Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1898-03-23
A TELEGRAPHICWOOING
b. LAC ANDERSON.

prised at finding himself deeply in love
with a girl whose name he did not
even know. 1t happened in this way:
Tom was telegraph operator in the
city, but lived in o small suburban
town. AS he sat in the train one morn
ing on his way in 10 work, he noticed
among the passengers who boarded tie
train at one of the stations, q beautiful
girl who entered his car and took the
seat directly in front Of his. The
morning paper had no further interest
for Tom that day. All the way in to
town he sat watching the girl in front
of him. I shall not attempt to de-
scribe her. Tom says she is the most
beautiful girl he ever saw. Of course
he i prejudiced, but 1 must admit
that l have only seen one girl who sur
pa sed her. However that has nothing
to do with my story.
What impressed my friend e, en- more
than her beauty was her exit enc
modesty-not the timid, futtering
kind Of modesty, which is so easily imi-
tated by the heartless coquette, but the
strung, self-reliant kind, which makes
men keep their distance, She did not
shrink from the admiring glances be-
slowed upon her By every man in the
car; neither did she encourage them.
She simply ignored them. A man who
would attempt to hirt with such girl
must either be fool or he gifted with
unlimited assurance. Tom was
neither; SO he contented himself with
admiring her in silence.
Week after week went On and each
day found poor Tom more and more
deeply in love, The unconscious OBJ
ject of his alteration Travelled on the
same train every day. Sometimes she
sat near him and his eyes neary de-
yourel her wonderful beauty. At
other times she sat at the other end Of
the car, where he could only catch oc.
casional glimpses OF her past the heads
of his fellow passengers. One day he
made great discovery. Her name was
Helen. He had heard girl friend
call her so. That night Tom sat up
until three o'clock writing love letters
to Helen, and tearing them up as fast
as he wrote them.
The next morning Helen again &C.
cupied the seat just in front OF Tom.
He sat gazing at her and building
castles in the air. Presently his mind
turned TO the love letters he had been
writing ard he began TO frame new
one, Az he unused, he idly fingered
the window catch, which made click
ing sound similar to that of telegraph
instrument. Uncons cious!y he spelled
out the words Ct the letter.
Dearest Helen" ran the message
81 love you dearly. Say you will be
mine ard -" but he got no further
for suddenly the girl turned in her
seat and looked him full in the face
her eyes blazing with indignation.
Then she turned back and Selling the
catch on her window, clicked out the
reply:
Elbow dare your
Tom was completely dambfounded.
He felt like jumping out of the window
and ending his miserable existence.
He reflected, however, that such rash
proceeding would do him no good and
might possibly wound the feelings OF
the young lady. Moreover, his first
duty was to apologize. Of course 1t
would not do any good. She would
ever have anything to do with such
an idiot as he had shown himself to be-
Still he could not well leave matters as
they were, so he again reached tor the
window catch.
81 beg your pardon" clicked the
improvi:ed key.
"Your iusolence is unpardonabe,
was the reply.
But let me explain. did no
know--"
81 don't care to hear your expl,na
ton
Just then the tran pulled into tn
| station and the offended girl left tn
car without SO much as looking back
Tom went to his work with a heav.
heart. He cOu'd think of nothing els
all day but the stupid blunder whicl
had destroyed all possibility of hi
ever winning the heart of the fai
telegraph OPERATOR.
On the following morning he too.
an ca lier train than usual, in order t
avoid meeting The fair Helen. But h