Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1900-05-04

Amy Davidson. Both were expert, and
the manner in which they kept their
message hooks clear excited the ad-
miration of the chiefs in their respect
i've offices. O'Meara was a handsome
and intelligent young Irishman, with
jet black hair and mustache and great,
soulful blue eyes-one of the kind of
men who seem almost unconsciously to
possess the power of fascination over
women.
After having worked the wire togeth-
er few months O'Meara and Miss
Davidson became well acquainted, al
though, of course, neither had ever
seen the other. They had abundant
opportunities for conversation in the
early morning before the rush of bust
ness Of the day began and in the late
afternoon when the rush was over.
There is a sort of telepathy in teleg
raphy, all telegraphers admit, and
there certainly was in this case. Long
before any word of love had passed be-
tween them each had become conscious
of a tender regard for the other.
the touch of strange hand on the key
in Chicago, and Miss Davidson was as
quickly conscious of the change when
any other than O'Meara's hand manip-
ulated the transmitter in New York.
There is as much that is distinctly
characteristic in the manner in which
telegraphers form the dots and dashes
as there is in the manifold forms Of
chirography.
One morning Amy complained of
feeling ill., Il am afraid" she said,
that | will have to give up and go
home. l would do so surely if l could
afford to lose the time. My head aches
dreadfully. Dear me! What would
my mother and sister do if l should be-
come really sick? They have no one to
take care of them but me-"
There was a tremuOlousness in the
dots and dashes which plainly indi-
Gated to O'Meara that the girl, q thou
sand miles away, was weeping softly,
as indeed she was, with her head rest
ing wearily against the resonator con-
tanning the sounder. He replied:
TRY to stick it out to-day, 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 endearment in their inter-
course, and she was very much affect
ed. But she frightened up little and
managed to struggle through the days
work.
Next morning O'Meara found
strange operator at the Chicago end of
the wire, and when he inquired for
Miss Davidson he was told that she
was very Ill. The poor fellow realized
now, If he never had before, that he
was deeply in love with n woman he
had never seen. He became so fretful
and irritable as to excite comment
among the others in the office.
what on earth Is the matter with
O'Meara?" asked one of the operators
on the opposite side of the quad" of
the man who sat at the next instru-
ment.
81 guess he's in love with that Chi
cago girl who is SICK" was the reply.
One morning the answer made by the
Chicago operator to O'Meara's inquiry
as to Miss Davidson's condition con-
tained but one word-"Deadw
O'Meara uttered kind of moan, and
his head fell upon his desk. When one
of the chiefs aroused him he found the
young mans face flushed and his eyes
bloodshot. O'Meara was sent home,
where he remained for weeks suffering
from 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 seat
at the Chicago QuadrupleX.
"If you'd just as lief give me another
wire I'd rather have it," O'Meara said.
81 don't think care to work with Chi
cago any more"
There was a twinkle in the eye of the
chief as he said:
"You used to do some fine work on
that Chicago wire"
perhaps So" O'Meara replied sadly,
"but l had fine operator to work
with"
"Well," said the chief, that's fine
operator there yet-the same one, be-
lieve, that was there before"
THAT cannot be-for she is deadw
This with great sob.
81 think you had better return to the
old wire for the present at least" the
chief said. "Then, If you are not salts
fed. | will transfer you to some other
circuit"
O'Meara walked slowly over to his
old place to relieve the man who was
at that moment receiving some mes
sages from Chicago. AS he neared the
instrument and heard the characters