The morning news., 1888-08-24
BRAVE GIRL TpLEGRAPHERs.
On Duty at Night in out-of-the-W Way
Cffices at Texas Stations.
From the Gaipeston Ne,cs.

Cff1ces at Texas Stations.
From the Galveston Ne,cs.
Some days ago a reporter had occasion to
use telegraph line in sending report to
the paper. 1t was long after midnight,
and the nearest Western Union wire was a
good mile and half from the town in
which ne was located. The telegraph
office was found to be IN a railroad block
station, situated in one of tie ioneiiest and
bleakest parts of the country through
when the road passed No dwelling houses
were within calling distance, and the entire
surroundings were of the most unlnvltlng
and forb.ddmg kind. The Office itself was
but Il small frame building, utterly devoid
Of any means of defense from intruders, and
the country round was infested with
trumps.
The reporter knocked at the door and
receiving no answer, knocked again, with
the same result Finally, after third sum-
mons, window was opened and a feminine
voice timidiy inquired, "Who's there"
The surprise of the newspaper man can be
better imagined than described. The idea
of a woman being in charge of an office in
such a dismal place seemed almost prepos-
ferrous. He, however, explained his mission
and after little delay was admitted by a
delicate girl who appeared to lie hardly
older than 16.
Tne little room was as neat and clean as
new pin The floor was as white as a
scrubbing brush could make it. On the
walls We're taStefully pinned o. number of
pretty advertising cards. A glass on ia
ble near by contain,d bunch of flowers,
and a comfortable, homelike air pervaded
the whole room, 80 entirely different from the
average country railroad station with its
foul odors of bad tobacco and oil. When
the last word of the message was out the
reporter questioned the young lady upon
her work.
Yes, she said, ''this company has lady
operators at night in all their offices as far
east as the mountains. My office is not as
lonely as some of the places up Ill the noun
tains, where the girls do not have an oppor-
tuni to talk TO anybody from the time
they leave the train at o'clock in the even
ing until they return the next morning. 1t
is an awful place even here sometimes. Not
train will pass for hours at time In the
morning, and we must walk the floor to
keep awake At first l thought l would
never be able to stand it, but it is growing
easier now. At the beginning | was afraid
of every sound. We form odd friends at
such times. The best have are the mice,
who come out Of their holes and eat the
crumbs l leave on the floor for them. They
are good company when there is nothing
| BETTER
II should think that the company would
| give the lady operators day offices" we
said
"Well, it does not They give the easy
positions to men. The only reason L can
| give for that since you ask for 1t, is that
| young ladies are more careful, and do not
| go to sleep like the lazy men do, and pile up
a wreck in front of the Office
"Are you not afraid of trampsT
"Good gracious! yes. They are the bane
of our existence We are prepared for them
thought said she, at the same time glanc-
| ing at loaded revolver, which had until
| then lain unnoticed within reach of her
| hand. 81 had to use it once or twice. |
did not want to shoot the man, and only
fired to scare him."
Have you had any odd experience while
! at this Officer
There was one" she answered, 81 will
never forget. 1t was one of the coolest nights
| of last winter. Rain had fallen the night
before, and toward evening it had grown
colder. After midnight the THERMOMETERS
| was down below zero, and a high wind wa;
raging. About 2 o'clock in the morning
somebody raped at the door. did moi
| notice it at first, as | knew it was only 6
tramp. One had been lettering around al
day and had insulted me The night before
and l thought it was the same one come
back again. He kicked the door again, and
| L raised WlnuOW anu d5kbu iliD NudU lit
wanted. He said he wanted to core in
and if he did not get in he would break il
the door, Then he began to swear at me-
| told him to 20 away, and that would
! not admit him. That made him more angry
HE beat and kicked the door until
thought he would break it down. Their be
tried all the windows, and finally came
back to the door again. No train haC
passed for an hour before. None had left
| /. Il tLa +ala aah nf1S
was two miles away. | pulled out the
drawer to get my revolver. 1t was gone
Then remembered having left it at home
that night to have it repaired. The maI
was knocking away at the door, and every
moment thought would be my last
knelt down and prayed for assistance. Th'
man at the door had grown quieter, anC
commenced to beg me TO let him in. 'Grea
God lady he said to me, 1 am freezing
and if you don't let me in you will find mt
dead in the morning.
81 opened the window again and begged
him to leave, but he only continued to pleaC
for adnlittance. HIS voice had grown
weaker, and sounded so pitiful that finalll
went down stairs to open the door, wanteC
TO let him in, and yet was afraid.
"At last l unlocked the door and turned
the knob. The door itself flew back on it
hinges, and there fell in upon me one Of th'
dirtiest, meane5t and worst looking tramp
that had ever seen. His clothes were GOV
cred With mud and his face looked terribly
fierce. screamed and turned TO rut
away TO escape him, when he caught holC
of both of my hands and feR on his knees
before me, and then and there poured fortf
one of the most beautiful prayers | hav'
ever heard. 1t was SO pathetic and full o
thankfulness at times
clears were streaming down his cheeks
and he kissed nv hands repeatedly, saying
| had saved his life. | repented and tolc
him to come up ssairs TO the stove, but hall
way up the 8 airs he kneit AMI prayed again
He Law down by the fire for a while, anC
after be had become warmed, he told m'
the story of his life-how he had become {
drunkard and deserted his home. He saiC
he had not eaten anything for two days
so 1 give him my lunch. l KEEP
him hers for couple Of hours auC
then sent him west on a freight. Every
time think of that man and that night
feel better, although everybody said l wa
foolish to let him in when told the story a
|