Thomas County cat., 1885-06-04

and blinded the girls eyes for the moment.
Florence asked, nesting up to Lefty:
''Is there hope that he will get there in
time."
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 ths
sounder of her instrument, "S," "S - ''S;T'
was repeated in the telegraphic language
with rapidity, the signals then running of
into meaningless medley as if the ghost
OF some crazy operator was manipulating
the key. Lefty started to her feet The
chattering ceased; then went ON again
more wildly than before. The elements
themselves were operating her instrument,
Enthusiastically choosing for their first ex-
pertinent 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 sup
piled by the lightning flashing through the
stormy air.
Lefty hastily joined the circuit and called
Marlborough. The lightning did its work,
and the answer came. By the clock at
Smyrna station, the train driven by Let
ty's lover and carrying the lover of Flor
by the platform at marlborough.
''Hold the express" were the words that
Letty's trembling fingers sent humming
on the very wings of the storm. They
were repeated back by the operator at
Marlborough.
continuing the message on which so many
lives depended, when, just, as safety was
assured, the elements asserted their power
as master in the place of servant. A swift
ly moving fiery mass seemed to glide along
the wire leading to Letty's instrument,
noiselessly fused the points of the key un.
der her very hand, and stretched her in q
limp heap on the floor.
Florence Van Amden, who, though dazed
by the ph enomenon and trembling, sprang
to the girls side, dragged her unconscious
body out, as well as she might, to the
larger room, and opened on it the door
which let in the cool, damp torrent of air,
understood nothing of the terrible nature
of the power which Lefty had for a brief
moment compelled to her service, and much
less did she realize that the little blonde
fragile telegraph operator had settled her.
self at the instrument with full knowl-
edge OF the risk she ran in tampering with
the wild elemental force.
So quickly had it all passed, and without
explanation, that even then she did. not
know that her lover, and probably MANY
lveS besides his, were saved by the quick
wit and the unhesitating heroism of Lefty
Brooks.
This all came to her later. Lefty lay as
II dead for long hours. Tom Porter was
seated with Florence by his side when she
awoke at last to bewildered conscious
ness. If that gay young gentleman had
at any time INDUCED in a complacent sus-
picion that his fascinations had touched
the village girls heart, he was undeceived
by her first words.
"Where is he! where have thew taken
him. o! OH"
"Hush, my dear; he is safe," answered
the doctor, at venture, with professional
readiness.
"1f you mean Billy Johnson spoke up
Sammy, who seemed to read his sisters
thoughts with the wonderful perspicacity
OF youth, "he's with his engine at Flaxbor-
ough, where you stopped him. So 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 thrill
ing account OF an escape from great ac-
cident on the road. These things are man.
aged better. There was in each a brief
mention of the detention of the express for
n lew hOurs IN consequence of an ObStruc-
tion on the track, which was promptly re-
moved, the admirable system of train
dispatching having enabled the efficient
superintendent to prevent any great delay
to travel.
Bat even this unpretentious item of news
was probably read by a greater number
than the announcements-which appeared
in the usual form just two months later
of the marriage of Thomas Porter and
Florence Van Amden, and William John
son and Letitia Brooks, both of which
events, it appears, took place upon the
same day, with an interchange of kindly
wishes and wedding gifts, of which the
public, judging only from the differences
in station of the two couples, could of
course, have no knowledge.-Frederick
Tryoa, in Harper's Weekly.