Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-01-28
By TELEPHONE.

for tho night to Graysford, whore
Mrs. Bartlett's sister was lying So
riously i'll, and jennie was left to
keep the tollGatC alone. 1t was not
Il difficult task, for scarcely any one
travelled over the Darlington road
after o'clock, and those who did
passed through the open gate with
out paying toll.
But even if the task had been
harder Jennie would have been
equal to it She had lived at the
tOllg0tC ever since she was Il baby,
and knew perfectly we'll what to
charge and how to give the proper
change indeed she often took toll
for her father when he was at home,
and people passing through would
wonder how SO bright and pretty a
girl could grow up III SO lonesome a
place.
Jennie, however, did not mind the
consequences. Her dearest wish was
to go to a boarding school, but as
long rs she was at home it mattcred
little to her that harrington was
three miles off ON the one hand and
WcyCcstcr ten miles on the other,
and that there was scarcely n house
between She oven liked the soil
tudc and was almost sorry when
the telephone connecting Barring
ton with WCyCcstCr made COnnec-
ton 10y the way with the tollgate.
Before that they seemed to be out
Of the world, and the people coming
through the gate were like visitors
from another sphere. Now the fire.
Qucnt ringing of the call bell re-
minded her that civilization was not
SO far distant after all. On this par
ticular night there was not liable to
be even the usual number of pass
ersby. Looking out Of the door
about 9 o clock, Jennie could hardly
see more than 100 feet either up or
down the road 1t would be bad
night, she thought, for the gate to
swing shut. Anybody coming alone
might run into it without warning.
For that matter, people might run
into the posts on either side. So she
hung a lantern on one post to pre-
vent this accident, and, going into
the house, locked the door and went
to bed. The fact that she was alone
in the house did not disturb her in
the least, and in a minute or two
she was fast asleep.
Some time in the night she was
suddenly awakened by the ringing
of the telephone bell. She listened
confusedly to hear if it would ring
three times, which was the tollgate
signal. If it rang oftener, it was to
call up some of the other people on
the same wire. Two of the connec-
tons she knew were in Weycester,
the third and fourth were in the
Darlington bank, the fifth in the
tannery and the sixth in the central
office ut Darlington. In the Devil
dermcnt jennie could not determine
ut first how many times the bell did
ring, but at last she decided it was
siX-the call for the Darlington cen
trail Office. That did not mean the
tollgate, of course, and Jennie pre-
pared to turn over for another nap
when Il sudden thought aroused her.
1t was certainly after midnight,
and the central office did not keep
open later than u o'clock. The
bank, too, was shut up, and so was
the tannery-On the whole line she
was probably the only person who
could hear the bell. What if 1t
should be something important2 IN
deed it would hardly ring at that
time of night unless it were impor.
tant
Quickly jumping out of bed, she
ran to the instrument, put the receiv-
er to her ear, and called through the
hansmittur:
"Hello! HcllOI"
A voice came back to her, so dis
tinct that it seemed almost in the
same room, saying:
Hello! Is that the central Officer"
The tone was quick and sharp,
and Jennie felt sure that something
must have happened.
"No, sir, she called. It's the
tollgatc In Jennie Bartlett"
Tell your father to come here
immediately" the voice said. It's
very important"
Jennie felt Il sinking at her heart.
"Father,s away,' she said, land
I'm here alone"
She heard the voice eXclaim some
thing in an impatient tone, and then
the sound of two or three people
talking, as though there was some
doubt as 70 what could be done.
Can l do anythingl" she inquir-
ed, almost hoping that she could not.
Another conversation followed,
which Jennie overheard; the speak
ers were no doubt nearer the tele-
phone.
"Why do you want to let them
get into Darlington at all2" the
voice asked. why not stop them
at the tollgate2"
'To be sure, ;" said another. IF
thy get past the gate as likely as
not they'll turn down the Riverton
road, and get Allen off the track
They can't turn off before they
reach the gate. We are sure of them
rs far as that. y
Tell the girl And Jennie
caught only confusion of sounds.
Presently she heard another Hell
or
"HelloN she responded.
"The Worcester bank has been .