Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1892-01-12
URGENT DISPATCHES,
TWO reLEenAPHlc MESSAGES THAT
MEANT Lire or DEATH.

An Old Telegraph operator retts NV
m. Was tho Means of unitins Tw'
Young Levers just as sIas Was Abou
IN sail Away TO Foreirn shore.
Telegraph operators who have sent dis
matches OF all kinds for years might be ~
cused II they We're TO show no surprise NJ
INV message that could be sent II Is onll
| natural that there should be drcarl
rontine in the work which bansshes all de
gree Of excitement in anything. The writel
once met telegraph superintendent wht
had handled an electric key IN all parts q
! This country, He had stored 10 his mind I
| fund OF "reminiscences, and as the time
dragged heavily he ratified of story after
| story.
III was good many years ago" he said
"wben | WAS not so old rs am now, and
nerbaps more sentimental. that won .
husband for girl. was an operator thei
| In town ont in Ohio hadn't much IL
do. and used to sit In the window good
deal TO waite, the people on the station
| platform of the railroad
Zone day caught sight Of young man
and Young woman who were in earnest
conversations He was dressed for travel
jng, 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 little cry, but he did not hear
| it; his train was gone.
A MARROW MARGIN.
ut was two days after this that the
| young woman. came into the telegraph Of
| fee with white face and red tinged eye
lids. She came to me and spoke rapidly IN
a frightened whisper.
"I want you to send 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.
"'l.et me write it., said.
"'Oh, thank yJu,' 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 o'clockt'
she asked breathlessly You must. He
will leave his hotel then to catch steam
err Her voice faltered here.
"Pm afraid not, said THE difference
in time, you know. makes it hard work to
do that
"'Oh, she cried, 1 forgot about the diff
ference in time. What shall dor
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
'She 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 flu
gers with a 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
long breath.
WELL said, they are gone and
looked at the clock. This made her SILVER.
"She would not leave the Office, and as
the minutes slipped away began to feel
the dread that was reflected in her eyes.
! knew that the steamer must have started
now. felt us if had committed murder,
but she was silent and pale Only her
look was reproachful, as if had failed her.
FINALLY it came. There was click and
a flash of color was III her cheek.
What is itf she said. Quick! What
is its'
" It's for your shouted, like the boy
that ] was; 'hurrah! he's coming for |
was so excited that forgot to give her the
message
''rhen wrote it out for herr Pm com
ing, God bless you | was on the steamer
She cried over that bit of yellow paper. and
| think that the hulkng country boy who
gave it to her had choking in the throat
too.
We'll, there was wedding 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 way that hurt.
He sent me letter from the east after
ward asking me to come on to 90 into
big telegraph office where he had secured a
place for me-"
had another experience in sending in
my younger days in which got greatly in
terested. 1t was after went east. | part
~ broke down and got transferred for one
summer to watering place.
CIPHER TEIEGRAMs.
'One day dignified, well dressed man
OF middle age came hurriedly into the of
flee.
Send this at once, he said in a strained
tone
Il reached for my key, and as clicked
away to get New York watched him. His
teeth were ground together, and his fingers
elenched the rail so fiercely that they were
absolutely boodless.
Get it, he said between his teeth. Get
1t there or am ruined
Then saw that his dispatch was in
cipher, and remembered that that morn
ing had received one in cipher.
men had sent the last word he be-
came deathly white and leaned against the
wall family, tanning himself with his hat.
nave never seen such an intense look of
agony on mans face rs was on his. He
seemed to have strength enough only to
LOOK at his watch every minute or two.
MS answer came back in cipher. He
oraced himself before reading it.
J ihank God! he said in a low voice.
ana the next thing | knew felt a bill in
my hand Before | could cry out to him
onat would not take his money. he was
gone. was
aiterward learned that he was also an
p Up of the heaviest operators in
wan street. | often think about nv bav-
, N saved millionaire from ruin. New
York Tribune,
Compliment Spoiled.
mere Is such thing as poisoning all the