The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-09

cited gesture and exclaimed:
You'd better get aboard You'd better
get aboard
The hearts of the two civilians thumped
loud enough to signal passing steamer.
AT last il had coinel The long wait was
over! There was to be action, perhaps
the big fight that had been dreamed over
and talked about for so long The G. G.
was walking very briskly toward the hotel
where his wife and daughter were: The
newspaper men turned and called to him,
When are you goingg
Right away was the reply. fired at
them like bullet
"Where?"
II don't know" and the Commander
in-Chief hurried on.
For the fraction of second the two men
stood and looked at each other Then
each clapped hs hand into his breast pocket
az they turned together and ran toward
the telegraph Office. Each had written
out, long before, the bulletin he would send
his office. As he ran he drew it out and
together they laid the messages down on
the operators window ledge and called
out to the smiling young woman who re-
ceived them
please rush this"
Then as the news report of duty was
filed each took out of his pocket those other
little messages to home or friends or some
one dearer and handed them to the operator
had handled great many dispatches for
the two newspaper men and was on pretty
good terms with them Now, as she took
these good-by messages there was more
than the customary official smile on her
face, and she said, as she mechanically
counted the words:
You are little bit excited, aren't your"
The man addressed seemed to be recalled
from far-away thought by the question.
Il don't know but am" he replied.
and | guess have, right to be. I've
never been to war before "
The smile came very close to being a
broad laugh as the girl turned and tossed
the kilograms on the operating table.
"Oh, WE'LL she said to the newspaper
men, Il suppose it is exciting"
The two men fingered just long enough
to see the messages sent and the copy fled
on the spindle and then dashed of TO their
rooms to get the last Of their baggage
down to write the long story Of the sailing
that was to follow the bulletin he had sent
all eady for the bulletins announced
simply and briefly that the squadron was
goiig to sea at once under sealed orders.
About the corridors and Hobbies OF the
hotels there was excitement IN plenty;
The civilian outsiders saw scene enacted
which recalled to some Of the Older among
them the DAYS OF the civil war, when teary
good-bys followed many OF the boys march,
ing away to the front. No one III those
thronged hotel corridors had any thought
that morning but that the squadron was
about to go straight out to sea to meet the
flower of the Spanish Navy in desperate
conflict which would certainly result III
the death or gripping of many OF the officers
they had learned 70 know so well during
the stay of the ships at the rendezvous
In many case the effort to bear up was
bravely made, but in nearly all it failed.
H. nlat ION
the farewells held in the privacy OF hotel
rooms was lost when it came 10 the actual
last handcasp or embrace and the parting
word as the men went down to the boats
that were TO take them out to their ships.
For the two newspaper men this last hour
was one OF strenuous haste and enoTt, LOT
there was no telling when there would be
another opportunity to file despatch to
their Offices, and all that they could tell
Of the sailing of the squadron must be told
before they went aboard.
1t was over finally, and the boats left
the landing with the last OF those who were
to 90 out TO the great battle. The pier was
thronged with relatives and friends and
the crowd of tho idly curious, all waving
hats and hands and handkerchlefs, any
thing that would hutter just one more mes
sage of love or sympathy or interest
On the landing float the Com mander-
in Chief stood with his wife and daughter,
saying good-by. His barge lay alongside
waiting for him. With their arms around
his neck and the tears streaming down
their faces, unmindful OF the crowd looking
on, they spoke their last words. Then
he turned TO his boat and was of.
Several hours had elapsed since the
recall flag had been run up at the fore
truck of the flagship, and in those days Of
especially lively newspaper work many
, things had happened One Of the bulletins
sent bv the correspondents had reached
/ IT,, ian in
forwarded without loss of time to the WASH
ington office Of the newspaper, There the
manager of the Office had received it.
Close as he was to what was going on it
was news to him that the squadron had
been ordered away.
He gave the message to one OF his as
sistants with directions to see the Score
tary of the Navy at once and find out if
the bulletin could be confirmed, and if
so, o get all the news concerning the move
ment that it would be possible to get. The
assistant raced to the Navy Building and
soon was admitted to the Secretary office,
He showed the Secretary the bulletin, and
the head of the Department replied at
once that it was true, the squadron was
going to sea. Then he told the newspaper
man in very few words where II was going
and what il expected to do. The reporter
hurried back to his Office and told the man
ager, who sent the word to his New York
Office over the leased wire, so that within
two minutes after he had heard it himself
the office knew it.
Then the managing editor in New York
filed message to the correspondent with
the squadron, giving him the information
the Secretary had told the Washington
man Just as the big ship with the cor
respondent aboard got up her anchor and
began to respond to the slow turning of
the screws, boat pulled franticaly along
side and a telegram was passed up. for the
correspondent. He tore it open and read:
Long says squadron going to sea for
rorty-eight hours evolutions'
Without word the correspondent passed
the message along to the group OF officers
who had been watching him. 1t was re-
Ceived almost in silence. Very little was
said. but there was an emphasis and vigor
about that little which counted for much.
This correspondent had been in the habit
of receiving news bulletins from his Office
during the stay at the hotel and had always
giyen them o the navy people Immediately.
The operator in fact, had orders to show
any one connected with the service any
merely news telegram that came for him.
In accordance with this order the manager
of the office now gave this bulletin oseveral
of the fearful women who mad been ielt pc
hind AS the squadron sailed away. lmme-
diately they called up Washington on the
telephone and soon had the report con-
flrmed Then there was relaxation from
the strain OF the sad partings that was hardly
as well concealed IA the feelings OF the men
aboard ship had been.
Two DAYS later, just at the close OF a
gray, misty day, the squadron steamed
Ion, all INt lao.