Los Angeles herald., 1891-07-25
A BANNING ROMANCE
Two Telegraph Operators On
Their. Wedding Trip.
He Gladly Married Her, Boots
and All.
A Pretty Love Story From the Desert
Region.
An AcquaintAnce Made by Telegraph
Develops into Matrimony-che
Husband Tells the
Story.

81. j. Stansbury and wife, Jackson
Springs, CAL"
These are the names and addresses
recently inscribed upon one of the hotel
registers of Stockton. But behind the
names is story which has fair
amount of romance in it. Let it be told,
as nearly as possible, as Mr.. Stansbury
himself related it,
About year and half ago." said
he, II was railroad agent and tele-
graph operator at little station down
on the desert side OF Yuma. The sta
ton consisted of nothing more than a
big water tank, shed for myself, and
another for small crew Of trackmen.
There for nearly year / put in the
loneliest and the hottest time that l
ever passed in my life. The thermome-
ter had way OF monkeying around be-
tween 100 and $50 degrees above zero on
most days, and almost my only pleas
ure was found in talking over the wires
with the operators at various stations
along the line.
II had never seen the operator at
Banning at that time, but he was
cheerful, jolly sort OF fellow, and as time
also hung heavily upon his hands, we
passed many pleasant hour in CONVEX
sation over the wires. We had sort of
hall arranged to get vacation together,
and there was good deal of joyful an.
tlclpatlon -on my part at least-of the
manner in which we should pass it. We
were to 60 into the mountains and spend
two or three weeks in hunting, fishing,
etc. All of our plans were arranged in
those scorcking and lonely days; and
we usually agreed in our ideas of the
preparations, although there was, occa-
sionally, little difference in opinion.
II remember, for instance, that he
said he was going to take along pair of
rubber boots for trout fishing, while I
asked him, What's the matter with
your taking off your shoes and stock
lngs and rolling up your pants?' But
he said that he preferred boots. AS the
time drew near, however, he, for some
reason that could not understand,
backed sQuarely out of the enterprise,
much to my disgust.
Finally, he told me one day that
he was going to New Mexico to pass
his vacation, and we anticipated con-
siderable pleasure in meeting each
other during the trains brief stop at
my station. But did not meet him
at all, for when the train that bore him
arrived 1 was sick and unconscious with
a burning fever, the result Of my long
stay under the torrid sun.
Into the fever-tortured brain there
sometimes creeps a semi-consciousness
OF the life about it, and so during the
days OF my agony was vaguely aware
OF gentle, womanly hands and kindly
feminine presence in my sick-room, and
when returned to the conscious world,
was not surprised to find fair and
pleasant face beside me. She said that
she had been upon the train when Twas
found stricken down, and had stayed to
minister to my sore need. The idea
may seem preposterous, but 1 believe
that the foundation of my affection for
my kind attendant had been laid while
the Inconsistencies of fever was still
upon me, and the affection grew into
the deepest love as she cared for me
during the days of my convalescence.
After a time l ventured to tell her of
my love, and to ask her if she would be
mine; but was not prepared for her
answer.
John she said, do vcu really mean
that you wish to marry girl that insists
upon wearing rubber boots, and will not
roll
"'Huhn 1 said, for was completely
beaten. Then it flashed upon me. She
was the operator at Banning, and l, like
a fool, had always taken it for granted
that she was man.
"Well, am not going to tell how
convinced her that | wanted to marry
her, boots and all, but did it, and like
Barkis, she was willin', and here we are
on our wedding journey. The Southern
Pacific has lost an operator, but calcu-
late that l am ahead on the DEAL"