The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1910-11-26
THAT MONKEY
WRENCH
b. ELSIE B. MATTEsoN

This bit Of heroism was an actual
occurrence.
Molly Thyme was born to the click
ing Of telegraph keys. Her father was
| an agent at station on the o. B. and
@. railroad. and from the time Molly
was ave years old nothing delighted
her 70 much a. to sit in bis lap and
with her little hand under his on the
key send messages. Then when she
knew they were real messages that
were being sent she would be delight
ed.
"Now. dear" he would say after
sending an order for train to come
on. you've ordered up III and she'll
| be here in ten minutes. or when the
hand Of the clock stands there"
Sure enough. when the hand pointed
to the designated figure the train
would steam up to the station.
As Molly grew older her father
taught her the Morse alphabet. and
when one day she sent q message all
by herself her pleasure knew no
bounds. Che continued to practice and
to learn. and By the time she was four
teen she was Of great assistance to
her father.
A year later Tryne fell Ill and died.
Molly was by this time 20 well versed
In telegraphy that the managers Of the
rnilroad continued temporarily her fa-
Tiers salary to her mother. Molly SELL
ing tickets. operating the wires and
acting az dispatcher. OF course she
could not go to school, but. being. am
bilious to learn, she studied at home.
which meant In the ticket and tele-
graph Office. One night she had her
books before her studying when. hear
ing a rap on the window. she looked
up and saw the ugly face Of man.
"What do you want?' she asked. her
heart leaping up into her throat.
"Open the window"
| Molly sat still. not knowing whit to
do. Az to opening the window. she
had no thought Of that.
open the window or FL kill YOU"
Molly sat looking. at him. She may
hnve been paralyzed by fear. Any
way. she made no move to throw up
the sash.
The man smashed a pane of glass
with his fist and put his arm through
the opening to unloosen the catch. but
not finding 1t or because he didn't
know how It worked he concluded to
try to effect IN entrance in another
way. Molly heard his steps as he went
around to the door which opened on
the other side Of the station. Running
from the ONCE. she was at the door
before him and locked 1t. Then she
ran back to her cllcker and called for
help.
In a few moments she had caught.a
station where freight train had Just
pulled In and told the operator there
thnt man was trying to break into
her office. She had hardly got her
message through and received word
that help would be sent at once when
the man appeared again ut the. win
dow.
And now Molly rose to the occasion
like true heroine On her desk was
a little nickel plated monkey wrench.
glistening for all the world like the
polished barrel of pistol. SEEKING 1t
and aiming 1t at the robber. she called
out:
"lf you don't 60 away I'll shoot
you!"'
The man didn't go away. but he
drew buck. and from his walking
around the station Molly knew that he
was trying to find another entrance.
Meanwhile she clicked an inquiry as
to what had been done for her relief
aud was told that the engine of the
train that had come In had been de-
tached and was coming to her as
sistnnce as fast as steam would drive
h with several armed men aboard. 1t
had left several minutes before. and
since 1t could get over mile in a min
ute II should be there In six or seven
minutes
Presently Molly heard its rattle. and
the rObt,er probably heard It. too.
though not us quick as Molly. who was
eagerly expecting 1t. Besides. he was
on the wrong side Of the station to
hear II. Consequently when the To-
connective pulled up he had barely a
minutes start. Leaplng from the cab,
one Of the men sought Molly, while
the rest sought the Ubber. They
caught sight u him running in com
pany with two other men and. calling
on them to halt. fred shot after
them To enforce the order. Every one
Of the fugftives was captured. Then
those who had come to save the lit
tie operntor assembled to hear her
Atory. When she came to the monkey
| wrench that had served for a n,stoi
they were lost In wonder. Taking the
robbers back to the station the rail-
road men had come from. the story
was told and was telegraphed all along
the line. The next day trainmen and
passengers. when they passed the sta.
ton. II they stopped. must nee the
little girl who had stood Cd robber,
and II fhex Aid uoN .Aor, o.o.ua.a =. .