Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1894-07-20

mans Center. 1t was new station, far
out on the praipie, fully half mile
from the nearest human habitatioD,
but, being situated in the midst of a
wide belt of excellent grazing country,
it was regarded as a good shipping
point. 1t already did more business in
that line than many places on the road
boasting of several hundred inhabit-
ants There were two freight trains n
day each way, the through and local,
the latter of which carried passengers,
having coach attached to the rear for
that purpose. Then there were the two
accommodations going in opposite di-
rections and the daily express and mail
east and west, which passed through
the lonely place between the hours of
ten and twelve at night
Hence Jack had all the after part of the
night at his own disposal and as soon as
the last train-the east-bound express
passed he locked up the station and
crossed the prairie to the little cottage,
half mile away, where his mother and
sister Lizzie kept pleasant home for
him. They had their COW, their gar
den and their ''truck patch to look
after, and the product of these, in addi-
tion to the twelve dollars month PEN
sion, which the mother, soldiers
widow, received, enabled them to live
quite comfortably.
Lizzie was u bright, active girl of
fourteen, always busy with her work
or book, but with all her intelligence
and industry she was an inveterate
coward. She was afraid of everything,
and often made herself misera BILE by
imagining danger when none existed.
But she was ambitious, nevertheless,
and wanted to learn everything Jack
undertook.
Hence when he took charge of the
little Office down at the crossing she
announced her determinatio of study
ing telegraphy. Jack as sured her the
art was as full of electricity as thun-
derstorm, of which she stood in mortal
dread, but she persevered in her effort
Notwithstanding and in a few weeks
could manipulate the instrument so as
to receive and send messages as cor
rectly if not quite as speedily as her
teacher
Pleased with her progreIs the BROTH
er secured two secondhand instruments
and a coil of wire and put up line
from the house to the station, so that
she might have practice without having
to walk TO the Office during the cold
weather.
Under Jacks directions the cowboys
put it up, and though it was not
stretched so well as it might havo
been and the poles were only fence
posts spliced together, it worked as
perfectly as the main line Fearing
that the officious lineman might object
to the instrument on his end of the line
being in the Office, Jack set it up on
one side of the big, empty freight
room, and here, when the weather was
not too cold, he spent many lonely
half hour in conversing in telegraphic
language with the little sister at
home.
One night about the middle of Febru-
airy there was terrific thunder and
windstorm, with binding fall of rain
and hail, very unusual thing at that
season of the year. 1t came up sudden
ly about eleven o'clock, after the west
bound train had passed and an hour be-
fore the eastern one was due. Jack
had been lying doing on the cot in
his Office, but at the sound of the
thunder he got up to look out
The ram was beginning to fall then,
and the wind shook the light frame
building in such fierce way as to
cause him to shieer. While he stood
by the window, watching the threaten
ing clouds, a vivid flash of lightning re.
vealed for an instant troop of horse
men galloping across the prairie in the
direction of the station.
Thinking they were belated cowboys
caught in the unexpected storm, he
paid no further attention to them, but
after another look at the approaching
cloud went back to the stove, where a
bright fire was burning, and as it was
still an hour till train time he took up
book, turned the night-lamp higher,
and lazily stretched himself on the cot
to read.
He had read only few pages when
above the roar of the thunder and the
beating of the rain and hail against the
window he heard the clatter of horses
feet. A moment later heavy footsteps
on the platform outside reached his
ear, and, before he had time to con-
lecture what the unusual disturbance
at that hour of the night meant, there
came loud knocking at the outer door.
Thinking they were people from a
distance to wait for the train, he in
quired, more from habit than suspicioni
"Who is there?''
Passengers to take the midnight
train, !" was the quick response We're
wet to the skin and half frozen Let
US in without delay" and the impatient
moving of feet outside confirmed the
statement
Without a moments hesitation Jack
drew back the heavy bolt and threw
the door open, when in crowded half
dozen rough-looking men muffled to
the ears in furs and wooden comforters.
Not liking their appearance, the
young telegrapher was about to re-
enter his office SO as to put lock be-