The Opelousas courier., 1889-10-19
A Startling Experience.
BY LILY TYNER.


Josie Mcclure was always plucky.
Every one said SO, and what every one
says is pretty apt to have some truth in
It. She was plucky from the hour OF
her birth, when, a poor, puny, post,
humous little creature, she was sent into
the world to assuage the sorrow of a half
heart-broEen widaN-inosher-a delicate
creature whose nearSfriends were few and
whose resources were slender,
Josie grew up the delight of her
mothers heart. A quick=witted> little
red haired ~termagant, some were pleased
to term her, but these were, as a rule,
such of her schoolmates as had cause to
fear her just wrath for misdoings Of their
own. Big boys who tormented their
smaller brethren and girls who stopped
to petty were Josie's special
detestation. But Josie's school life could
not last as long as that of most girls. 1t
came upon her all at once n day that
she had a mission in the world, namely,
to assist in providing for herself and her
mother. I shall always believe that I
first put the notion in her head of becou-
ing o telegraph operator. She used to
come up to the depot of that sleepy vii
lage nearly every day on hen way home
from school and watch ne at my work.
twas station-msster, train dispatcher and
general 51sratcr all in one.
: st don't think I could ever learn to
send a message, she said one day, as she
stood watching me.
"Oh, yes, you could" I answered.
'sIn fact, I think you'd soon become an
expert"
She looked up sharply with her bright,
red-hazel eyes.
"What makes you think 500"
"Your quick nature and good sense"
I said. ~ don't believe you'd ever lose
your head"
aNo; I am pretty cool. Remember
when Crittenden's horse ran away with
Grace and me2 made Grace drop out
over the rear of the wagon. Neither of
US was scratched. I was just as cool that
moment as I am now. Grace was scream
ing murder"
eff you had a position like mine" I
laughed, tsthere wouldn't be much to
scare you. It's all I can do to keep
awake-some days"
stI'd rather go farther West" said
Josie.
Briefly it happened to suit her.
She took a few lessons of me. ] gave
her something of q start. Then she went
to the city and took a regular r OF
instruction. The next I knew she had
been assigned to a station five hundred
miles further toward the setting sun.
Her mother and herself removed at once
from our midst and Josie was lost to me,
save for a sparkling little epistle I used
to receive every week or ten days detail
ing her various experiences.
I'm sure I don't know how I should
have gotten on without her letters, ]
missed her so at first. 1t turned fright
fully dull and sleepy at my station, but
managed to keep awake and attend to
things as they deserved. Several montha
passed. Winter slipped away and spring
moved along slowly. Josie's letters came
regularly to gladden. my heart.
Haven't much excitement out here, y
she wrote. "No Indians and only an
occasional train robbery. No snash-ups,
no collisions, nothing lively. Not many
messages. Sometimes / think TIL call
you up and chat a little; then the round
about way puts me out of the humor.
Take a vacation and visit us soon.
Mother will be SO glad to see you. She's
crazy about her chickens; raising an enor
nous number. And such lucki They're
always falling into the soft-soap key or
something else. Mothers health is just
splendid. As for me, I've gained fifteen
pounds ETC., etc.
It was this that put the notion in my
head. ! obtained a substitute and took
my vacation in early June.
The evening Of the next day I alighted
from the way train at the town where
Josie and her mother lived-at the sta
tion where Josie herself was a fixture.
A trim little figure came running
toward me. 1t was she. She had on d
plain gingbam dress and d jaunty cap
was pushed back from the auburn hair
curling on her forehead. She gave me .
good hearty handshaking and ordered me
into the station.
a~GIaciousi' said I; mot much more
than ! shed. DO you have II al to your
seIfGn