Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1901-09-14

HTHE section boss, with brown jug
in his hand, was coming slowl
3 down the track, stepping heavily from
tie to tie. and pausing often to exam
me some fancied defect in rail o.
%sleeper. Finally he arrived al the sta
ton, and, seating himself on the bag
gage truck beside the Man. drew hi.
Drown. corded arm across his face.
IT'S a warm day we're havin," h'
said.
The operator took his pipe from his
mouth and spat contemporary on
q the ground. "Warml" he exclaimed
4 "You don't call this warm. do you?'
nj may not be warm sittin' here il
the shade wild nothin' TO do, answered
the boss, but just come out an try
& yer hand at liftin' ties in the sun
ENell, | must be filling me jug"
He arose and went slowly across
: the track and up the sandy road
y toward his house. The operator
watched him until he disappeared
q within the door. Closing his eyes
4 the operator tried in vain TO expires.
81 10 himself his utter contempt Of Hob
8son's Crossing aud Of the $50 a month
81 which he received for enduring Is
81 heat and the deadly loneliness 81 the
j long, silent days. Uneonse!ously he
Il formed his thoughts into the words 81
81 IA letter: "Dear Sir; l wish, II you
81 can find nothing better for me than
y this situation, TO tender you my res
n ignation from the position OF opera
a tor az Hohson's Crossing. ] viii res
J main here until you can send a man
! to relieve me"
i o. the bench inside the office, G
4 sounder, ancient ana dirt-encrusted.
4 suffered al periodical intervals. AZ
s he Man listened idly 10 ITS mutter-
sings he became aware Of a converse
tiou which was being carried on over
] he wire.
"Do you love me, Daisy. dearg'
zasked the sounder.
ayes, George, you know do. What
makes you ask?"
Il just wanted 10 know, Daisy. dear. 4
II was the smart Western Union cpl
serator in Chicago WIG was making
4 the crippled old sounder al Hobson s
Crossing scratch and squeak with hisI
clean-eut, rapid Morse. The Nan a II
Hobson's became suddenly interested
He arose. and going into the lituel
office, skIifully adjusted the screws
and drew up the spring Of the MAJ
chine, so that the letters came in u
clear and steady hum. This was thel
kind of stuff the Man loved TO hear, forl
he himself was an adept with III
key, and in his happier days had mas
tered the mysteries Of the Associated
Press code. Love passed in streak
and flashes over the wire The Chi-l
lcaco operators style was clear. sharp
and beautiful The girl up n Roches-
ter strove 20 initiate e., but with in-
different success Her style lacked
he finish OF the master hand Asl
The Man al Hobson's listened hisI
fingers itchcd 10 take the key and
once more make the sounder purr i
10 his happier days, Suddenly an nj
spiration came To him He looked q
the clock It was 3;45, and the chi
lcago operator would 60 off duty
four o'clock.
"rn 40 it," exclaimed the Man,
bringing down his fist on the bench
The next quarter of an hour he spend
in adjusting the screws of the heavy
old brass key. He took out the lever
rubbed the dust of il with his hand
kerchief. and polished the platinum
points till they shone Then he put
back the lever and carefully turned
the screws until he could just see the.
light between the points Of contact
At five minutes past four he opened
he key and said, softly; Hello, DaisyI
dear"
Eyes. George"
"Do YOU love me still?s whizzed theI
old brass key.
Gracious, George!" said the girl
l"Don't send so fast; you frightenI
lme."
I'm not sending fast" hummed thel
Man. Il couldn't send slower than this
( I tried. l just wanted TO tel you
Daisy, that / think you're just about
the incest girl that ever"
"Why don't You ever come up to see
me. then?" flashed the girl. "You'vei
been saying such things as that fori
the last six months; you've agreed al
come half a dozen times. but You
never come Now, George. you lis
ten to me- If you don't come up next
Sunday, as You agreed, In neverl
speak another word to you on this
wire So, therel"
Leaning back in his chair, the Man
Hooked at the pile of ties on the other
side of the track and wondered If the
operator in Chicago intended to go uni
to Rochester next Sunday. Probably
not. Those city operators were i'm
pecunious chaps, and 10 the best oil
them four or five dollars car fare would
be a good deal Of an obstacle, even in
the path of love. The Man at Hob
sons Crossing thought hard. Here
was a situation which required all his
noxvars of dfnIonarv This invftaffor