The San Francisco call., 1910-12-04
WRITER USES Shoe
TO Convey news
Message Thrown From Speed
ing Train TO Telegraph Oper-
atOr on Platform

A correspondent for a Chicago news
paper recently was placed in a position
where the exercise of his inventive ge-
MUS and resourcefuIness extricated him
from an embarrassing position. He was
accompanying a famous national char
acter on a special railroad train from
the west, bound for Chicago, where the
aforesaid famous character was to be
received with>~the loud acclaim of his
admirers The correspondents Job was
10 take down the thoughts and ideas of
the I. c. as they issued from his lips
during the trip and telegraph them
ahead to an expectant public, which was
watching the f. c.'s progress, SAYS the
Chicago News.
His dlsmay on learning that the train
was TO run unhesitatingly by interme-
dlate telegraph stations and stop only
when Chicago was reached produced a
grin on the face of the brakeman who
had vouchsafed the information.
Guess you're up against it," he said.
you oughta taken along some carrier
pigeons to transfer your writings to
Chi"
The reporter with a sheaf of "copy" in
his hand stared out of the window as
the train dashed by a telegraph station
persons stood on the platform and
gaped at the special Among them was
telegraph operator, distinguished by
his shirt sleeves and other unmistak-
able signs The reporter was struck
with an idea.
Why can't I throw out my copy as
we pass through a telegraph station p
he excitedly asked the brakeman. III
get some oranges or apples from the
diner, cut hole through them and stuff
the paper in them and wait till we get
to the next town.
There amt no diner on now re-
marked the railroadman. 1T was taken
off couple of hours ago. No butcher.
either he added.
The reporters face fell. The train
never slackened its speed 1t flashed
through town after town. The f. Z.
issued statement to his admirers in
Chicago which got no farther than the
newspaperman's note paper His last
edition time was getting perilousIy
close. He could imagine his reception
by the managing editor when he
reached his office.
At length the reporter opened the
door of the baggage car and peered in.
The baggagemaster was snoring in a
chair. And then the reporters eyes
became fastened upon a small pile of
shoes reposing ina corner"
With glee he gathered up the foot
wear and dashed out of the car to mis-
own quarters. The rest was easy.
The telegraph operator and the usual
group of hangerson at the next station
noticed a young man hanging out of a
window of a rapidly approaching train
and gesticulating wildly. AS the car
rushed by shoe was hurled from the
window and fell at the feet of the oper-
ator. That surprised man picked up
the shoe and to his wonderment found
| a dollar bill protruding from its depths
Also there was the copy" and a note
of explanation. The dollar was for the
operator.
The entire supply of shoes was ex-
hausted before the train with the ex-
ultant reporter reached the city limits.
His interviews with the T. c. were gen
erously displayed -on the first page of
his newspaper when he sought news
stand after carefully noting that the
| baggagemaster was still unaware of
the loss of his property