The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-10-26

70 an admiral. / seemed to be hear
ing the calls OF operators all along
the line, but gave no response ana
then the scene changed, asst does So
suddenly and unaccountably IN
dreams, and l was at my instru-
mcnt in the bank listening with all
of lover S eagerness for the first
call of Kate Vernon over the wire
had put up for her.
"Itwas very faint and far OFT, and
think l must have smiled us bent
my ear closer to the instrument to
catch the sound, having in mind my
sweetheart at the other end of the
wire essaying her first attempt in
handling the lightning. For mo-
ment it was vague enough, with its
modest little clickety click click,
but all at once it seemed to say
something to me. ] could not dis
tinguish at first, but presently it
took form, and l could catch the
call l had taught her. 1t was the
letter K, repeated over and over
again, just as all operators do when
they want some other operator who
is not at his desk to respond prompt
ly. Then it was the clickety click
click of the letters that formed my
name, and smiled to think that as
child learning to talk says NAM
ma first, so Kate was saying first
in this new language of the wires
that she was learning the name OF
her teacher.
''But there was something more
than dream in the sensation l was
experiencing. l could feel that it
was something more than dream.
!: knew that some sound must ba
shaping my dream for me, and,
without knowing what was doing
and with an odd feeling of the very
peculiar key We had put on our in
struments, l took up the hammer
and sounded my call to Kate in
response to what I was hearing. In.
stantly the call was repeated and
my name followed. Now l seemed
to throw off the nightmare, and ]
reused myself. Striking with thu
hammer on the door. called to Katd
by name, and then. distinct enough,
though mumed, / heard the clickety
click click on the outer door. and
Kate was telling me in the mys$sri-
Gus manual OF Norse message Of
cona age and hope.
..And what wonderful strength
is hopei nIow that had established
communication with the outside
world took great courage imms-
diately, though I did not understand
just what or how l was going to do
to be saved, for I confess that was
not very clear headed at this time.
thought only of telegraphing to
st. Louis For the combination and
had actually signaled to Kate to do
so at once, and l would try to keep
up until word was received, when,
to my Indignation, she laughed at
me over The wires-that is, the door
plate -. and told me to telegraph
right then and there to her what the
combination was and she would do
the rest.
'sHow plain and simple that wasl
And l had never thought OF it. Nei-
ther had thought of telegraphing
to her from my prison, and it was
only because she was woman that
che ever thought OF sending word
through that dull door to me with a
hammer. She has since told me that
some men never will learn anything
unless it is hammered into them,
and never say a word. Anyway,
when, three minutes after had told
her what the mbination was, the
door opened and | fell forward into
the fresh air of the world Of sun
shine Kate caught me in her arms,
and it was her voice heard family
and far off as had heard the click
ETY. click click of her tapping that
led me back to life and light and
love once more "
"And you lived happily ever
after2" / inquired after SO long ST.
lence that was surprised at my
self.
My boy, said the banker ear
nestly, she has saved my Life
hundred times since that. and |
wouldn't trade her for all the other
women in the world. And when she
sees this story in print, he added,
laughing, iii need to have my life
saved again, but she won't do it, III
bet horse and harness.
"She must draw the line some
where" SAID I.-W. j. hampton In
Washington Star.