Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-10-15
TELEGRAPHERS' TALES.
A Newfoundland That Kept watch-vclue
of Broiled sJuskrat.

A Newfoundland That Kept watch-vciue
of Broiled sSusllrat.
Telegraph operators have queer ex-
periences at times, especially ut the
lonely railroad stations where travel is
light, hours lorg and the work is done
at night. An experience meeting of
sailors, so far as the yarn spinning is
concerned, Is rs mild compared to n
telegraphers' social session as milk is to
tar's shore leave. Several knights Of
the key were sitting about q table down
town after hours recently, when the
tongues began to wag about expert
ences. Gil Bradley started the ball.
Il was sent enc night 70 sub on the
Texas and Pacific at a little station
called Gordon he said. "There was
ore hotel Of four rooms a mile from the
telegraph station and two or three
cabins about the same distance of. The
regular operator had his roons over the
station and freighthouse, where sup
plies were received for the coal mines
several miles away. 1t was the loneliest
place l ever struck, but l had to work
After fixing things l lay down on n
bench 10 wait for the next freight
suppose dozed, for jumped up with q
start at feeling a cold, wet nose showed
into my face. There was q big New
foundland dog wasgicg his tail as mer-
rlly as buZZsaw cuts through soft
wood. Well, that dog ran first to the
lighted lantern ON the door, then back
to me, and then pretty soon began to
think something was wrong. Up got.
and he led me all through the freight
house. up TO the operators rooms and
back to the Office; then calmly went to
sleep with one eye open and one ear
pricked up. ] waited for the train, but
before l heard it he began to bark
THE next night the same perform
ance. Well, after that l used to go TO
sleep. and fer the week was there that
dog kept watch. You see, the regular
was fond Of sleep at night, so be could
play poker all day. / never told on him,
but that was a well trained dog
That's 10 experience" said Billy
Marshall. There was only half q thrill
i'll that. Why. i'll 1855, during the biz
zard, l was holding down a night job
III New jersey. 1t was the dreariest
spot that a railroad official could pick
out for station. 1t was go quiet i'll the
daytime that you could hear the sun
light CLINT and at night the shadows
fall. 1t was showing when l went on
at night, and all trains were blocked.
and by morning l was almost buried.
My lunch was long ago gone, and felt
like grinding my teeth into some break
fast. Dinner time came and went, sup
per hour passed. and no relief arrived.
l chewed Oh lead pencils and rubber
bands until felt like girl bookkeeper
pulled III my belt and nearly cut my
self in two, but the old hunger was
there just the same. So [ tried 20 sleep,
but there was no sleep III me with that
gnawing at my stomach.
All at once | saw three muskrats
come up through hole in the floor.
Muskrat was better than starvation, SO
l made fer them with u poker, killed
one. and the others got away to freeze
TO death. SHINING that fellow and
dressing him didn't take long, and with
wire rugged broiler. You bet your
life the smell Of that cooking rat was
just great JOY. and I'm no chink either.
1t just tickled me SO that l fell as!eer
and only woke up when he was SO burned
that the odor nearly choked me-
THE snowplow came along soon,
however, aud when got filled up again
l was sort of glad | hadn't put down
the old muskrat after all. He might no;
have agreed with mc. New York sun.