The morning call., 1892-08-25
SAY ED.

so much gray being sprinkled among the
brown hair of your head. While we were
at college together your beautiful brown
locks were the envy of every boy ana tne
admiration of every girl in the college {;
and it is only five years since we parted
company at cur Alma Mater, is it notY'
You are correct; it was five years ago
last May, when you and | parted company
at the dear old school where the happiest
days Of my life were spent"
The above conversation occurred between
Harry Holm and James East; the latter, at
present, was acting in the dual capacity OF
agent and telegraph operator at Harding
station; The former. after completing his
course in college, had taken uD the study OF
law, had been successful and was now for
the first time taking a vacation from the
city, where he had locked M Ills office. and
with ii his business, for a six weeks visit
TO his former schoOlmate. of whose where
aboutS he had accidentally learned.
"1ne story Of these gray naiTs, continued
James, II seldom speak OF; but knowing
that the story will not be repeated TO any Of
my present associates, L VIII relate IL 10 you,
if you care 10 listen"
IL shall be an attentive listener, I assure
you," rejoined Harry.
Il was rather wild In my younger days, az
you can attest, from the many scrapes /
WAS continually getting into while at
school," began James. "ani l should no
doubt have been expelled before my course
was half finished if you had not many times
iDteTceded In my behalf.
shortly after leaving college my father
died; ana upon stTalgh teni up the affairs
of the estate, instead of my being wealthy,
as was generally supposed, there was barely
enough left 10 defFay the expenses Of the
actual necessities of my widowed mother.
Il had acquired extravagant habits,
caused. possibly, by over-indulgent parents,
who would crafty my every whim. Being
naturally of u wild and careless disposition,
it is no wonder that drifIed into bad COM
pany and finally took TO drink.
1.-The knowledge OF how the affairs OF the
estate had turned out partially brought me
20 my senses; the situation was forced
EQuarely upon me; must either work or
starve.
II had picked up enough Morse or in
other words, enough about telegraphy
while acting as meSsenger-bOy before enter
ing college, 10 enable me 10 DO fair work
upon the wire as an operator, which knowl-
edge came very handy TO me in earning my
bread and butter when fortune frowned.
Through the assistance of the agent at
our home station | secured the position Of
night telegraph operator at a small station
p mics distant from home. ] got along
nicely with my work in my new situation
until made the 6cQual ntance OF a fast
young man by the name Of Gus Schoenheil,
who had come out in the country to do The
gTays,' as he called il.
From the time l made the acquaintance
of SchOenheii | began to shiTk my work. l
was reminded of the fact several times by
the agent-a goOd-natured individual, who
would rather do my work himself than
make any report OF tue matter TO the super
intendeut
Things ran along IN this channel for
month or more, when one morning, after
nj NV 1ac cIr in cfsv E,o.f
tiOn, was taken to task by the agent for
having neglected 10 properly display my
Swltch-lamps on one dark. stormy night
about week before; the fast night mail
train had stopped at the station to ascer-
tain the cause of the lamps not being i'm
Their proper places, causing it to lose 20
minutes time, which could not be made up,
resulting IN its missing connections at the
terminal station.
"Ihe affair was reported to the superin-
tendent by the train crew, aud the report
had been referred TO the agent for inyesti-
CATION and his answer. He said he would
let me III As easy as possible to the old
man II would promise to attend TO busi-
ness better III the future, to which / readily
agreed.
y related the circumstance TO SchOenheil
thGt day, AMI ne said It was downright
shame, and If he was in my place he would
get even with any blamed agent who would
presume to treat bim in the manner that
l had been treated
That evening Schoenheil called at the Of
fee with quart bottle filed with whisky,
which be insisted that / must finish before
morning. After taking several drinks | be-
gan TO feel drowSy. Scnoenheil told me TO
lie down, ana he would awaken me for the
express train, which was due at 1890.
took his advice gladly. | must have i'm
med!ately gone to sleep, for the next thing |
remember was SehOenheil rousing me for
the express train. l staggered to my feet
and managed e. get out to sign the express
messengers register for the express run
AfterwaTd l recolleeted in a vague way Of
bis saying something about $1,000.
'On returning to the Office door I
stumbled and fell headlong upon the fi0or
wayollls, letters and packages went flying
In all directions. / recolect distinctly
about Schoenheil tellin. me not to worry,
as he would straighten things ny, after
which must have sunk back to the floor in
drunken sturor.
"The next recollection / have of the mat
ter was being aroused By the agent, who
demanded an explanation OF nv appear
ance and that Of the Office; fIr the lamps
we're still burning, In spite of the fact that
II was long since daylight Schcenheil was
nowhere to be found.
In checking over the expTess-bills the
sgent startled me by saying:
Here is bill for $1,000 currency.
Where Is the packageP
]
Sehoenheil bad stolen the money from me.
or had the express messenger overlooked
the raekage and failed TO deliver il with the
waybil?
In answer to a message we sent him in
regard to the currency he replied
hold Essts receipt for the $1,000
package, and have Conductor Scott as
witness that it was delivered to him in good
order
Il received the message from the wire.
put the agent gave the sending operator 20.
~ to II, for as wrote the last word In the
message tainted.
W hen consciousness again returned II
was late IN the evening. The first words |
uttered were:
:" Is 1t found?'
Yes, yes! Be quietP said voice which
recognized as that Of the agent, although
could not see his features The package
was found upon the floor, under the safe.
wnere 1t fell when you stumbled ON enter.
Ing the office replied he.
III was over two months before I could
leave my bed, as brain fever set in. had
narrow escape from death, l can assure
you. In the delirium of my illness /
Imagined was sent to prison for stealing
hye thousand dollars and that nothing bui
death would release me-
during my convaleseence resolved that
ii ever L should recover / would never
.oucH anotner drop OF liquor as long as
snolld i've, and thus far | have kent NV
resolution. During the fever nv hair ali
came OUT, and when the new growth began
10 make Its appearance it was miYed With
gray as you now see it,"
And what became OF Schoenheilpn
ne was iound In a boxcar on the side-
.IAck iates I'D the day. where he had gone
70 sleep on the effects of the debauch. He
disappeared the next day and has not heen
heard OF since" NV ooon