The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1913-11-20
CHAPTER III.
The Moving Flnqer Wrltes.

The Moving Finger Writes.
Inc condition Of affairs in the At.
las Building lasted long enough to car.
ry the matter up to the experts in the
employ OF the companies: that is TO
say, until about three o'clock the fol.
lowing morning. Then, without rea.
son, and all at once. the whole build.
ing from top to bottom was a blaze OF
incandescent light
The little group of workmen and
experts nodded in competent and
satisfied manner, and began leisurely
TO pack their tools as though at the
successful completion of a long and
difficult job.
But every man jack OF them knew
perfectly well that the electrical an
paratus of the building was now in ex.
actly the same condition as II had
been the evening before. No repair
work had followed a futile investiga
ton.
AS the group moved toward the
outer air, the head repair man quietly
dropped behind Surreptitiously he
applied the slender cords of his pocket
ammeter to the zinc and carbon OF the
dead batteries concerning whose fresh
ness he and his assistant had argued
The delicate needle leaped forward
quivered like a snakes tongue, and
lowered over a number.
Fifteen" read the repair man. and
then, after a moment: He'll"
The daily business, therefore, open
ed normally. The elevator shot from
floor to floor; the telephones rang;
the call-bells buZzed, and all was we'll
At six o'clock came the scrub-woman
at half past seven the office boys: ri
eight the clerks; little later some OF
the heads; and precisely at nine Nal
achi Mccarthy as was his invariable
habit.
AS the bulky form Of the political
boss pushed around the leaves OF the
revolving door, the elevator starter
glanced at his watch. This was not to
determine If Mccarthy was on time
but to see If the watch was right.
Mccarthy had recovered his good
humor. He threw a joke at the Negro
polishing the brass, and paused gen
tally to exchange word with the ele
vator starter.
Worked until about three o'clock
the latter answered a question. Got
1t fixed all right. No. they didn't say
what was the matter Something to
do with the wires. / suppose"
Most likely" agreed Mccarthy.
AT that moment an elevator
dropped from above and came to rest
like swift bird alighting The doors
parted to let out young man wearing
tho cap Of the United Wireless.
Good morning. Mr.. Mccarthy" this
young man remarked in passing
Aren't going into the sign-paintina
business, are your" He laughed.
What ye givin' us, Mixer" demand.
ed Mccarthy.
The young man wheeled to include
the elevator starter in the Joke.
Air was full of dope most OF last
night from some merry little Jester
working a toy, homemade He Just
kept repeating the same thing
something about Mccarthy, at six
o'clock you shall have a sign given
unto you. It works, over and over
all night. Some new advertising
dodge, reckon. Didn't know but you
were the Mccarthy and were getting
q present from some admiring constit.
uent"
He threw back his head and laughed,
but McCarthy's ready anger rose.
Where did the stuff come from"
~Out OF the fresh air." replied the
operator From most anywhere In.
side the zone Of communication"
Couldn't you tell who sent it?"
mo way. It wasn't signed. Come
from quite q distance, though"
How can you tell that?'
you can tell by the way II sounds
Say, they ought to be a law about
these amatoors cluttering up the air
this way. Sometimes ! got to pick my
own dope out OF a dozen or fifteen
messages all ticking away in my head.
piece at once"
j know the crazy slob what sent
EN-, oil right, all right" growled Nc.
Carthy. Hes nutty for fair"
Well II he's nutty / wish you'd
hurry his little trip 10 Matteawan,"
complained the operator turning away.
The boss went to his office, where
he established himself behind his
tabletop desk There aIl day he con-
Quoted leisurely business of inysteri.
ous import, sitting where the cool
autumn breeze from the river brought
its Tefreshment
There were two other inner. offices
to McCarthy's establishment, In which
sat q private secretary and an cmce
boy Occasionally Mccarthy. with
some especial visitor. retired to one Of
these for q more confidential CONVEX