The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1899-08-11
A DOG TELEGRAPHER
= HE old time operator, who long ago


next room. He got as far as Il will be
ho-" and then repeater nearer him be-
gan to clatter with a market report going
across the continent and drowned out the
clicking that told of some ones homecom-
ing.
That market report gong out west," re-
marked the old-tme operator to no one in
particular, reminds me of a good story an
old partner who worked out there, told
me-"
That SOP" said the clerk, glancing up for
moment. "What was it?"
The messenger quieted and drew closer.
Being thus encouraged, the old-timer con-
tinued:
"Blly was working for some rusty rail
road, and there were only two stations on
the line, beside the terminals. Billy was
the whole thing at one of these stations, and
a young fellow whose call over the wire
was 81 was operator at the other. The way
Billy told it he didn't see very many human
beings in month, and anything out of the
usual that turned up was a theater to him.
Well, he was standing in the door of the
station one hot afternoon wishing for some
thing to happen, and suddenly little yell
low cur appeared around the curve to the
east and came trotting toward the station.
Billy said that the dog seemed to have a
smile on its face. 1t squatted on the plat
form and looked up at Billy. Billy spoke
to it, and it seemed that the dog had the
most nervous tail he had ever seen dog
wear. As Billy went on to talk to the cur
the tail became more agitated, and here's
where the story comes in. Billy caught the
rapping of the dog S tail on the planks. The
raps made four dots, dot, long dash, five
dots, over and over again-l suppose you
boys have learned the CODE" said the story
teller, turning to the messengers, "and
know that that spells the word 'help?"
Some of the boys nodded and some only
looked sheepish.
when the dogs TAIL" he continued,
"kept on pounding out that word help
Billy realized that the cur was wonder,
and he called it into the office. A dog tele-
graph operator, even if he can only make
one word, isn't to be run across every day.
The little cur was desperately hungry and
gobbled up big chunk of meat that Billy
gave him. Then it jumped on the desk
and lay down, as if he were used to no other
bed
"The road that Billy worked for was
principally carrier for silver bullion from
mines and smelters at one terminal to
trunk line at the other terminal. OF course,
there was considerable attraction for train
robbers, but there hadn't been hold-up
since Billy had been employed on the road.
Just at this time, however, a gang of des-
perate men-and they weren't hard to find
in the west those days-had determined to
have try at the bullion train. The trains
had TO slow up on the curve just east of
Billy's station, and this point was chosen
by the robbers as the right place for them
to operate. Accordingly, few nights after
Billy had adopted the dog operator, he
was awakened by rough hand being laid
on his mouth, and an equally rough voice
told him to keep his head shut. Billy was
dazed, of course, but he realized what was
going on, particularly when one of the men
in the office took down the red lantern from
its nail and lighted it.
"The gang agreed that Billy must be tied,
and he was soon fastened good and tight to
his narrow bed with long piece of rope.
The gang then went outside. Billy was
sort of dizzy with excitement, but when he
turned his head and saw the little yellow
cur squatting on the table near the key
and sounder, feeling that he had pal
came over him. He spoke softly to the dog,
and that started the nervous tail. The tail
hit the key, and Billy could tell by the
sound that by some chance it was open. The
dog sent that one word help over and over.
BILLY kept on talking to the dog and
wondering what the effect of the nervous
tail would be in BIS office. By stretching
his neck he could see through the window,
for the moon was up, that the desperadoes
were at the curve. They were too far away
to hear the instrument. The train would
be there in an hour, Billy calculated. The
minutes dragged on, and the dog curled up
and went to sleep. just then the sounder
began. B. had been awakened by the click
ing of the instrument. lie asked what was
the matter again and again, and all Billy
could do was to lie there and swear, and
presently the sounder shut down. Billy
could not make himself believe that the
good luck would happen that the other op-
orator would stop the train and warn the
crew. He didn't know what bright young
fellow B. was.
'It seemed hours 20 Billy before he heard
the distant roar of the coming train. Pret-
ty soon the track began to sing, and the
train was only short distance the other
side of the curve. The suspense must have
been something terrible. The train stopped,
obeying the signal of the red lantern swung
across the track. In moment more Billy
heard a volley of shots. \ bullet tore
through the thin planking of Billy's little
office. The little dog yelled, and next Billy
heard a sound of men running. Then some
one threw the door of Blly's office open,
and the trainmen came in. Billy was re-
leased and explanations We're made. The
other operator had warned the trainmen that
something was wrong at Bily's station, and
everyone was ready with rifles and revolvers
The gang that had intended to loot the bull
lion train was surprised and had fed That
was all Billy wanted of working there, and
he soon came east, bringing the dog with
him."
The story was done. The boys had been
intensely interested, The new kid, who
had stood through it all with his mouth
partly open, suddenly came to and asked:
What come NV tn dog, mister?"
The old-time operator looked down at him
seriously.
"You want to know what became of the
dog do you?" he said well, let me see.
Oh, yes; | remember. got letter from
Billy afterward, saying a n.ighbor had poi
soned the dog because he had been chasing
his chickens. Say (this to the clerk, let
me see you a minute" And the two drew
aside.
The new kid was laus',g. The other boys
grinned cynically. "Wonder what kind of
dope he burns?" said one.
\ quarter changed from the clerks pock-
ct to the old-time operators, Il had ex-
pected letter." be explained, confidential
y, but it didn't come, and | am little
hard pushed. | think | can do some work
here this week"
The clerk was somewhat dubious but