work myself
until such time as he should recover.
had only been married few months,
and was by no means reconciled to
leaving my wife to pass the night in
that nasty old box" as Mag called it.
But it was necessity, and no grumb-
ing of mine could mend the matter.
A drive of about eight miles brought
me to my post; but on that night my
mind was filled with vague indefna-
BILE fears, for which l tried in vain to
account. The night was clear and
windlsss and away in the northwestern
sky the aurora borealis was fitting to
and fro in thousand strange fantas-
tic shapes.
On entering the telegraph station,
the clerk whom l had come to relieve
was ready to go.
"You won't have much work to-
night" said he. The instruments are
unworkable; no signals have been re-
ceived for the last three hours. Good
night"
When l was left alone l found that
it was as he had said. drew my chair
to the stove. and, taking down book
which I saw on a shelf, tried to in
terest myself in the story; but it had
no power to quiet my wild, wandering
thoughts. While 1 was turning list
lessly over the leaves the stiffness was
startled by the sharp, quick changing
of the electric bell, the usual signal to
prepare to read off message. With
shiver of alarm turned quickly to
the instrument; but soon perceived that
the bell had been rung by no earthly
power, for the vibrating needles made
no ineligible sign, and l knew that
the sound had been produced by cur
rent of atmospheric electricity acting
upon the wires. Smiling at the ner-
vousness which caused me to start,
turned from the desk and again sat
down by the fire.
But smile as I would, and reason as
I might, l felt I was succumbing to
vague feelings Thinking the atmos
phere of the room, close and hot, might
have something to do with my pecu-
liar condition of mind, 1 flung open
the door and, stepped outside in hope
that the cool air might scare away the
phantoms Of my brain. As crossed
the threshold the midnight express
crashed past with speed and force
which shook every timber of the build
ing, and uttering loud shrek, disap-
peared into the tunnel at the summit
Of which my station was placed. When
1t had gone there was stiffness, still
ness broken only by the signing of the
air passing along-the wires. heard even
in the calmest of nights. From that
my mind reverted to the earnestness
with which my wife had asked me tc
remain at home that night, and hel
manner when she bade me goodbye
What could be the meaning of it all
But l resolved to stay where was
and get through the night as best
could. "If this goes on" said l to my
self; as / turned inside again, ant
poked up the Goals with more nois,
than was necessary-"if this goes OF
much longer 1 shall have to consult /,
doctor, that's plain" 1 filled my pip,
and lit it, but the weed had lost it
tranquilizing power. Again the bel
rang sharply; but, as before, no intelli
gible sign was made by the needles
1 leaned my elbows on the desk, ant
with my head between my hand
watched their unending motions. Al
hour might have passed thus, whel