Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1908-01-29
HIS LAST
AEROGRAM
BY Y. 4. Nudson

The din accompanying the Storage
q freight and baggage gradually
O0ased. The ropes we're cast OF. and
The ocean liner slowly headed to sea.
Her passengers were happy. They
watched the passing steamers. The
city was soon left behind.
The waves began to show their
strength. The number of boats en-
tering the harbor grew less, and
greater distance separated them. The
call to supper was responded to BY
the merry passengers.
The operator of the wireless"
stood near the rail. He was yet of
duty. They were headed down the
coast. Lights beamed from the win.
dows of cottages. They we're pass
ing some OF the most famous sum-
mer resorts in the world. The clear
moon now made a pathway Of silver
leading in another direction.
The rhythmic throbbing of the en-
gines and the monotonous swash Of
the waves indicated good speed.
Piano music and the applause Of the
merrymakers added pleasure to the
occasion.
The operator was happy. He was
proud of his work. He had been a
specialist in his line, having worked
for some of the best railroads and
mercantile houses before taking up
his present position. The change had
honAGoia1 I'm,
proved. He was no longer confined to
an office. Furthermore, he was per-
fecting a patent which would make
him more valuable to his company.
His meditation was interrupted.
"Are you the wireless OPERATOR"
0ueried passenger. yes" was the
reply.
81 wonder II you know q friend Of
mine" said the passenger. HE is on
one Of the vessels plying along the
coast. He is also an operator like
yourself. His name is Jack Spark.
We were chums."
II know your friend" replied the
operator. II keep in touch with him
at times. We will send him a Jolly
after awhile. Are you enjoying the
trip?"
cts little tame" was the reply,
II wish it would storm. l have never
been in a storm at sea-"
zone experience would be enough"
Replied the operator.
The two young men entered the
operators room. The dynamo was
started. The leyden Jars were soon
charged. The operator touched the
key. A fash followed like the report !
bf pistol. The loud swapping and
cracking of the discharges, accom-.
panied by binding flashes, soon
hooded the room with the odor Of
ozone. One outgoing message fol-
lowed another in rapid succession.
The operator finally removed his |
1cadpiece and handed it to his visitor,
The passenger placed 1t snugly to hls
ears and listened. He finally removed
It with the remark that he could hear
the faint electrical sounds at timess
but that there was another impress
Bion which sounded like that pro-
duced by drawing a diamond over a
plate of glass.
Lightning" muttered the operator,
rs he took the headpiece. There Is
a terrific storm somewhere, will
try to communicate with your friend
Jack. l have not heard from him for
several days. He is somewhere down
the coast. l will get In tune with
HIM" The operator moved . little
pointer along q graduated scale to
the notch numbered IS.
Flashes and instantaneous reports
beloved the manipulation Of the key
cOr the outgoing message-thsn a.
lence. The operator was all Attonp
'on. He grasped q pencil, The vaH
. Z watched its movement. The PEN
4 wrotei Around; heavy sea!
!. =. n nom course; going to pieces;
uodA >y' JACK"
The operators fingers tr0mbled.
or sc>me time the two sat breath
Dssly waiting. The operator finally
DmoveN the headpiece and beckoued
he. visitor to adjust It. He did Sos
Ad~as he listened all that could be
card was the scratching sound ~
tas dlaD.ond cutting glass.
vTae passenger went on deck. The
,erene moon still shone fTom o starnt
XIV. The water sDlAShed hArmlessy
10 tho aides OF the liner. Sweet
music came from within. Two ships
had signaled In the night; but tnsy
we're hundreds of miles apart. There
vas something terrible In the ingenu'