Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1892-02-24
A LONELY PLACE.
Romantic Story Of the Telegraphio
Wires.

W ~ oOWu AntO Ine marSny country
and do the combined work of agent
and telegrapher you can have the ap-
pointment,' said Superintendent
Nash, referring to a vacancy on a rail
road line that traversed the wild,
mountainous section of Virginia soil
II cannot say that 1 am f1attered
with the picture you draw, sir, but, as
am looking for situation and beg
gars shouldn't be choosers, will take
my chance and try my luck until
something better turns up" said Hugh
Gordon, the young man addressed.
Very WE'LL" replied the superin-
tendent, shortly. eff you attend to the
business properly we shall not give
ourselves any uneasiness about how
you manage to live thelife of hermit,
for such it will practically be, and
you cannot say that / failed to warn
you" he added, as he turned away.
Then to himself he soliloquized: That
chap will not be in Benning a fort
night. He's fresh from school and has
been accustomed to civilized society, SO
1t Is not probable that he'll do bit bet
ter than his predecessors. He'll be
back at the end Of week, and l shall
not blame him, either, for it is the
most God-forsaken place / was ever
| in"
But he was mistaken, for though
Hugh found it all that he represented
| it, he was not easily discouraged and
took hold of the work with as much
energy as If the place were in the very
center of life and business. Adhering
to the old adage: Whatever is worth
doing at all is worth doing we'll" he
performed his various duties in the
best manner possible, and, though the
railroad officials said nothing, from the
way they glanced around the waiting
room-aS clean and bright as soap and
water could make tit was evident
that they had no fault to find with the
new methods which the college bred
telegrapher had inaugurated.
There was no doubt about its being a
lonely place. and except the people in
the well-flled trains that flew past
without stopping and the rough section
hands, who occasionally came in to
light their pipes and chat few min
utes, he scarcely ever saw a human face.
! After he had been there some weeks
through the wires he formed the &C
| quaintance of Frank Reynolds, the
operator at Mantua, a small station
fifty miles further on in the wilder
ness. After their first introduction the
two spent many pleasant hours con-
versing on congenial subjects.
One day just after Hugh had returned
from his dinner the ticking of his in
strument left this message for him:
FRIEND HUGH: I have just received word
that my fortnights vacation is to begin this
afternoon. My substitute is here already and
| will be OF this evening. Will pass through
! Benning on No. s. Be out to wave congratula.
lions. AS ever, FRANK"
"Eurekal" CALCULATED Hugh. 81 wish
that train would consent to drop him
of. Wouldn't we have a jolly time to-
gether? Wonder If he could not get an
order to have it stop. There would be
no harm in trying, at any rate" and
then back over the wires he asked:
| Cant you get an order to have the train roll
you on at BenningS should like to bave the
pleasure Of your company during few of your
vacation days"
A few minutes later he had his an
swer:
mo. s is tyrant, with rules and regulations
that never changes consequently L cannot
SSNORSAhS
| tally"
What can't be cured must be en-
dured," muttered Hugh, disconsolately,
when he knew the decision. ''Well,
there is one thing sure-rll see the
dear fellows face. )" and having nothing
else to do he fell to weaving fancies
concerning the appearance of Frank
Reynolds, for up to the present date
the young operator had studiously
avoided exchanging pictures, and
further than that he had brown halr
and eyes Hugh had not the remotest
idea of the looks of the friend he had
learned to esteem SO highly.
No. 8 passed through Benning q
short time before midnight, and TWEEN
ty minutes later the lightning express
Numbered down the steep grade at the
rate Of mile minute, fairly shaking
the little frame depot on it's founda-
tons. At Lyman, two miles above,
the two trains met-the one reaching
the place first side tracking until the
other one passed.
AS there was no night operator al
Benning, and no important trains
stopped during the night, Hugh was al
liberty to close up the Office and &c
home at ten o'clock. but he was quite
a nighthawk, and usually remained a
his post until after the hands of the
clock marked the hours of the old DAY
off and began with its long fingers tx
count the minutes of the new.
On this particular night he was 81
wrought up on account of the treat il
store for him that he found it impossi
BILE to study or even become much In
terested in the new novel that lay will
its leaves only partially cut on his of
fee table.
How long he sat there, sleeping O.
day-dreaming, he scarcely could tell
1t must have been over an hour, how
ever, for it was long after the clocl
had struck eleven when he was startle,
by stealthy step close by his side. Be
fore he had time to speak or chang
his position heavy hand was laid Oh
his shoulder and a harsh voice hisses
in his ear: Don't scream or try to es
cape if you don't want to make tn
acquaintance of this exhibiting tn
handle of revolver. cit is the othe
|, end that is dangerous, though, but i
you obey orders you have no cause t
be alarmed. Here are my pals" a
two dark-faced, evi1-looking me-
; stepped boldly in at the open door
"We don't wish to harm you, young
; ster, but we want money, and by flag
ging the next train, No. s, you Wi
help US into fortune, as we have som
l knowledge concerning the valuable
3 it carries"
: why, that is a through train;
= never stops here, never!'' gasped Hugh
; do you reckon we'd axed for you
J, help if we hadn't known that?" sneere
i one of the other men. 1--WE have n
u time to fool, and if you don't help L
We'll fix you and take business into on
:, own hands What do you say? Wi
you stop the train or not?"
: 81 can't dare notw exclaime
!. Hugh. "Do you think would betra
= my trust in that shameful mannerP"
told ro,, h. ooh