The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1904-10-26
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9AsY one dreary December night
some three years ago.
My name, then, is Olive Hudson, and
! was seventeen years old that same
December night and so very small that
Mrs. knights Dollie, who was not
twelve, was half a head tale. than
myself.
We were rich folks once, but father
died and left us very poor Mother
struggled along in q weary hand-to-
hand fight with poverty til was six
teen, and died. She had rented two
rooms of Mrs. Knight, a widow also,
with two stalwart sons. an aged father
and two daughters. After mother died,
/ was adopted by the knights, and
although was earning a support as
music teacher In the Baysville Acad-
emy, was like one of the family when
! was In my good landlady's home.
They We're all in good positions, al
though by no means an arlstocratic
family. John, the eldest son, was in
New York in a wholesale sugar house;
Tom was the night watchman of the
we all called him grandpa-was tcle-
graph operator of the town, while Mary
was a milllner, and Dolly still at
school.
Baysvllle Bank Building was a large
granite structure, containing the post
office and bank on the first floor, the
telegraph office and number of pri-
vate law offices on ,he second floor,
and other private offices on the third
floor In the basement were post
Office rooms for sorting the mail, and
also the large bank vaults.
knew the building WELL for | was
fond Of telegraphing and spent half
my leisure time perched up beside
grandpa in his Office, sending and re-
ceiving messages, while he slept peace
fully or read the newspapers.
And that was the beginning of my
amusement at Dryden, the next sta
ton. The operator at Dryden was a
wit, and flashed nonsense to our office
when business wCs dull. 1t fell fiat
when grandpa was in the office, but If
! were there, sent back jest for jest,
and sometimes an hour slipped by like
q minute as we talked over the wires
of every topic under the sun. Ee
called himself Lion, ana /, for non
sense, signed myself Elephant, laugh
ing while l did so at the reflection OF
my tiny figure in the office mirror.
Beyond Dryden, and only five miles
from Baysville, was c., large COM
mercial town, The nearest railway sta
ton, and where an office was always
kept open for the accommodation OF
travellers.
AS l have said, Tom Knight was the
night watchman OF Baysvllle Bank
Building and n lonely time he had OF
It. The last mail came in by stage at
A o'clock in the afternoon, and the
postofflce was vacated at 9. The bank
closed at 3. and by every office was
deserted for the night.
At Tom was on duty, and grandpa
who was restless at night, was in the
habit OF taking down some coffee and
luncheon, as the building was only q
stones throw from our house.
On the December night | have al
ready mentioned, it had stOrmed heav
fly all day, and had taken new
class at the Academy, coming home
later in tke day than usual, and excited
over my increase OF salary.
Everybody else had gone TO bed, and
! was lingering over the kitchen fire
with Mrs. Knight, dreadlng the plunge
into my cold room, where | had al
lowed the fire to 90 out
The clock struck II, and Mrs. Knight
lifting her face from over the fire, said
'Do call grandpa, Olive; he's asleeI
on the sofa In the sitting room. II
have Toms basket ready by the tlmC
grandpa has his hat and coat on.
hate TO call him, for he was complain
Ing OF rheumatism to-day, and the
ground is very wet, although the storm
Is over"
Let him sleep" said; "I'll run ovei
with the basket. 1t Is not step"
"But 1t Is so dark. Are you moi
afraidT
mot bit. I'll slip on my water
proof and rubbers, and draw the head
OF the cloak over my head"
"wel, II you will. Though an
afraid Tom VIII scold at my lettin,
you 60"
"Ill put the basket on the table AM
run. and he will never know who lef
It."
go into the rear basement door. II
leaves that open for grandpa"
II know"
grasped the handle OF the baske
hurried across the space between tn
building and the house. and stole softl
IN at the basement door, In pursuanc
OF my plan to drop the basket an
run.
In my rubber shoes my steps wer
noiseless, and I had scarcely passe
the threshold when stood rooted I
the 6oor I'm terrified amazemen
Somebody was talking.
i crept forward and listened. Ther
were men in the bank vault. and
light shone under the door.
while ! listened some one said:
'srhere's confounded draught her
Did you shut the door. SMITH"
~Yss. but the wind may have blow
4 open"