Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-02-10
THE TELEGRAPHIC SIGNAL.

John Mills, the hero of this sketch,
Was railroad engineer, and had been
for long time IN the. company's en-
pIoy. When the new engine "59" was
completed and placed ON the road,
-John was given charge OF it, and he
evlnced a natural pride in his prefer
Dent. At one of the stations there
was q young girl, a telegraph operator,
between whom and the engineer there
had sprung up a mutual attachment,
and whenever $50" 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 locomotive was de-
tached and sent up the road, to do
some additional work, and K ate went
along for a ride. AS she listened to
the sharp, sbrill notes Of the whistle,
ut occurred to her that she might teach
John to sound her name in the Morse
telegraphic characters, SO that she
could distinguish his signal from that of
the other engines whenever his train
approached. The plan worked to q
charm, and far and near the whistle
shrieked Kate, until one day, as the
operator stepped upon the platform,
she overheard a conversation between
two young men, and learned that they
understood the signal, and were laugh
TngIy wondering who Kate could be.
Their means of communication
having been discovered they were
Obliged to discontinue it. In
che meantime, Kate had, by means of
the telegraph, made acquaintance of q
young lady, an operator in a distant
city. but whom she had never seen,
and to her she made known the fact
that the secret had been discovered.
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
approaching train and the station, so
as TO ring a bell hidden away in the
closet of Hates Office, engine "59" be-
ing the only one provided with the
means of completing the circuit, which
was done by laying thepoker upon the
tender brake so as to touch the wire
nm passing. Katefound an opportuni-
ty to acquaint John with the proposed
plan, and in the meantime had found
AN abandoned wire which ran for O.
hong distance close by the track, and
which she proposed to use for carrying
out her purpose. Thanksgiving Day
came soon after, and John fortunate
fy having a holiday he and Kate went
bravely to work, and before the day
had ended the task was completed,
and proved a complete success. The
dramatic finale of their love episode is
Fold In the fO1l0wino sketch.
1t was very singular how absent
minded and inattentive the operator
was on the day that the great scien-
Gaf1c enterprise was finished. No wonder
she was disturbed. Would the new
line work? Would her little battery
be strong enough for such q great cir
cult? Would John be able to close it !?
The people began to assemble for the
train. The clock pointed to the hour
for it's arrival.
Suddenly, with startling distinct
ness, the bell rang clear and loud in
the echoing room. With a cry of de-
Hight she put on her dainty hat and
rsaa in haste out upon the platform.
The whistle broke loud and clear on
the cool, crisp air, and "59" appeared
round the curve in the woods. The
splendid monster slid swiftly upto her
feet and paused.
Perfect, John! Perfect 1t works to
g. charm"
With spring she reached the cab
and sat down on the freman's seat.
BLESSED If could tell what he was
gosRg to d." said the fireman. "He
toId me about it. Awful bright idea |
You see, he laid the poker on the ten
der brake there, and it hit the tree
slam, and I saw the wires touch. 1t
was just prime!"
But the happy moments sped, and
3359" 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 special with the d.
rectors' car attached. The honorable
directors we're hungry-they always
are--and would pause on their journey
and take a cup of tea and a bit of sup
per. The hororables and their wives
and children filled hesitation, and the
place put on quite a gala aspect. AS
for K ate, she demurely sat in her den,
book in hand, and over it's unread
pages admired the gay party in the
bright ly lighted waiting-room.
Suddenly. with a furious rattle, her
electric bell sprang into life. Every
spark of color left her face, and her
book fell with dull slam to the floor