The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1898-11-10
THE AGENTS STORY.

4
may know now how hot it can be on
the prairie where there is no wind.
| was sitting in the little ticket of
| fee of the railroad station at which
was agent From the window [ could
see the hot air rising from the sun
burned buffalo grass. giving to the
| lonely ranch buildings scattered here
and there in the distance, an unstable
wavering appearance, as though they
might at any moment blow away.
Presently ont of the silence there
| came the footballs Of horses hoofs,
stopping at the platform, and follow
e0 by a queer ''pegging' sound over
| the platform and into the waiting
room. | looked up and saw boy OF
about Ii years standing IN the door
way His right leg was amputated
above the knee, and be supported
himself on a pair of light crutches,
which had sling straps like an army
carbine.
He handed me an express order for
a package to Col. Reed, prominent
cattle man, whose ranch buildings
we're about mile south of the track.
Are you the colonel's SOM" l ask
ed as | handed out the package.
Yes, sir" was the reply. Charles
Reed is my name"
Then he turned and looked curious
| ly III at the telegraphic Instruments,
He had such bright, healthy and
wide awake air, that | invited him to
walk in and examine them, if he wish
| ed
His eyes frightened immediately.
'Pd like to. if you don't mind The
afraid to ask him"
Seeing that he was Interested in them,
| briefly explained the working of the
key and sounder, and tried to give
! him some idea how a message was
sent and received. He listened atten
lively and seemed to comprehend
pretty well.
YES" be said, as I concluded, Il
know something about it, though o.
ly through what | have read. Would
| you mind writing out the alphabet for
me?"
| wrote ont the characters on slip of
paper, which he carefully tucked away
IN his pOcketbOok, and then, finding
[ was a stranger TO that part of the
west, Le volunteered some information
about the country, including re
markably accurate description OF the
game birds and their habits, which,
as sportsman, | found very interest
ing. Before he left he told me that
he had lost his leg during an Indian
raid abOnt four years ago, before the
railroad was built. His father
ranch had been attacked without any
warning He was only 10 years old
he slipped away unObserved, and hid
in the corral, and while there, was hit
in the knee by a stray rifle ball.
| accompanied him to the door
when he was ready to go, and was
surprised to see how thoroughly at
home he was on his pony. With his
crutches slung behind him, he swung
nimbly into the saddle and started off
toward home on brisk gallop.
One afternoon, about week later,
he dropped III again having mean
| while learned the telegraphic alpha
| bet SO that he could repeat all the
characters easily, and the next day the
colonel himself dropped in on his way
to town. He was brisk, genial man,
| who had habit of shaking hands
with every one. He was typical
| frontier ranChman.
See here, Mr.. Agent" he said
that boy of mine has hankering to
| learn your business. He's kind of
| lonesome, yOu see-he cant play
with the other boys on account of his
leg-and now if you don't mind hayin
him around, and will teach him all
you can-he's pretty bright, and can
learn most anything-why, I'll make
it worth your while. What's your
charge"
why, colonel" | replied, laughing
at his business-like manner, L SHALL
he glad to have him around-I an
lonesome here-so we won't draw up
any contract"
Charley was an apt pupil In about
Il month he could send and receive
a message, though. of course, not very
rapidly. His father was so delighted
with ms progress that he made me a
present Of a riding pony; and shortly
after, when Charley got 1t into his
head that it would be fine thing to
have private line from the ranch to
| the station, the colonel had me order
two instruments and a coil of wire
from Chicago.
Under my direction the cowboys
put it up, and though 1t wasn't
stretched very tight, and the poles
were only felce posts sphced together
1t worked as we'll as the main line
The instrument On my end of the line
| did not care to have in the office
for fear that otficious gentleman, the
/ lineman, would object, and SO | set il
! up on one side of the big, empty
freight room.
The autumn was now we'll advanc
ed, and found that my duties. in
stead of increasing, grew lighter
| There were but two freight trains
every other day. and the daily mail
| and express, east and west, went
through between the hours of l and 4
in the morning, SO that | had a great
deal of time on my hands. L spent
much of it shooting chickens with
| Charley-he was an excellent shot
| flom the saddle, though he told ne he
had had time of it training his pony
to stand tire-and the rest of the time
| either read or rode ont over the
trails in the delicious Indian summer
weather.
One night about the middle of Oct
ober, We had terrific thunder anG
wind storm, with a binding ffll O.
rain and hail. 1t came up after the
west bound train had left, and abou
an hour before the eastern train wa.
due | was awakened by the noise
and got up to look ont. The rain wa
falling IN torrents, and the wind shool
the building, while the lightning flash
el necessarily.