Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-01-11
A LONELY PLACE.
Romantic Story Of the Photographic
 Wires.

Romantic Story Of the Photographic
 Wires.
 You will find it a lonely, out-ofth way place--a perfect wilderness.but it is all that have at my command at present, and if you are brave enough to go down into the marshy country and do the combined work of agent and telegrapher you can have the ap- pointmcnt,'' said Superintendent Nash, referring to vacancy on a rail road line that traversed the wild, mountainous section of Virginia soil.
 II cannot say that I am flattered with the picture you draw, sir, but, as am looking for a situation and beg gars shouldn't be choosers, I will take my chance and try my luck until something better turns up," said Hugh Gordon, the young man addressed.
 "Very wcll," replied the superin- tendent, shortly. If you attend to the business properly we shall not give ourselves any uneasiness about how you manage to live the life of hermit, for such it will practically be, and you cannot say that I 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 it is not probable that he'll do q bit bet ter than his predecessors. He'll be back at the end of a week, and I shall not blame him, either, for it is the most God-forsaEen place 1 was ever in"
 But he was mistaken, for, though Hugh found it all that he represented it, he was not easily discouraged ana took hold of tho work with as much energy as if the place were in the very center of life and buslnes.. Adhering to the old adagc: "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 it-it was evident | that they had no fault to find with the ! new methods which the college bred ! telegraphcr had inaugurated
 : There was no doubt about its being a lonely place, and except the people in 1 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 ac- quaintance of Frank Reynolds, tho i operator at Mantua, a small station fifty miles further on in the wilder ncss After their first introduction the two spent many pleasant hours con l o1
 One day just after Hugh had returned
 from his dinner the ticking of his in- strunent left this message for him:
 "TRIEND HUGH: I have just received word | that my fortnight's vacation is to began this
 afternoon. My substitute is here already, and ! will be on this evening" Will pass through Benning on No. 8. Be out to wave congratula-
 tions As ever, FRANK
 Eureka" ejaculdted Hugh. 1T wish
 that train would consent to drop him
 off. 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:
 Can't you got an order to have the train roll you of at Bcnning? should like to have the
 pleasure Cf your company during few of your vacation days"
 A few minutes later he had his an
 swer:
 NO is tyrant, with rules and regulations that never change; consequently I cannot honor myself by accepting your offer of hospi tality."
 What cant be cured must sbe en- dured," muttered Hugh, disconsolately, Q when he knew the decision. "Wcll,
 there is one thing sure-Tll 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 han v and eyes Hugh had not the remotest
 idea of the looks of the friend he haC :. learned to esteem so highly.
 n No passed through Benning 6 l. short time before midnight, and twen t ty minutes later the lightning express thundcred down the steep grade at the
 rate of a mile minute. fairly shaking
 the little frame depot on its founda
 tions. At Lyman, two miles above s- the two trains met-the one reaching s the place first side tracking until tho other one passed.
 t As there was no night operator a 7 BenninE, and no important train. V stopped during the night, Hugh was a IS liberty to close up the office and gC e nome at ten o'clock, but he was quitt F. Q nighthawlz, and usually remained a his post until after the hands of tn
 This cut illustrates the Norms