The herald., 1897-10-17
A 1ELEPA1H|C MESSAGE
ooooc-ooooooooooo ooooooooooc

"
1t Is only matter of time, asserts
French scientist, when audible language
will cease to be a necessary means OF
communication. Each individual pos
sesses partially developed serse. that
will, when better understood permit an.
interchange of thought row vaguely
termed "telepathy," or mental tele-
graphy.
1t seems but yesterday that this fact
was first, impressed upon the writer
who, at that time, was assistant irs
little seaside postoflice in the southern
portion of this state. Itwas the nations
holiday. A celebration had been ar
ranged, to take place upon the smooth,
level sands extending for miles in either
| direction, and the country people, OH
| horse back on foot, and in every con-
ceivable sort of vehicle, were crowddng
in to participate in the patriotic festivi-
! ties, The ten o'clock train. from Los
| Angeles had just arrived, and the post
master stood in. the doorway of his office,
in the midst of an aeIXious group i'm
patiently awaiting the arrival and dis
tribution of the mail. Being holiday,
the office was to be kept open for an
hour only, and the postmaster and his
assis tart We're equally desirous to con-
clud,e the morning duties, ard jota the
crowd of merry-makers upon the beach
below, where distant sounds of fire
crackers and, strains of martial music
came as an invita- ton to our not unwill-
ing ears.
II hope we will have light mall" re-
| marked my superior, as the express
wagon arrived and the driver began
dumping the sacks into the open door
way. lone, two, three, four, five. just
as l expected he exclaimed, as, gath
erirg up the sacks by the er-d straps, he
hauled them over the dusty floor.
through little gateway in the box par
tition that separated the private office
from the gaping crowd outside. meek
ly followed, closing the gate behind me,
and began to distribute the papers.
| which he meantime had emptied upon
my special counter. 1T will be just my
luck to have a special delivery, he
muttered, as he opened the first sack OF
letters, and, picking up package, VIC
| iously cut the cord that bound it and be-
gan rapidly, one by one. to throw them
| into different receptacles. We'll, here
| II is" he announced. II knew it was
coming. Here, Mary, take this letter
| and the receipt book and see if you can
find the party and deliver it. I wish /
had not permitted Jim to go down so
early to the picnic. l might have Known
this would have happened"
| Jim was our office boy and second 81
sistant. whose duty it was to run all er-
rands and make himself useful The
postal law. requiring the imme date de-
livery of letters bearing this special
stamp. is extremely rigid, and no disre-
gard or negligence is countenanced by
the department.
"I have never seen the man. Do You
know where lie is stoppinS?' l inter
rogated as l took the extended book and
letter and saw inscribed in plain, bold
hand upon the envelope: Herbert West
lake Long Beach. CAL mo" he ans
wered. "The name IS new to me, but
you can run down to the Iowa villa
then go to the Bay View house, ard
from there to Aplin's, look over the reg
listers. and if you do not find him. come
on back. Take this indelible pencil and
get his signature, but above all things,
hurry up and help me with this mail"
Herbert Westlake." Herbert West
lake" ! kept repeating mentai,y-some
how the name impressed me strangely,
as l e,lbowed my way through the wait
ing crowd, jostling aside both men arj
women. the ma jOrity of whom Were en-
tire strangers, intent only upon reach
ing the nearest hosiery one block dis
tant. ae,l executing rs speedily as pos
sib,e my commission. a steaG| stream
Of pedestrians biocked the sidewalk
and, found Il impossible to make very
rapid progress. About half the dis
tance had been tiave:sed. I was sti,l
pushing my way through opposing fore
es-all seaWard bent, when jostle up
on my right elbow. anG. sharp electric
thrill. similar to the shock of "a bat
terry, impelled me to turn. and in so Go
ing confront the cause Of this disturb
ance, a hollow eyed consumptive APP
pearing young man, who gazed at me.
as 1 afterward remembered with a look
of half CONSERVATION and complete sur
prise. as the Involuntary inquiry found.
utte,ance through my lips. Are you
Herbert Westialle?'' Il am" he re-
Piled as his eye fell upon the package
that l had extended toward him. Il
Fave a special delivery for you. sir; will
YOU please sign here" placing the in
delible pencil in his hand, ard nGicat
ing in the book the space left for sig
nature and time of delivery. He me-
chanically obeyed; ] thanked him and
turned, away. reaching tbs office ~ less
than ten minutes after my departure,
much to the satisfaction OF the presid
ir,y genius. TIE hour a, last was enc
cd, the G.oor was closed upon the fast
thinning crowd who st;,l c.amore6' for
mail, and impatiertly turned, the knob.
While N1istinct murmur.ngs of Closed
too soon" 'unaccommoda; ting cuss.'
What does he think he's here for" etc,
fell upon our wearied ears, causing sad