The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1864-12-21

own.
Sad Result OF n cipher Dispatch,
Goid spectators are tie most unscru
pulous fellows in the world. To acquire
q little OF the vile dross of this earth, thew
hesitate at nothing. They will converse
with one another over the telegraph wires
about sick wives aud small poxed chill
dren, aud dead aunts, and rheumatic
uncles. when in fact, they only mean to
say that gold is rising, or stocks are fall
ing /; that Erie is steady or that five-twen
ties are hrn l want IN this paragraph,
to give TO all who thus trife with such
. solemn matters as the death Of a vile. or
the decease OF an aunt, however bad the
temper ot the former may be, or however
much the demise of the latter NAV be dc
sired-s solemn warning Of the evil fleets
which may follow, and | will do SO by
narratlug the following circumstances
There is gentleman living with his
wife IN this city. who is partner in gold
\ speculatipns with relative, by marriage,
who resides 10 New York l. is the buSi-
ness OF the Washington partner TO com
mucate army news, Congressional ,u-
mors. aud other matters which he thinks
viii affect the New York Stock Exchange.
and to do so at the earliest possible time.
AL! their telegraph communieations are
In cipher, oai generally speak of the
delic,te family mat to which | have
already referred A few days ago the
" ashingtonisn sent very important
message to New York, with directions
that If his partner was not found at his
place oil business, it should be delivered
at his residence. It turned out that the
gentleman (whom shall name " Jones
was not at his Office when the telegraph
boy arriveasApd the dispatch was sent, as
directed. to his house, in one of the iashi-
on bic streets of the city. Unfortunately
Mr. Jones was not at his house either
His wife WIS there, however, ard taking
to herself the privilege which some hus
bands grant to, and others withhold from
their wives, she opened the dispatch and
read
"Lucy is very sick. don't think she
will recover"
Now it happened that Lucy was the
name f very dear friend of Mrs Jones
az that time visiting her husbands part
per in Washington - the identical spo
whunce the Telegram was dated. | nee
not detain the reader with description
OF the sad effect of this announc ament up
on the New York lady. l will be un
derstood sufficiently, l hope, when | say
that he was in dreadful state of men,a
and physical perturbation to learn tha
her Lucy was nigh unto death Ate
revolving the matter in her own mind
she coneiuded that her duty and her fec
tons alike called on her 10 take the mex
train for Washington, t. see her dy ins
friend She had actually made up be
mind to do SO when her husband arrived
and observing the distress she was in in
qulred what wss The matter. Mrs. Jones
in reply, handed him the telegram fror
Washington, which he read, exclaiming
as he put il 10 his pocket, "By George
that's good, | was little afraid it wcul
no, be so''
"You heartless wretch" said Mr.,
Joies, screaming at her liege lord in G
OF ,earlui passion, ITO say that's good
when Lucy is very sick aud can's =
cover.o
Dir Jones looked astouished, and for
while lost his seif-possession, but he soc
recovered sufficiently to say, my des
there's nobody sick. This dispatch mea
that Sherman will get to the coast, an
that gold is going down. I'm SEQ ,ot
short, my dear, at 230.'
Here followed long explanation. viii,
the reader would not thank me (
giving. any further than to say, that N
Jones Immediately wrote to his par,n
IN Washington to change bis telegraph
,iphsr.--( Washington Cor. C,n. Co