Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1898-07-14

were leveled at herself,
This may all seem enigmatlcal to the
reader, but will assume an aspect OF
entire plauslbllity In the light OF the
fact that she and were telegraph OPP
orators at wldely-separated stations on
a western railway, She knew as little
OF the young man with whom she dali
ly chatted as l did of herself. We had
each drawn an ideal picture OF the per-
sonal appearance OF the other, and In
our frequent conversations over the
wire, each had In mind q face and fig-
ure to whom the remarks were adj
dressed, had pictured her aB q
bright-eyed, laughing, jolly little crea-
ture, with golden curls and silvery
voice, | often wondered what sort OF
a mortal picture she had drawn Of my
SELF
Red Rock, where was located, was
n station on the Santa Fe railway, in
the Cherokeen strip Of Oklahoma, be-
fore that now famous stretch of land
was purchased by the government from
the Indians and thrown open for set
Element The population OF the town
(Y) consisted Of burly section fore
man, Of Milesian extraction; his wife,
a red-faced, red-armed woman, who
had no aspirations outside the limits
Of her not oyer-clean Kitchen; four
section laborers, and myself, the agent
and operator for the railway company,
The country was, at the time Of which
write, u Wild one, inhabited only by
Indians, few cattlemen who leased
grazing lands from the aboriginal own
ers, the cowboys who looked after the
scattered herds, and rowing bands OF
desperadoes under the leadership OF the
Dalton brothers, the most famous OF
whom, Bill Dalton, was punctured by
well-directed bullet from the rife OF u
deputy United States marshal but
few days ago, and who died with pistol
In hand curslng the shot which had
laid him low.
Miss Rankin was my predecessor In
the position Of agent and operator at
Red Rock. She learnt the art Of tel
egraphy In the train dispatcher's office
at Arkansas City, where her widowed
mother resided, and when competent
to assume charge Of a small station,
had asked for and been given posi-
ton at Red Rock, She tired, Of a
while, Of the lonely monotony OF that
obscure station, and asked to be sent
to one less isolated from mankind; and
when one day the operator at Ed
mond, further down the line, reported
that his fingers had been "pinehed"
while endeavorlng to couple two cars
together, and that he must hasten to
Arkansas City for surgical attention,
the Red Rock agent was telegraphed
instructions to lock up her depot, leave
the key in the care Of the section fore
man, and proceed on train then al
most due to Edmond, and assume
charge until the injured agent should
return. was at the time an extra
operator" on q Kansas division, and
on the afternoon Of the day on which
Miss Rankin left Red Rock, found
myself sitting in her recently vacated
chair for an indefinite stay at the lone
ly station.
My first train report had scarce an
nounced my presence to the operators
up and down the line, ere Edmond
called me up. She expressed regret
that she had been denied the privi-
lege Of extending to me personal well
come to my new home, said she hoped
| would find the station pleasant one,
and asked me II would not kindly
collect number OF feminine trifies
which she had overlooked In packing
her trunk, and then send them down
to her. She would be ever 30 much
obliged, and should an opportunity pre-
sent itself, would certainly reciprocate
my kindness. That was my first
meeting" with o lady who was soon
destined to play heroic part in a
| UTILIZING ADVENTURE III "hiSh was
prominent figure.
Little by little Miss Rankin and my
self became acquainted over the wire.
We were soon holding daily CONVERSE
lions, then semi-daily, and then our
chats became 30 frequent that at times
Jealous operators at other stations
would break In on our conversation
with hints that some one was mash
cd" on some one else, and that we had
better give the suffering wire rest
and do our spooning by mail. TO these
ungentlemanly Interruptions We paid
but little attention, but continued our
Iong-distance intercourse, as l be-
fore remarked, falling more hopelessly
in love with my new friend as the days
sped by, and often wondering II reel
predatory feeling was not growing In
warmth at the other end OF the wire.
was young man Of but 20, very
susceptible to female charms, and as
was then denied even look at a
pretty face, aside from fleeting glimps-
es Of female passengers on passing
trains, came to regard Miss Rankin
as my best girl" and her personal
telegraphic signal, "Cr," became the
sweetest sound my instrument clicked
into my ears
Modesty, coupled with fear Of be-
Ing "guyed," had prevented me from