Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-08-04

PART I.
you won't up three or tour steps, making
your way as best YOU could between casks
of sour-looking plnms and apples. which, If
YOU would but consent TO take them as
they rose,n or. in other words, rs they natu-
rally presented themselves. and not pick
and choose. YOU could buy cheap. You
pushed aside some f9ytoons of dangling
brushes, were gently bumped by string Of
Portugal onions, caught glmpseS OF photo
graphs Of various beautiful places in the
district as you displaced these things, and
al last effected an entrance INTO Archibald
Browns shop This was the p0st-oihce,
telegraph Office. and general store shop OF
the village of Selswyke Bay, in Yorkshire.
Nowhere else within radius Of seven miles
could you buy dress, bit of elegant
trouscring," cheese, or good piece of
ham or bacon. Apples and plums might be
had fol. the begging or stealing by the ten
der youth Of Selswyke, and were so had;
but nowhere else could clothes and pro-
visions and everything wanted IN a house
be bought The inhabitants of Sclswyke
were unusually well endowed, being, when
farmers either on a large OF small scale, IN
the habit of saying that they had beef
mutton. ham. eggs, chickens, and ducks
within themselves" and yet this shop was
needed. II II had been IN Scotland It's
owner would probably have been known as
Archie A'things here he was ceremonious-
lv STYLED Mr.. Archibald Brown, and being
"a man Of genial. but thoroughly respectful
manners and much information his shop
was abuudantly resorted TO by persons
who sometimes I'D not want much
mora than few words with him.
The Squire of the neigborhoOd "a
proud man with more pedigree than
rent roll, but more rent roll than sui
feed - keep up the dignifed state IN
]. q. l.. g. ont
He had gone in 10 buy some postcards,
and being fully SIX feet high, had not got
in without becoming aware that Mr.. Brown
had Portugal onions for sale. lie had
bought his post cards and had renamed
for five minutes talk with Mr.. Brown about
some local matter. telegraphlc message
was being transmitted. Mr.. Brown was
unaffected 10y this. Squire lockwood
found It's incisivc little clicks a great HIM
drancc 10 conversation.
lyon seem .olot those people at the other
end Of the wires work away as they like
without taking any notice OF them" said
he.
1.-THE message is not for us. sir. 1t Is
message from ScortOn 10 WragbOrOugh."
Wragborough was a town that was ten
Really And you hear the clicking Of
the ScoriOn message as u goes did not
know that YOU could do that. Then, can
any OF the Dtntr Offices btlWtfu Otbl tou
and Wragborough hear it, too?"
It's heard just the same in every one OF
them. sir
u had no idea Of that: but after all. l
suppOse none of the offices know what ls
being flashed along the wires but the one
that the message Is intended for, and that
even the one il is intended for doesn't know
what the message rs until II has been Work
ed of on to the tape"
"Oh. yes they dO-that is, they might
for in those offices people are mostly too
busy 10 think of message that IL not IN
tended for them. But It is astonishing
how soon even the shop-bOys learn to dis
tinguish the sound of the stroke made by
each letter.
Il had no conception that our messages
were such public property" said Mr.. Roke-
wood ~ shall word mine much more
carefully IN future. But, Mr.. Brown, 90
YOU really mean TO tell me that you, stand
ing here talking 70 me- could, II you chose
10 listen, hear what that message isf
"Of course l could, sir. / have heard
some of it,"
"What was it,"
You must please to excuse me, sir.
Such information as that must be kept 10
myself-it is my duty However, 1t is a
common message enough, and not IN the
least worth knowing"
And YOU say that the shop boys can read
the messages by ear, too? Can that boy OF
YOURS do it?" Mr.. RokewoOd was refer
ring TO a remarkably stupid-looking little
fellow, who, to the distraction of woman
in hurry, was struggling with the man.
agement Of the weights and scales
Yes, sir: he is a long way quicker III
understanding 10y hearing than am"
Mr.. Brown at this moment was called
away to the inner shop 10 I'll in some
money-Orders and receive some savings
bank deposits. and the Squire, who had
not got over his establishment at that stu
pid boy being able TO interpret telegram
bv using his ears-what enormous ears
they were, by the bye said TO him, " Can
you really do as much as your master
saws you can 7"
400. ave, sir" replied the boy careless
". and, no customers being there, began
TO amuse himself by pillng up the weights
in the form of pyramid with an amount
of noise that was simply astOun ding. Sud-
denly be darted off TO the wlndOw-a Sig
nal had informed him that a message was
now going 10 be sent 10 that office. DeX
terously adjusting the tape so as to be
ready to receive the communication, he
signaled that he was prepared, and waited
to see the message print itself of.
mo" cried Squire RokewoOd, impera-
lively, "cOme 10 the other end of the shop
this moment | want to see if you really
can tell what this message Is just by hear
ing"
The Squire was the Squire, and without
a seconds hesitation the boy Obeyed. Mr.
RokewoOd. too had no hestation-his
strong desire TO know if what had been
said to him could be true made him for
get that ne had no right to try to possess
himself of knowledge not intended Tor
him.
"Go ONT" be exclaimed impatiently, for
the clicking had stopped, and the boy was
not saying aword.
On hearing this command he made some
Of the uncOuth sounds which in his rank
of life betOken suppressed laughter The
Squire felt inclined to shake HIM, and
showed II.
u can't help it. sir. It's such a queer
kind of message for anybody TO send, )" SAID
the boy.
"Oh, never mind that Tell me what it
is and then l Will have that tape examined
to see if YOU have told me right. don't
believe you can tell mel"
You perfect pest What trainH
That's what 1t Is It's from Agnes-her
name is Agnes"
The Squire laughed loudly-he was such
stiff young squire, too, III general way,
and never could unbend. The boy grinned
from ear TO ear and wished all messages
were as funny as this.
"You are inyenting it," exclaimed the
Squire, with a sudden suspicion that his
dignity was being tempered with by an oaf
OF a boy IN a general store shop.
NAY, You can see for yourself what's
there" answered the boy, going to the
window and holding up the delicate tape.
The Squire, however, could see nothing but
very orderly arrangement Of lines and
dashes The boy could evidently read this
with perfect ease, and was once more in a
widespread grin Of delight. As for the
Squire, be could do nothing but wonder
that Prime Ministers were not habitually
chosen from the ranks of telegraph boys
"Jack Jack Mr. Rokewood sir, what
are you doing?" cried MIR. Brown, who had
returned 70 the shop to find these two
porting over the message and forgettul of
all else, though woman was standing
there by the counter, with penny laid on
il ready for her intended purchase, and two
boys were clamorous for rockets.
$50 and get the rockets, Jack" cried
Dir. Brown, and then he went to see what
the woman wanted. She looked so used
to be kept waiting that he felt obliged to
attend 10 her at once. She, however. with
I. IaL.t 8 70