The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-03-01
DAILY SNORT STORY
IN THE WIRELESS DAYS.
BY Frank H. Williams.

above the 1oTty-second story OF the
huge office building: was idly at
tuning his wireless apparatus ia
various Keys, and thus oyerhear-
ing portions of the messages flyine
busily through the air. 1t was not
often that Jimmy had time enough
TO amuse himself in this manner
for the wireless control station Of
the International Aero Co. in
which he was situated stood di-
rectly In the middle of several
converging lines of airship travel
and as all the ships were managed
by the operators in the wireless
stations the job did not permit OF
much loafing.
Suddenly Jimmy sat erect, in
tense interest mirrored on his face
This was the message that he
heard:
Tell Thompson I have no
time to bother with business
I'm on my honeymoon.
"CARTWRIGHT."
On his honeymoon! Jimmy
knew there was only one girl
that Cartwright would marry, and
that was Jimmy's fiance! Was II
possible that Cartwright had kid
mapped his Bessie?
Presently Jimmy heaved a sigh
OF relief. Station Gas, the seventh
from his own, reported that Cart.
wright's ship was passing. A mo-
ment later station GA gave the
same report. Jimmy rushed to the
window with his long distance
glasses and searched the skies
Here and there shone the lights
OF passing airships, but his glasses
did not reveal the one he was
looking for. Shortly. however
Cartwright's ship swung into view
Jimmy feebly made out the form
of a woman, prone upon a couch
on the upper deck. He felt con-
fident that it was Bessie.
No longer doubtful, Jimmy
rushed to the wireless apparatus
and brought into work the machin.
cry which controlled the airshi1
now above him. He looked up
ward. The ship was slowly de.
scending. In a minute or so Jim.
my had brought it to a stop di
rectly opposite his door. Cart.
wright, his face red and apoplec
tic. jumped into the station.
what do you mean by this?'
he cried. What are you stopping
my ship for?"
you have my fiance on board.
replied Jimmy, quietly. Bring
her in here"
For answer Cartwright growled
inarticulately and rushed at Jim.
my. The latter waited until Cart.
wright was almost upon him, then
with a tigerish spring caught him
below the waist and bore him tC
the floor. In a moment Jimmy
had bound Cartwright with rope
which he dragged from a box
and gagged him. From Cart
wright's pocket he drew a whistle
and blew 1t quickly. The crew OF
the ship swarmed up from the
hold and began climbing into tht
Istation. Jimmy had sounded the
signal that the ship was falling.
AS the men climbed in the win
dow, he picked up a chair
smashed the wireless apparatus
which served both to telegraph
and to control the ship, and jump
ing through the window. landed OF
the ships upper deck. BY his de
struction of the wireless appara
tus he had also destroyed the con
troll of the ship, and it began t.
sink rapidly.
Jimmy grabbed up the uncon
scious form of his fiance and will
her in his arms jumped into ths
small life airship on the big ships
deck. In this frail craft he scoot
ed outward and downward from
the doomed air monster.
The girl stirred in his arms ant
moaned lsightly.
Bessie, DEAR" whispered Jim
my in her ear.
"Jimmy!" she cried suddenly
and with a tremendous sigh of re
lief, again fell unconscious In hi
arms as Jimmy skillfully maneu
vered his craft onto the landinf
place of Rev. Samuel Boggs
known over the city as 1.-THE
Marrying Minister"
II y