The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-09-05
DOTS AND DASHEs.
It Takes Very Startling Message to
Surprise Telegrapher.


Telegraph operators who have sent dis
patches of all kinds for years might be ex.
| cused if they were to show no surprise at
any message that could be sent. 1t is only
natural that there should be a dreary
routine in the work which bauishes all de-
gree of excitement in ANYTHING. The
writer once met telegraph superintendent
who had handled an electric KEY in all parts
OF this country. He had stored in his mind
a fuud OF "reminiscences, and as the time
dragged heavily he ratified off story after
story.
1t was good many years ago." he said,
when was not SO old as l am now and
perhaps more sentimental, that I won a
husband for girl. l was an operator then
IN a town out in Ohio. l hand't much to
do and used to sit in window a good
deal TO watch the people on the station
platform of the railroad. One day caught
slght OF young man and young
woman who were in earnest conversation. He
was dressed for travelling and was evidently
waiting for the next train. AS the time for
the arrival of the train drew near the
young man seemed TO become desperate,
for he paced up and down the platform ner-
vously, talking very rapidly.
Then the train came gliding in. l saw
the girl shake her head and he said some
thing which made her turn pale. The train
had again started and he climbed up the
car steps without turning to look back. She
gave little cry, but he did not hear it; his
train was gone.
ut was two days after this that the
young woman came into the telegraph Of
flee with white face and red-tinged eye
lids.
"She came up to me and spoke rapidly In
q frightened whisper.
81 want you to send q telegram, she
said. You must send it right away. It's
to New York, and it must be delivered be-
fore o'clock this afternoon
''She was trying TO write, but her fingers
trembled 30 that she could not guide the
pencil.
"Let me write it, said
"'Oh, thank YOU she answered, and
then she gave me the address.
"lhere were just two words in the mes
sage:
"'Come back
"'Can you get it there before o'clockp
she asked, breathlessly. You must. He
Her voice faltered here.
"'I'm afraid not 1 said. "Ths differ
ence in time, you know, makes it hard work
to do that
"'Oh, she cried, Il forgot about the diff
ference in time. What shall do?'
"'Send two said, all the while working
on my key to get my wire. Send one to
the hotel and one to the steamer
''She was crying now SO that | could not
hear her answer, but l knew what she
wanted. | never worked so hard before or
since to get messages through. And all the
while that poor girl watched my fingers
with a look in her eyes that made me swear
I'D get them through if quick work could
do it.
when turned round finally she drew
long breath.
"Well,' said, they are gone and 1
looked at the clock.
This made her shiver.
"She would not leave the Office, and es the
minutes slipped away l began to feel the
dread that was reflected in her eyes.
knew that the steamer must have started
now. felt as il | bad committed murder,
but she was silent and pale. Only her look
was reproachful as if had failed her.
FINALLY it came There was click aud
flush of color was in her check.
"'What is itF she said. Quick What
stir
"'It's for your shouted, liks the boy
that was; 'hurrah he's coming for was
80 excited that forgot to give her the mes
sage.
linen 1 wrote it out for her:
PPM coming, God bless you. was on
the steamer
"She cried over that bit of yellow paper,
and l think that the hulking country boy
who gave it to her had a choking in the
throat, too.
"Well, there was a wedding q short while
after that. The only one l knew in the
party was the bride. You know how met
her. But the country operator was at the
wedding, and when the bridegroom grasped
my hand he shook it 10 @ way that hurt
He sent me q letter from the east afterward
asking me to come on to go into big tele-
graph Office where he had secured place
for me.
81 had another experience in sending in
my younger days in which got greatly in
tcrested.
1T was after went east. partly
broke down and got transferred for one
summer to a watering place.
Zone day a dignified, well-dressed man
Of middle age came hurriedly into the
Office.
"'Send this at once he said In strained
tone.
away to get New York l watched him. His
teeth were ground together, and his fingers
clenched the rail so tlercely that they were
absolutely bloodless.
"'Get it. be said between his teeth. "Get
it there or am ruined
Then l saw that his dispatch was in
cipher. and I remembered that that morn
ing had received one in cipher.
when | had sent the last word he be-
came deathly white and leaned against the
wall family, tanning himself with his
hat. have never seen such an intense look
of agony on a mans face as was on his
He seemed TO have strength enough only to
look at his watch every minute or two.
"His answer came back III cipher. He
braced himself before reading it.
"'Thnnk God he said in a low voice, and
the next thing l knew felt bill i'll my
hand. Before could cry out to him that
would not take his money he was gone.
~ afterward learned that he was also an
operator-one of the heaviest operators in
Wall street. l oftea think about my having
saved millionaire from ruin"
Col Heptherone's Underground Swim.