Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1898-09-01

Africa, and thence to the Canary
islands and Cadiz.
Beside myselS, there was but one
other operator in the Santiago office,
Laurin Merode, young Spaniard, who
had learned cable work at Lisbon. We
thought that hundred messages
daily made work enough, but over
500 passed the day after the Maine was
blown up in Havana harbor. Four
more operators were needed, and we
called to Havana for help; but no no.
tice was taken of or appeal, and
rather than desert our posts and leave
the company's business undone, we
shaved night and day, always hoping
the pressure would moderate.
One day we sent 1912 words in over
LOO dispatches. yet we were two hours
back" at midnight, with Havana
fuming at US over the land wire, and
still hurrying messages through the
! Cienfugos cable. There were Spanish
government cipher messages from Sa-
gasta TO Blanco. and Blanco cipher to
Sagasta; reams of bombast from the
Cuban correspondents of the impartial
and Correo for Madrid, followed by
more cipher to Weyler at Barcelona
from his brother officers at Havana;
and then the bankers and merchants
quoting, selling and ordering.
To add to our vexations, the mouse
milr' of the siphon recorder gave
trouble constantly, and the clockwork
that carries the record tape broke
down every day or two. Now Span
lard is utterly without native inge-
nuity. Merode was a tolerably good
operator, but when it came to rectify-
ing faults of the instrument, he was an
infant, and all such tasks fell on me.
Anything like clockwork can "tink-
err" but the mouse mill that works the
siphon pen is a very delicate bit of
mechanism, which assists the faint
electric impulses that come great dis
tances through the cable to move the
ink point of the recorder to and fro
on the tape.
Isuppose had taken the record tape
clockwork and mouse mill apart 20
different times; and on the evening of
the 2d of April, after Merode relieved
me, set to work TO wind a new motor
coil for the mouse mill, which had
worked so very badly all day that,
rather than struggle with it longer, l
lad determined to sit up all night and
build q new mill
The cable house at Santiago is a
most lonesome place, particularly at
night; but Spanish sentinel was sup
~ : ha - 4 ],
utes. These poor fellows were rarely
paid. and often looked in at the door
to beg cigarette. So when the out
side door opened behind us that even
ing, | supposed the incomer was the
sentinel, and did not even look around
till an amused voice exclaimed: AHA.
senors! Buenos noches!"
y Spanish sentinel begging a ciga-
rette does not speak in that tone, so
Merode ard faced round with a Jump.
There stood a rather tall, good-looking
young fellow, in n white duck suit and
white cap, regarding us keenly; and
step behind him was typical Cuban
rebel-sombrero, long mustachios,
broad belt, long boots, revolver and
machete.
In an instant Merode was on his feet
and shouted "Sentineia," at which our
unexpected visitors laughed gooG-na-
turedly, and the Cuban said: 81 must
beg the Senor Telegrafero not to dis
tress himself concerning the worthy
sentinel, for that watchful soldier is
now lying comfortably on his back
outside. with gag in his mouth. and
his hands are tied to his feet"
'Well, who are you, and what do YOU
want here?" exclaimed. in Spanish.
The young man in white duck
laughed. You are an American; any
body could tell that by your Spanish.
Oh, know about you. Speak English"
Certainly. replied. What do you
want here?"
"The news"
What news?
"Are the Spanish warships. Vizcava
and Oquendo, still at Puerto Rico? Has
the torpedo 1otilla arrived there. or
has it gone to st. Vincent, at Cape de
yerde?"
at is contrary to the rules of the ca
bic company for me TO give such in
formation" l replied. Besides, all
these Spanish government messages are
in cipher, which | am not supposed to
know anything about
Don't let the cipher trouble YOU"
he replied, laughing. 81 have the key
to their cipher all right.
'As to who | am" lie continued, INV
name S sMacomber. um the correspond
ent of the -" He named an Amer
lean journal. "News as to the where
abouts of the Spanish torpedo boats
and those cruisers would be valuable
just now. not only to my paper, but to
the American navy ut Key West. Now
you are an American. and y good pa
triot, I dare say. Win you not help |
is out?"
TIN a good patri0t." said And |
am also an honest man, employed here |
10 do a certain duty, which l will not |
betray."
You will not. You will not help |
me, then? Very well, shall examine
your tapes by force"
at is not my business to fight for
Spain," said 1. Il have no force to resist
you, but l will not help you"
Thanks. That's al / ask. Just you
sit quiet"
do you think you can read our
tapes?" L asked, increduousIy.
Sure. 1 was a cable operator three
years."
"But where did you get your cipher
key?"
That's n matter that was arranged
in Havana three months ago. Your tape
oobbins for the current week are in
The table drawer, l presumed"
Look for yourself" 1 said. But
ny fellow operator here is Spaniard.
do not speak for him"
"Senor Merode," I said, in Spanish,
these gentlemen wish to see the rec
,rd tapes"
Merode had stood listening, making
,ut what was said with difficulty.
'Nunca!" (NeverD he exclaimed, ex-
,itedly. ard made jump for the table
lrawer, with some notion, think. of
the tapes. He was plucky