Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-01-22
THE MUTE OPERATOR.
STORY IN THE LIFE OF A DEAF
 AND DUMB TELEGRAPHER.

AND DUMB TELEGRAPHER.
 He Learned to Receive Messages Through
 the Sense of Touch-waylaid and
 Robbed of s1,o0O, Which Was After
 wards Recovered by a Twin Brother. |.
 "Did you ever hear of deaf and dumb telegraph operator7 Don't believe iti Why, man, taught deaf and dumb boy his first dots. Believe iti Come, let me give you the facts and a little story with 1t, of hand like, and you can work it over to suit yourself and readers"
 Thereupon this toyer with lightning reeled off the following yarn, "The deaf and dumb operator was my twin brother, SO alike in form and feature, and indeed all save the one great distinguishing mark of speech, as to be often mistaken for myself. At 19 years of age, a bright, noble boy, that great scourge of childhood, scarlet fever, robbed him of those two most precious faculties, speech and hearing. When had secured the position of messenger at our local telegraph office, with the promise of opportunity to perfect myself in the art telegraphic, it was he who pro posed and carried out his purpose to commence the study at the same time, and so diligently did he pursue his labor that, maimed as he was, he ac- quired by constant practice what would seam an impossibility. He read the fast recurring clicks of the Morse instruments, not by sound, as is the rule with telegraphers, but from the sense of touch as he placed his fingers lightly upon the moving armature His had been all home practice from lessons delivered by myself after other duties were over.
 II applied for and secured the management of the office at G., a goodly town on the Kennebec. Here the summer found us, my brother and I, busily employed with office duties. The deaf and dumb operator att tended strictly to this branch of the buzness, sitting with fingers lightly resting upon the instruments, intent upon calls, or copying with pen the words as they flowed from the quick pulsations of the little brass armature beneath his sensitive touch.
 "It was well along into the ice harvest of winter that one day Col Tracy, agent in the town for one of the larger ice companies, the chief industry of the town, entered the office and after cheery greeting, announced the fact that $1 900 in greenbacks was expected on the evening express, to be used by him in paying the hands on the morrow. And, boys,' he added, 'as suppose you don't care to keep that amount over night, perhaps you'd better deliver 1t to me at the house; then I'll lock 1t in my safe and be ready with the pay roll in the morning, for the men will be anxious for their scrip.' We were willing to please the colonel, and readily consented to do as he wished. During that afternoon a furious storm of snow set in. Trains were delayed, and, In consequence, it was after 9 in the evening when the express parcels, and among them the precious bundle of cash, ar rived at the office. Ours was small office, supporting no delivery team, and as one of us must act as messenger, my brother proposed doing so while 1 settled up the day's business. Had there been a thought of danger in the errand to disturb us I never should have consented to his going alone being none, l gave gesture of thanks as he buttoned tightly his coat about him, seized the parcel and stepped out into the storm. Alone in the office, the days bushes was soou put to order and the few express parcels checked from the way bill Then, seated ir my brothers chair, fell into reverie upon the courage of the poor boy who sat there day after day, deaf to all save the busy in struments- until aroused by an unusual sti, at the office door. They were bringing him in, my poor boy; his clothes in disorder and stained by the storm and, yes, blood. Wha' could have happenedf His poor right hand which could have told in place of speech hung useless at his side, the arm disabled by | blow.
 "What Is it, mani" No answer, save tha they had found him struggling through tn storm, and, recognizing him, had brough him here. While plying the questions ha< clasped the wounded boy in my arms ans the instrument. We have need of docto here greatly raising the injured arm. On of the men immediately started in search of physician: s, For answer he grasped quickly my righ hand with his -uninjured left, and with hi
 fingers spelled out the words in the fsmi1ia Morse alphabet, which read from the dm pie strokes of his fingers. 'Robbedl Robbed Two. Mufied figures Struck me down Clung to money package to the last-tin- -tdl they broke my arm Oh, cruel, cruel-tw | poor boys, to rob them of SO much
 IA severe scalp wound, the result of a bio, from some blunt instrument, and arm no
 broken, but badly hurt Such was the vel dict of the physician after an examination.
 "The long winter season at last grew int spring, then summer, and the sun dance
 again on tho waves of the Kennebec. M
 brother was back once more in his old tim
 seat, fully recovered from his injuries an
 busily working the wire as before. Yet n
 trace of the stolen money nor the robbers.
 Ut was noon, and our telegraph messer
 gers dinner hour, when one eventful da
 Cnere came message O1 SpoCla4 uQpOE Ca0Ca
 requiring immediate delivery. Our estat
 hshed reputation for promptness must nc
 suffer this to wait the messenger's return, s
 thrusting the telegram into the pocket of m
 coat, rushed of on delivery duty. 1hav
 said that my brothers appearance so olosel
 resembled my own as to cause uncertaint
 even among our friends in distinguishing on
 from another.
 'Now, as my course lay down toward tt river among the ice houses, l noticed tw
 idlers of vagabond appearance sitting cooltn
 their heels upon one of the long shutes whic
 project out into the river, used in hauling tt ice from its bed up the great incline plane . the entrance of the house. As came opp , site and almost within arms length of u .. two worthies, one turning to the other e, claimed: Here comes the dummy, B1l. He got our mark on himp In an instant 1t fashe upon me, now was the time for action. ( denounce them later as the robbers would I hazardous. -.
 "'At last I've got you,' and with the word : followed by a cry for help, turned, an | o& If tho Ar