Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-05-15
NO. 20.

rid twilight, except when fierce flashes Of
| lightning illumined the two scared faces and
blinded the girls eyes for the moment. Be-
tween two appalling claps of thunder, Flor
ence asked, nesting mp to Lefty
'Is there hope that he will get there in
timer
Lefty hesitated to give hope and as she
paused in her answer she heard the three
dots that formed the 'call' signal for the
Smyrna station sharply clicked out on the
sounder Of her instrument "S, IS, =" "S,"
was repeated in the teleRraphic language
with rapidity, the signals then running off
into a meaningless medley, as IL the ghost of
some crazy operator was manipulating the
key Lefty started 10 her feet The chat
tering ceased then went on again more
wildly than before. The elements themselves
we're operating her instrument. fantastically
choosing for their first experiment the signal
of her own station, whose peculiar sound
had at once attracted her attention
Thank GOd!" calculated Lefty.
Here was indeed relief literally from above.
The power of which Sammy had ignorantly
deprived the wires WAS supplied by the
lightning flashing through the stormy air.
Lefty hastily Joined the circuit aud called
FlsIborough. The lightning did its work,
and the answer came. BY the clock at Smyr-
ma station, the train driven by Lstty's lover
and carrying the lover Of Florence must at
that moment have drawn up by tho platform
at Flaxborough.
Hold the express !" were the words that
Letty's trembling fingers sent humming on
the wings Of the storm. They we're repeated
back by the operator at Flaxborough.
Landslide near" thus the girl was con-
tinuing the message on which 40 many lives
depended, when, just as safety was assured,
the elements asserted their power as master
in the place OF servant. A swiftly moving
fiery mass seemed to glide along the wire
leading to Letty's instrument nOiselessly
fused ihs points Of the key under her very
hand, and stretched her in a limp heap on
| the floor.
Florence Van Amden, who, though dazed
by the phenomenon and trembling, sprsng to
| the girls side, dragged her unconscious body
| out, az we'll a. she might, to the larger room,
and opened on it the door which let in the
cool, damp torrent Of air, oomprehonded it
only as an accident. She understood nothing
Of the terrible nature of the power which
Lefty had for brief moment compelled to
| her service, and much less did she realize
that the little blonde fragile telegraph opera
tor had seated herself at the instrument with
a full knowledge of the risk she ran in tam
| pering with the wild elemental force.
So quickly bad it all passed, and without
| explanation, that even then she did not know
that her lover. and probably many lives be-
sides his, we're saved by the quick wit and the
unhesitsting heroism of Lefty Brooks.
This all came to her later. Lefty lay as il
dead for long hours. Tom Porter was seated
with Florence by his side when she swoke at
| last to bewildered consciousness. II that
gay young gentleman had at any time in
dulged in a complacent suspicion that his fas-
cinations had touched the village girls heart,
he was undeceived by her first words.
Where is he where have they taken him
OH oh !"
Hush, my dear; he is safe " answered the
| doctor, at a venture with professional readi-
ness.
IF you mean Billy Johnson" spoke up
| Sammy, who seemed to read his sisters
| thoughts with the wonderful perspicacity of
youth, hes with his engine at Flexbo-
rough, whore you stopped him. 50 you'd
better be patient, sis"
"Ah" sighed Lefty, feebly, while two
tears showed themselves on a happy face.
| She had recovered her memory with her life
When the newspapers from the large towns
at either end of the line reached Smyrna the
next day, there was no thrilling account of
an escape from great accident on the road
| These things are managed better. There
was in each brief mention of the detention
of the express for fe hours in consequence
of an obstruction on the track, which was
promptly removed, the admirable system of
| trhln uesphtculuB nhNlhB enholeu lne eIlcleul
superintendent to prevent any great delay to
| travel
But even this unpretentious item of news
was probably read by greater number than
the announcements appeared in the
usual form Just two months later of the
marriage of Thomas Porter and Florence
Van Amden, and William Johnson and Letitia
Brooks, both of which events, it appears,
| took place upon the same day, with an inter
| oh of ind ND eYif
of which the public, judging only from the
differences in station of the two couples,
could, of course, have no knowledge. -HGr-
per's Weekly.