The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-04-22

on. --ca-O." and guessing that to
be Henry Wilson. Chicago he would
be put to the mental stress of imagin-
ing what kind of a telegram Henry
| Wilson ought to receive that day.
He made an effort To guess as nearly
as sanity would suggest, but with such
a broad latitude, not knowing who
Henry Wilson was or who was his cor
respondent. CT in what line of business
either was-Or, indeed not being able
to swear that the message was for
man named Henry Wilson, Fnd not for
woman named Hetty Thompson-you
will perceive that Sherwood mad a Sc
we're time of it.
But he tried to be satisfied, despite
the mental wear and tear. He knew
the fellow in New York was in pretty
hot water, too. lie realized that the
Gothamite was undergoing the same
mental travail in trying to conjecture
up a SeQuential statement of fact from
some such gleanings as "F-d-a-e-tt
C-m -n-y-r-f-s-de-- Will-m Be
a man not equipped with a rubber
arm cannot keep up a speed of 10 or
90 words minute, and then turn in
and translate the sputteriIgs of
crazy, leaky, swinging line which is be-
ing worked by an idiot in New York,
without suffering. Ten days of this
hiiid u NOlIN IEuutGu SHERWOOD from
1872 to 1SS pounds. and then his friends
took him in charge. for he was wander
ing about town imprecating against
insolent dOnkeys in New York, and
dwelling about GXwyvX and other
combinations of letters. They hired
doctors. and kept him in a secluded,
cool place for three weeks. by which
time he was able to move abroad again,
and in a month he was in condition to
resume his Geographic functions. He
went back to his old wire, and, still
rather pale and shaky, started at his
days work. He sent with elaboration
and firmnesS, however. and was over
joyed to note, when it came his turn
to receive, that the sender was, likewise
easy and firm of touch, and there was
scarcely any trouble from the workings
of the line. After time pause came,
and the New Yorker inquired:
Are you the fellow who was working
this line five weeks ago."
Being answered in the affirmative,
the man at a distance continued: Say,
I've Just returned after being nearly
knocked out by brain fever on account
of trying to keep up a fight with you.
Where was it l met you, and how did
you come TO get a grudge against me2
When did you know me-"
L didn't ever know YOU" chilly an
swered the Chicagoan. I tried in a
Sentlemanly way to get acquainted
with you. but when I asked your name
you got fresh and said Rats and that
made me hot, of course"
There was a long pause, then:
Say, this is too rich" the brass
clashed to him. This is a good thing.
Here you have been killing me, think
ing 1 had insulted you, and I've been
trying to burn you alive because L
thought when l told you my name five
weeks ago you recognized it as that of
some enemy. L believed then that when
you heard my name you, being some
fellow who had got sore on me else
where in the country, started in to do
ne"
Well" said Sherwood over the line,
what is your dOggOned name2"
Its Rath. Understand? Make that
asst letter h and not s. See? Four
lots and not three. One of the dots got
Ost on this bum wire, and so you got it
IN s. Amt that good? If you'll get
somebody in Chicago to kick you I'll
lire someone in New York TO do the
ame for me-"
That is the true story of how a poor
title Geographic DOT, scarcely big
nOuSh 70 be seen with the naked eye,
tarted one of the most notable battles
hat ever waged between the seaboard
md the Great Lakes.