San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-03-18
THE AGENTS STORY.

1t was hot afternoon-sOme of you may
know how hot it can be on the prairie when
there is no wind.
was sitting in the little ticket office of the
railroad station at which was agent. From
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, wavering
appearance, as though they might at any
moment blow away.
Presently out of the silence there came the
foot falls of horses hoofs, 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
IA standing in the doorway. His right leg
was amputated above the knee, and he sup
ported himself on a pair Of light crutches,
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 a mile
south of the track.
Are you the colonel's SOM | asked as !
handed out the package.
YES, sir" was the reply. Charles Reed
is my name.
Then he turned and looked curiously in at
the Geographic instruments. He had such a
bright, healthy and wide awake air, that |
invited him to walk in and examine them, if
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, l
explained briefly the working of the key and
Sounder, and tried to give him some idea
how message was sent and received He
listened attentively and seemed to compre-
bend pretty well.
YES" he said, as l concluded, 81 know
something about it, though only through
what have read. Would you mind writing
out the alphabet for meF"
| wrote out the characters on slip OF
paper, which he tucked carefully away in his
pocketbook, and then, finding l was a 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
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, b9-
fore the railroad was built His father
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 rife ball in
! tho knee,
accompanied him to the door when he
was ready TO go, and was surprised 70 SEC
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 homo on a brisk galiop
One afternoon about a wcck latnr hr
dropped in again, having meanwhile Iearna7l
the telegraphic alphabet 81 that h. c1lh TO
peat all the characters easily, and next day the
colonel himself stopped in On his way q,
town. He was a brisk, genial man, whr hal
habit Of shaking hands With eysry rnn
He was a typical frontier ranchman
See here, Mr.. Agent, he sa.I, tint my
Of mine has q hankcrihg to learn Jour bgs.
ness. He's kind Of lonesome, ypu vs,-he
can't play with the other boys On accpuut ri
his leg-and now if you don't mind Aavtn
him around, and Will teach him Whit gov
can-ho's pretty bright, and can learn moat
anything-why, III make it worth you
while What's your charger
''Why, colonel, 1 replied, laughing at bis
businessIiko manner, 81 shall be glad TO have
him around-I am lonesome hcro-so W.
won't draw up any contract
Charley was an apt pupil. In about q
mob he cSg.I send .gpd receive H.1....sage
coETINI ed ON NExTIpAG z