The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1889-02-26
on brackets. These wires I knew to
lead to the - post-office.
i had a small nair Of nliopS In r,u

on brackets. These wires / knew to
lead to the - post-office.
had small pair of pliers in my
pocket, and seizing a wire | cut it with
the pliers, and then bent the wire in
order to break it. The pliers were
small, and it required strong effort to
break the wire, but accomplished the
feat in few seconds. Now came the
ufficult part. | was trembling with
nervous excitement. Putting the ends
to my tongue, felt the circuit close
through it and all was still. No one
was using the wire.
/ now took the wires in each hand,
and, as well as the wires would allow,
| called h. several times. This was
done by holding the ends of the wire
together to- form the dash, then sep
arating them and striking quickly
three times To form the Morse letter
Is. Placing the ends to my tongue.
the circuit closed, but felt no signals.
i again repeated the call, and placing
the ends again in position. distinctly
felt the shocks, which said plainly II.
LIB"
Taking hold OF the wires again
sent the following message slowly and
not without plumbers: "Send help to
roof of - Hotel. Mailman trying
to get on roof. Am in great danger.
Work quick"
Telegraphists are generally quick of
perception, and the operator grasped
the situation at once. Placing the
wires again to my tongue, felt the
answer slowly. and several times over:
20. X" 30. X" | wrote back 30.
X" that he might know understood
And now my message was sent, / has
tily dropped the wires and ran to the
trap-dOor. | was none too soon. The
slender rope was giving way under the
powerful strain, and / threw myself
upon the door just in time to prevent it
swapping.
could hear the man below breath
ing heavily, as though he were putting
forth great exertiOn. He soon re-
newed his pushing. L could see the
rope was giving way under the strain;
some of the strands we're broken, and
the door creaked and groaned. bore
down with all my might, and succeeded
in keeping the door down. He paused
a moment and then pressed upward
again.
For several minutes | succeeded in
keeping the door in its place, but
finally, after long and hard push, the
rope broke, and the door flew up
short distance. but managed to slam
it down again. ] could not hope to
hold it, however, and | felt it gradu-
ally rise, and / was pushed up bodily.
while the mailman got his head and
shoulders above the aperture. His
face was flushed. and he looked wilder
than ever With an exultant cry he
cleared the stairs and sprang upon me.
/ was indeed in u desperate position,
for felt was no match for my antag-
onist. Would help never come?
/ warded him OF as best | could,
but he clutched me with a grip like
iron. | struggled fiercely, but l fear
this story would never have been
written had not help arrived at this
moment.
/ heard shouts from below. and the
next instant several men came quickly
up the stairway and gained the roof.
Taking in the situation they quickly
seized my assailant. who, though
making a desperate resistance, was
overcome and held down by superior
numbers. almost fell into the arms
OF one of my deliverers. and for a short
time seemed To have entirely lost my
strength. while grea cold beads of
perspiration appeared ny face.
Twas besinEed wit questions for
several mimi =, but as soon as could
make myself heard, told them briefly
all that had Happened.
In short time | felt as vigorous as
ever with the exception that | could
not taste any thing. the electrical
shock having for time interfered
with that sense. After several days,
however, it began to come gradually
back, and in a few weeks / was as well
as ever, and none the worse for having
called the lightning to aid in saving
nv life.-NdtiOndL Labor Tribune.
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