Arizona republican., 1904-02-26
ITS MOLE ST. NICHOLAS"
Far East War Must Have Some Head
 quarters for "Graoevines."

1 Firing has been heard in the offing" quoted the night telegraph editor, reading from a cable message just re- ceived from the far east. Then the reporter "on the dogg'' interrupted him by asking:
 'Is that from Mole St. Nicholas?' | Now, don't be facetious," was the reply; there isn't any Mole St. Men olas in the far east"
 "Oh, I beg pardon. It sounded so much like those reports we used to get | in the Spanish war when every few hours firing was heard in the offing.' from Mole St Nicholas. Do you re- member how We used to lay awake nights wondering where the Mole. was and what would happen next in the 'offing' and how nothing ever took place there but firing? Say those were the days when 'grapevines came in every hour and any old fake went" It'll be the same now I'm afraid | sighed the weary man with the shears, | as he cut up another sheet of "fiimsy. "Only I don't know where the grape vines will come from yet. It's too early in the game"
 The dog watch" man was interest | ed. He got an atlas and began going over the points of the threatened war. Finally he said:
 Look here now" he pointed. as the | telegraph man laid aside his paste pot and brush here is Yokohama, but that is the wrong side of Japan to do us any good. You couldn't hear firing in the offing from over there. That's not the Mole! Tokio-well that's the Jap capital and it might do, but it's | inland, and that firing in the orfing stunt must be done near salt water Whats the matter with Nagasaki?'
 The man of the wire looked to where the finger pointed.
 No good" he said. Its on Japan csc territory and the Mole must be neutral. Besides its too far from Port Arthur"
 Say; wouldn't Port Arthur do?"
 No; it's Rr-ssian. and they don't al- low uncensored messages to go out. Besides thercll be fighting there and we'll get the real stuff. Look again" The cub did.
 How Chemulpo?" he asked, after bit But am afraid thcre'll be scrap ping too close there to make it definite enough. Now. IVi-ji has about the right sound"
 That's better isn't it?" But isn't that in Manchuria 2"
 "Yes that cuts it out. An" The night telegraph man drew q long breath and drew on his pipe. l "Yes there's the Mole of the far east
 His finger pointed to Wei-Hai-Wei.
 Gee, but you're a wise one said the cub in envy.
 That's the Mole" said the telegraph man quietly. Its ideal for it, too. It's lin China. which is neutral territory. It's right across the bay from Port Ar | thur so the firing in the offing' can be heard easily. It's unpronOunceable and almost unspellable. and no one knows much about it. It's near where the allies fought when they advanced upon | Tion-Tsin. and even the Chinks learn ed to fake then so there will be no need of skilled labor importations; the cool ies can do the work while the cores pondcnts smoke dope and dream. 1t faces the Yellow sea. and news won't have to he colored; it'll already be yeI. low enough. oh, it's great l tell you, | just the place we want. It's the Mole 1 St. Nicholas of the far east for sure. i And then he had the cub write the | first grapevine from Wei-Hai-Wei, the Mole St. Nicholas of the far east. | Heavy firing is heard in the offing. It is reported eleven Japanese men-of- wal have been sunk by single shot from the Retzivan and that Admiral Alzcffjiski has telegraphed the czar that he needn't pray for the victory has been won. Admiral PingPon has committed har-kari because he had to raise the moon flag upside down. De- tails later"-Kansas City Journal.