Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-01-21
THE TELEGRAPHIC SIGNAL.

THE TELEGRAPHIC SIGNAL.
John Mills, the hero of this sketch,
was railroad engineer, and had been
Tor long time in the company's en-
ploy. When the new engine $50" was
completed apd placed on the road John
was given charge of it. and he evinced
a natural pride in his preferment. Al
one of the stations there was a Young
girl, a telegraph operator, between whom
and the engineer there had sprung up a
mutual attachment, and whenever ..59''
came along. Kate generally managed to
be at the door and exchange signals
with her lover. One day the train was
detained at the station, and the locomo-
tive detached and sent up the road. to
do some additional work, and Kate went
along for ride. As she listened to the
sharp, shrill notes of the whistle. il
occurred to her that she might teach
John to sound her name in the Morse
Geographic characters, so that she could
distinguish his signal from that of the
other engines, whenever his train APP
preached. The plan worked to a charm,
and far and near the whistle shrieked
Katie. until one day, rs the operator
stepped upon the platform, she over
heard a conversation between two young
men, and learned that they understood
the signal, and Were laughingly wonder
ing who Kate could be- Their means
OF communication having been dis
covered they were obliged to discontinue
It. In the meantime, Kate had, by
means of the telegraph, made the ac-
quaintance of a young lady, an operator
in distant city, but whom she had
never seen, and to her she made known
the fact that the secret had been dis
covered Then her friend suggested a
plan as brilliant as it was ingenious. 1t
was simply to arrange a means of tele-
graphic communication between the APP
preaching train and the station. so as TO
ring a bell hidden away in the closet of
Rates office, engine 49, being the
only one provided with the means of
completing the circuit, which was done
by laying the poker upon the tender
brake SO as to touch the wire in passing.
Kate found an opportunity to acquaint
John with the proposed plan. and in the
meantime had found an abandoned
wire which ran for a long distance close
by the track, and which she proposed to
use for carrying out her purpose.
Thanksgiving day came soon after, and
John fortunately having a holiday, he
and Kate went bravely to work, and be-
fore the day had ended the task was
completed, and proved complete sue
cess. The dramatic finale Of their love
episode is told in following sketch:-
Itwas very singular how absent-minded
and inattentive the operator was on the
day that the great scientific enterprise
was finished. No wonder she was dis
turbcd. Would the new line work?
Would her little battery be strong
enough for such great circuit? Would
John be able to close it? The people
began to assemble for the train. The
clock pointed to the hour for its arrival.
Suddenly, with startling distinctness,
the bell rang clear and loud in the echo
ing room. With Il cry of delight she
put on her dainty hat and ran in haste
out upon the platform. The whistle
broke loud and clear on the cool, crisp
air, and 49, appeared round the curve
in the woods. The splendid monster
slid swiftly up to her feet and paused.
Perfect, John! Perfect! 1t works to
a charm
With spring she reached the cab and
sat down on the fireman's seat.
Blessed if could tell what he was
going to do" said the fireman. "He
told me about it. Awful bright idea!
You see, he laid the poker on the tender
brake there, and it hit the tree slam,
and saw the wires touch. 1t was Just
prime"
But the happy moments sped, and
$50 groaned and slowly departed,
while Kate stood on the platform. her
face wreathed in smiles and white
steam.
So the lovers met each day, and none
knew how she was made aware of his
approach with such absolute certainty.
Science applied to love, or rather love
applied to science, can move the world.
Two whole weeks passed. and then
there suddenly arrived at the station,
late one evening, a special, with the
directors car attached. The honorable
directors were hungry-they always are
and would pause on their journey and
take cup of tea and bit of supper.
The honorables and their wives and
children filled the station, and the place
put on quite gala aspect. As for Kate,
she demurely sat in her den, book in
hand, and over its unread pages adj
mired the gay party in the brightly
lighted waiting-room.
Suddenly with furious rattle, her cleo
trio bell sprang into life. Every spark
of color left her face, and her book fell
with n dull slam to the floor. What
was il? What did it mean? Who rang
it? With affrighted face she burst from
her office and brushed through the as
tonished people and out upon the snow.
covered platform. There stood the
directors train upon the track of the
oncoming engine.
The conductor. Where is he? Oh,
sir! Start! Start Get to the siding
The express, The express is comingr'
With cry she snatched n lantern
from brakeman's hand, and in &
flash was gone They saw her light
pitching and dancing through the dark
ness and they were lost in wonder anC
amazement. The girl is crazy! NJ
train is due nowl There can be nc
| danger She must be
All. that horrible whistle Such {
| wild shrek ON winters night! The
men sprang to the train, the womer
and children fled in frantic terror il
every direction.
Run for your lives" screamed thu
conductor There's a smash-up com
ing!"
A short, sharp scream from tn
whistle The headlight cleaned on thu
snow-covered track. and there was
mad rush of sliding wheels and tn
! gigantic engine roared like a demon
| The great .59" slowly drew near ant
stopped in the woods. A hundred head
looked out. and stalwart figure leape,
down from the engine and ran on int
the bright glow of the headlight.
''Kate!f
'.Ohl John, l."
She fell into his arms senseless ant
white. and the lantern dropped iron
her nerveless hand.
They took her up tenderly and Dor
her into the station-house and laid he
upon the sofa in the ladies room.