Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1897-04-15
CELESTIAL TELEGRAPHY
BY LAWRENCE BOONE.
copyright, 1877


erybody knew that it never contained
anything of special value. 1t served well
enough to hold the books and papers
of the office and little loose change;
there was practically no business done
at Dumphy's. If it had been otherwise
the station would never have been left
in charge of a mere girl like Lena
6tearns.
Fifteen years ago it was quite an
other story. At that time Dumphy's
Glen was in the midst of it's boom as
a prospective summer resort; and when
-Iena's father bought the barren little
plot of gravel and bare granite upon
which he had erected his store, he had
paid for it at the rate of $40 front
foot, and had trouble in getting it at
that. But he had died long since,
broken in fortune and in spirit. The
big, dismantled ''Sanatorium" on the
hill was utterly abandoned. Half the
glass in it's dark, dirty windows was
broken; squirrels scurried over the sag
ging verandas; the varying shingles
blew down from the roof in every
storm; the caves were hive for wasps
and hornets. The streets that had
been so hopefully laid out led no.
where. Park avenue" started we'll,
but soon lost itself among brambles and
bushes; it's pretentious name hung
askew from it's rotten post, held by one
rusty nail.
The store, however, was still kept
up, for there was still little country
trade. Mrs. Stearns lived with her
daughter in the upper story, and man
aged to sell, or barter, across the dingy
counter, cotton thread, nails, molasses,
and patent medicine enough to pay the
interest on the mortgage and live. Lena,
who was now 1S, had to do something
of course; and as she was Enthusiastically
a bright girl, and had mastered book
keeping and telegraphy, she easily OBJ
tanned the unimportant position of sta
ton agent at Dumphy's, where she
sold half dozen tickets week, tagged
a train when there was passenger, and
boarded at home.
Lena was not only bright and eff
cient, but decidedly pretty. This fact
had been discovered by John Sturgin,
the station agent at Pine Ridge, ten
miles above; it was a source of regret
to him that he was not the only dis
coverer. As it was, he perversely
turned his back on the well stocked
stores at the ridge and did a suspicious
amount of trading at the Glen. He
also did more telegraphing at times
than business seemed to require. The
wires must have felt queer thrill as
some of those messages pulsed through
them-though the words were as triv-
ial and as remote from the sentiments
they voiced as in any other rustic court
ship.
Though scarcely any money ever
found Judgment at Dumphy's Glen, a
good deal passed through it. About
20 miles below were the great saw
mills at Sabine Falls, and every week
a heavy cash box was expressed thith-
er from the city to pay the men. The
train which conveyed it, however,
scarcely ever stopped at the little flag
station; but there was one notable ex-
ception.
1t was about the middle of March,
and heavy rains had stripped the hills
of their white winter cloaks. They're
Just like folks who lay off their wraps
too soon,' thought Lena, drawing her
fleecy "fascinator" more closely about
her neck and shoulders-for the sky
had cleared and the air was growing
frosty-"They look as if they were
catching their death of cold.''
She was standing on the PLATFORM.
watching the belated express as it
rounded the curve. To her surprise, it
slowed and came 20 a stop, though she
had not tagged it. The door of the
baggage. car slid open, and the agent
jumped out, dragging the cash box
after him.
"Shall have to leave this here to-
night" he explained. bad washout
at Tamarack creek, three miles down,
and we can't get through to Sabine
possibly; orders are to run back at
once. Have wired to the mills to send
men round by the road, and they'll be
here soon. It'll be all right; nobody
else will know the stuff's here. Come
we'll put it in the safe for you
So Lena opened the safe while the
agent with the help of a brakeman
brought in the box. 1t was snug fit,
though she pulled out all the books to
make room for it. Then the men
boarded the train, which slowly backed
up the line until il was out of sight.
The girl reentered the depot, locked
the door. threw fresh supply Of coal
on the fire, and waited alone for the
messenger from the mills. An hour