Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-02-25
TIE AGENTS STORY.


the window could see the hot air rising
from the sunburned buffalo grass, giving to
the lonely ranch buildings scattered here and
there in the distance an unstable, waverinS
appearance as though they might At any
moment blow away
Presently out Of the silence there came the
foot falls of a horses boots. stopping at the
platform, and followed by queer ..'pegging"
sound over the planks and into the waiting
room. looked up and saw boy of about
"A standing in the doorway. His right leg
was amputated above the knee, and he sup
ported himself on pair of Light rrutrhsa
which had sling straps like an army carbine.
He handed me an express order for pack
age to Col Reed, a prominent cattleman,
whose ranch buildings were about . mile
south Of the track.
Are you the colonels sonr asked as
handed out the package.
YES, SIR" was the reply. Charles Reed
is my name"
Then be turned and looked curiously in at
the Geographic instruments. He bad such .
bright, healthy and wide awake air, that l
invited him to walk in and examine them, II
he wished
His eyes frightened Immediately.
I'D like to, if you don't mind The other
agent was cross, and was afraid to ask him"
Seeing that he was interested in them, ]
explained briefly the working Of the key and
sounder, and tried to give him some idea
how a message was sent and received He
listened attentively and seemed to compre-
bend pretty we'll
something about it, though only through
what have read. Would you mind writing
out the alphabet for mef'
| wrote out the characters on q slip OF
paper, which he tucked carefully away in his
pocketbook, and then, finding was q stran-
ger to that part Of the west he volunteered
some information about the country, includ-
ing a remarkably accurate description of tho
game birds and their habits, which, as q
sportsman found very interesting. Before
he left he told me that he had lost his leg dur
ing an Indian raid about four years ago. be-
fore the railroad was built. His fathers
ranch had been attacked without any warn
ing He was only 10 years old at the time,
and being out of doors, he had slipped away
unobserved, and hidden in the corral, and
while there was hit by stray rifle ball in
the knee.
| accompanied him to the door when he
was ready to go, and was surprised to see
how thoroughly at home he was on his pony.
With his crutches slung behind him, he
swung nimbly into the saddle, and started
off toward home on brisk gallop.
One afternoon, about a week later, he
dropped in again, having meanwhile learned
the telegraphic alphabet so that he could re-
peat all the characters easily, and next day the
colonel himself stopped in on his way to
town. He was brisk genial man, who had
a habit Of shaking hands with every one
He was typical frontier ranchman.
SEQ here, Mr. Agent" he said, TINT boy
of mine has q hankering to learn your bust
ness. He's kind of lonesome, you see-he
can't play with the other boys on account Of
his les-and now if you don't mind havin'
him around, and will teach him what you
can-hes pretty bright, and can learn most
anything-why, I'll make it worth your
while What's your charger
why, colonel" replied, laughing at his
businesslike manner, Il shall be glad to have
him around-I am lonesome here-so we
won't draw up any contract"
Charley was an apt pupil In about a
month he could send and receive message,
though of course not very rapidly His
father was so delighted with his progress that
he made ME present Of a riding pony; and
shortly after. when Charley got it into his
head that it would be fine thing to have
private line from the ranch to the station,
the colonel had me order two instruments and
a coil Of wire from Chicago.
Under my direction the cowboys put it up,
and though it wasn't stretched very tight,
and the poles were only fence posts spliced
together, it worked as well as the main line
The instrument on my end Of the line did
not care to have in the office, for fear that
oficious gentleman, the lineman, would OBJ
ject, and so | set 1t up on one side Of the big,
Empty freight room.
The autumn was now well advanced, aud
found that my duties, instead of increasing,
grew lighter. There were but two freight
trains every other day, and the daily mail
and express, east and west, went through be-
tween the hours of and 4 in the morning, so
that had great deal Of time on my hands.
spent much of it shooting chickens with
Charey-he was an excellent shot from the
saddle, though he told me he had time Of it
training his pony to stand fre-and the rest
of the time either read or rode out over the
trails in the delicious Indian summer weather.
One night. about the middle of October, we
had a terrific thunder and wind Storm with o
binding fall OF rain and hail 1t came up after
the west bound train had left, and about an
hour before the eastern train was due was
awakened by the noise, and got up to look out.
The rain was falling in torrents and the wind
shook the building. while the lightning flashed
necessarily
was still looking out, watching the furious
storm, when unusually bright fash re-
vealed for an instant the figures Of group of
horsemcn looping across the prairie toward the
station stood still to catch another glimpse
of them, if possible, but without success; they
had probably turned off to the left.
Shortly afterward | heard them at the
other end Of the building, where they stopped,
supposed to seek shelter from the storm. or
possibly they were going to take the train. 1t
was not unusual for passengers to come
around an hour before train time, 30 thought
little Of it at the time.
However. before left the window, l heard
them tramping around the platform to the
door, and drawing back to one side, | waited
to see them pass. Between trains always
kept a lamp burning but turned down low
and it shone out now through the window;
and as the men stepped into the faint bar Of
light, got quite distinct view Of them
They were all heavily built Each one
wore yellow ''slickerr coat and had his
douch bat pulled down close to keep of the
rain, and around each ones face, just below
the eyes, was tied . red ''harvester's' hand
kerchicf. This struck me as unusual, and
was puzzled for moment until it occurred
to me that perhaps they were worn as pro-
lection against the hail
moment later they were pounding at the
door for admittance Now as q rule, did
not like to admit any one 50 long before
train time sometimes had express money
in once carried n package Of s200O in my
pocket three days before the owner called for
it, and 50 | was somewhat apprehensive at
times for my safety
That night, however. had only few dol
lars of my own and an almost empty mail