Dots and Dashes: A telegraph love story, a sweet romance from the Gilded Age about falling in love "online"

by Ella Thayer

When a young telegraph operator falls in love “online,” can she overcome crossed wires to make a real connection?Nattie Rogers wants to be a writer, but instead she spends her days working in a dingy telegraph office sending messages in Morse code for an endless stream of annoying customers. Her days get a little brighter, though, when a new operator C joins the line at an office seventy miles away. C is witty and clever, and he has a way with dots and dashes that makes Nattie wish he could be more than an invisible friend.

When Nattie’s wish is fulfilled and C visits her in person, he is nothing like she had imagined from their telegraphic conversations. Will Nattie decide that love is truly blind and give C a chance in the real world, or will their miscommunications mean she is destined to be alone forever?

Originally written nearly 150 years ago at the beginning of the Gilded Age, this charming story has been updated for modern readers. As one of the first depictions of “online” dating, it is a fascinating look into how much—and how little—has changed since the first love letter was transmitted via Morse code. This book also includes reader discussion questions, making it a perfect pick for your next book club meeting.

166 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 26, 2025