Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1891-10-23
URGENT DISPATCHES.
TWO TElEGRAPHlC MESSAGES THAT
MEANT LIFE OR DEATH.

He was the Means OF Uniting Two
Young Lovers just az One Was About
to Sail Away to a Foreign Shore.
Telegraph operators who nave sent dis
patches of all kinds for years might be ex-
rused if they were to show no surprise Mt
any message that could be sent. 1t is only
natural that there should be n dreary
routine in the work which banishes all de-
gree Of excitement in anything. The writer
once met II telegraph superintendent who
had handled an electric key in all parts of
this country. He had stored in his mind a
fund of "reminiscences, and as the time
dragged heavily he ratified off story after
story.
ut was a good mfny' years ago" he said,
when | was not SO old rs | am now, and
perhaps more sentimental, that | won a
husband for Il girl. | was an operator then
ina tow out in Ohio. | hadn't much to
do, and ! used to sit in the window Il good
deal to watch the people on the station
platform of the railroad.
Zone day | caught sight of II young man
and young woman who We're in earnest
conversation. He was dressed for travel
ing, 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 ~nervously. talking very
rapidly.
"Then the train came gliding in. | 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 II little cry, but he did not hear
it: his train was gone.
A MARROW MARGIN.
1T was Two days after this that the
young woman came into the telegraph Of
flee, with Il white face and red tinged eye
ids. She came to me and spoke rapidly in
Il frightened whisper.
"'l want you to send a telegram she
said. you must send it right away. It's
to New York, and it must be delivered be-
fore 4 O'Clock this afternoon
"She was trying to write, but her fingers
trembled SO that she could not guide the
pencil.
"'Iet me write it, | said.
"'Oh, thank you,' she answered, and
then she gave me the address. There were
just two words in the message, Come
back
"'Can you get it there before 4 o'clock?'
she asked breathlessly. You must. He
will leave his hotel then to catch Il steam
err Her voice fallered here.
"'Tm afraid not | said. 'The difference
in time, you know, makes it hard work to
do that
"'Oh,' she cried, 4 forgot about the diff
ference in time. What shall | dog
Send two,' | said, all the while work
ing on my key to get my wire. Send one
to the hotel and one to the steamer.'
"Sle WAS crying now so that | could not
hear her answer, but | knew what she
wanted. | never worked so hard before or
since to get messages through. And all
the while that poor girl watched my fin
gers with Il look in her eyes that made me
swear I'd get them through if quick work
could do it.
JUST IN TINE.
"When | turned around finally she drew
d long breath.
"'Well,' | said, they are gone and |
looked at the clock. This made her shiver.
"She would not leave the office, and as
the minutes slipped away | began to feel
the dread that was reflected in her eyes.
| knew hat the steame must have started
now. | felt as if ] had committed murder,
but she was silent and pale. Only her
look was reprouchful, as if | had failed her.
"Finally it am There was a click and
IL flash of color was in her cheek.
"'What is itY' she said. Quick! What
is it?'
Its for your | shouted, like the boy
that ! was: 'hurrah! he's coming,' for
WAS so excited that | forgot to give her the
message.
Then l wrote it out for her: Pm COM
ing, God bless you. | was on the steamer
She cried over that bit of yellow paper, and
| think that the hulking country boy who
gave it to her had a choking in the throat
Loo.
well, there was Il wedding Il short while
after that. The only one | knew in the
party was the bride. You know how | met
her. But the country operator was at that
wedding, and when the bridegroom grasped
my hand he shook it in Il way that hurt.
He sent me IL letter from the east after
ward asking me to come on to 20 into a
big telegraph office where he had secured Il
place for me-
II had another experience in sending in
my younger days in which | got greatly in
terested. 1t WAS after | went east. l part
ly broke down and got transferred for one
summer to Il Watering place.
CIPHER TEL1IGRAMS.
"One day Il dignilied, we'll dressed man
of middle age came hurriedly into the of
flee.
Send this at once he said in a strained
tone.
II reached for my key, And as | clicked
away to get New York I watched him. His
teeth were ground together, and his fingers
clenched the rail so fiercely that they were
absolutely bloodless.
"'Get it, he said between his teeth. Get
it there or | am ruined
"Then ! saw that his dispatch was in
cipher, and | 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.
l have never seen such an intense look of
agony on Il mans face us was on his. He
seemed to have strength enough only to
look at his watch every minute or two.
His answer came back in cipher. He
braced himself before reading it.
"'Thank God! he said in Il low voice,
and the next thing | knew | felt Il bill in
my hand. Before l could cry out to him
that l would not take his money, he was
gone.