The Meeker herald., 1907-06-29
The Night
OpsEatsr's Tale

railroad station IL not all one
krand song," said the laxative rail.
road telegraph operator. "Of course.
the hardest part Of tho work 10 to
keep awake through the silent
watches Of the night.
"A year or 20 ago was night op-
orator at Yankee Corners. After 81
stebbins from the post once came
over to get the seven O'Clock mail bag
| wouldn't see soul all night. am
not naturally timid. but was always
fearful lest some Of the wandering
hoboes might get yearning to $50
what was in the safe and give mo .
rap over the coco when wasn't look
Ing.
ITO give things a more cheerful
aspect, the safe we had in the ticket
office had three or four holes in It.
made by drills Of burglars in Pre-
vious unsuccessful attempt to get
through the Interference of the safe.
That was before night operator was
Installed at the Corners.
Now. 1t would take = gentleman Of
wonderful buoyancy Of spirits to sit
In the once night after night glancins
at those drill holes in the safe with
out getting pessimistic and falling ~
speculating rs to whether the burg
lars were strong men with scars on
their faces. etc., and how long 1t
would be before they would think II
necessary to call again.
Yankee Corners was q nag stop for
the midnight express. It wasn't often
that anyone travelling In the direction
of that village was out 80 late Ut
night; therefore L was surprised to
see her slow up one night and. stop
ping. observe the brakeman carrying
on an inanimate object. They raped
on the station room door.
Here's dark man with q pack
age for you. BILL said one Of them ~
l opened tho door. I suppose It's
against your rules. but II you leave
this one outside he'll be chawed up
into stew beef by morning
Il unlocked the waiting room door
and they laid the man with q thirty
snake jag on one Of the benches. He
just lay there and snored while
traipsed back to the ticket once to
renew my vigil by the drill holed safe.
Say, II you ever want real hard
job just try to keep awake while liz
tening to some one else snore. It's
the surest cure for insomnia You ever
tried. just sat there and winked and
blinked.
IAN Of q sudden the snoring ceased.
~ Aa~t~rk nmo Arrv s~vs,v nv~~n ~3t0n
crash aad before could wink IN
eyelash / was looking down tho bar
rel Of . 10 hcrse power pistol and -
hind Il was tie man With the sosss
He was sober eaough now.
X " Come across with the combine
ton O. that cake box. son. he said. or
I'll make You look like the Hoosic tun-
mel with the pip. Be good. Chester.
and l wont harm you
HE played the game well. got In.
side the station on q phony jag and
now was going after the safe. ! did
some rapid IRE thinking and decided
to simulate fright didn't have to
do much Stimulating at that-and give
the wrong gig on the safe.
"Ie might play with 1t for . while
and maybe some freight would happen
along and come to my rescue. The
signals were set at. danger and they
would have to stop. managed To
gasp out some figures and turns.
".Now, Chester remarked my mid
night caller, I'll Just tether you here
In TIE corner where ] can look at you
willis go south after the money
with that he stood me up In cor
ner with my wrists and ankles bound
80 tightly that twinges Of pain ran
all through my system. He fused and
fumed around that safe, but Of course
couldn't get 1t open, while hoped
and prayed for the freight that didn't
come. Finally he gave up with .
curse.
"'Now, papa's little man. he said to
me, you've not been playing fair. You
tried to buffalo me. but it won't work.
I've wasted so much time that I've got
to work fast now and blow the safe
open. I'm going to leave you tied In
that corner. You'll resemble Hoboken
after . premature explosion in the
tunnel when it's all over
.Thsn he unlimbered his kit of tools
and began working at the drill holes
where his predecessors left OF. II
didn't take him long to finish drilling
and then he set the charge.
Farewell, Chester was his part.
ing remark. You're about to go to
your reward. There will be vacancy
on the night force at Yankee Corners
tomorrow.
AFTER h. had lighted the fuse the
cracksman sidestepped to safe
place. wriggled and squirmed and
twisted while the fuse burned nearer
and nearer. but the cords on my wrist
only seemed to get tighter and tight
er. The fuse was at the end
Bang! bang! bang!
".Say there, you dope. II you don't
mil hack YOUR signals and let me 70