Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-11-16
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picked wire running to Chicago Tho
operator on the corresponding side in
Chicago was Miss Amy Davidson. Both
were expert, and the manner in which
they kept their message hooks clear
excited the admiration Of the chief in
their respective Offices O Meara was II
handsome and intelligent Young Irish
man, with jet black hair ami nustache
and great, soulful blue eyes-one of the
kind of mon who seem almost uncon-
sciously TO possess the power of fascina-
tion over women.
After having worked the wire to
gether few months O Meara and Miss
Davidson became well acquainted al
though, of course. neither had ever seen
| the other. They had abundant oppor-
/ tunities for conversation in the early
morning before tho rush of business for
| the day began and in the late after
noon when the rush was over
| There is sort of telcpathy in tel
! egraphy, as all photographers admit and
there certainly was in this case Long
before any word Of love had passed over
/ tho wire between them each had be
come conscious of tender regard for
/ the other O'Meara could recognize in
an instant the touch Of a strange hand
on the key in Chicago, and Miss David
son was as quickly conscious of the
change when any other than O Mears s
hand manipulated the transmitter in
I New York. There is ~ much that is
distinctly characteristic in the manner
in which telegraphers form the dots
and dashos as there is in the manifold
forms Of chirography.
One morning Amy complained Of
feeling i'll II am afraid" she said
"that | will have to give up and 90
home | would do SO surely if | could
afford TO lose the time My head aches
dreadfully. Dear me What would my
mother and sister do if | should become
really sickY They have nobody TO take
care of them but me.
There was tremulousness in the dots
and dashes which plainly indicated to
O'Mcara that the girl, thousand milce
away, was weeping softly, as indeed she
was, with her head resting YEARLY
against tho resonatOr containing the
/ SOuuuer. lie repueu.
TRY to stick it ont today, dear.
We will take it easy, and perhaps you
will feel better by tomorrow. At any
rate don't worry"
1t was the first time he had used any
term Of ondearnent in their inter
course. and she was much affected. But
she Frightened up a little and MANAGE
Z 20 sta
Next morning O'Meara found E
strange operator at the Chicago end o.
the wire, and when he inquired fol
Miss Davidson he was told that she wa,
very i'll. The poor fellow realized now
if he never had before, that he wa
deeply in love with a woman he haC
never seen. He became so fre9ful an(
irritable as to excite comment among
the others in the Office.
"What on earth is the matter witt
O'Meara ." asked one of the operator
on the opposite side Of the quad" o
the man who sat at the next instru
ment.
Il guess he's in love with that Chi
cago girl who is sick, was the reply.
One morning the answer made by thu
Chicago operator to O Meara' inquir.
as TO Miss Davidson s condition con
tanned but one word-"Dead! -
O Meara uttered kind Of moan. an,
his head fell upon his desk When on,
Of the chiefs aroused him, he found tn
young mans face flushed ard his eve
bloodshot O'Meara was sent home
where he remained for weeks sufftrln.
from a severe attack of brain fever
When at last he had recovered and re
turned to the Office TO report for duty
the chief told him to take his usual sea
at the Chicago quadruploX
eff you d just as lief give me anothc
wire, I'd rather have it." OMear
said. 81 don't think l care to wori
with Chicago any more.
There was a twinkle in the eye 0
the chief rs he said:
You used TO do some fine work o.
that Chicago wire
perhaps So " Meara replied sadly
"hut l had a fine operator to wor
with
"WeN," said the chief "that's a fin
operator there yet-the same one, | be
lieve that was there before.
That cannot be-for she is dead =
This with a great sob
Il think you had better return to III
old wire, for the present at least, tn
chief said. Then, if you are not sati,
fed, | will transfer you to some othc
circuit
o. Meara walked slowly over to hi
old place to relieve the man who was a
the moment receiving some message
from Chicago As he neared the instIU
! ment and heard the characters comm
. with dearly loved and familiar SCUM
his heart almost stopped beating :
, overwhelming was the surge of emo
, ton. He listened "A moment until at TN
, beginning of another message came tn
signal OF the sending operator "A. d.
, "Who, III heavens name, is there i
Chicago, he almost shouted, "tht
r dares to sign A. ID. ? -
Amy Davidson, of course" wa
his friend reply.
, Don't trihe with me- O'Mear
: cried. "Amy Davidson is dead"
/ Not by a long shot, - said the oper
: ator making way for OMeara. 81
! Was only a rumor that some chuck
:, headed ass accepted as fact. She hS
been back at work for two weeks
more From the manner in which ST