The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-09-16
A BOMB
AT SEA
By F. A. mitchell.

, this ship" said one passenger to an
, other. I'VE are in some danger"
: "Submarines?'
. II hope not" said the other, turnin,
pale.
cts not submarine danger" a thir(
put In; Its a bomb A wireless ha.
been received from New York stating
that a letter has fallen into the hand.
Of the police indicating that a box 1.
aboard containing an explosive. set t.
be fred in three or four days afte1
sailing"
"Oh. my goodness gracious!" exclaim
ed an elderly lady sitting in a steamer
chair with very pretty daughter be
side her. The mother showed signs OF
fainting. The daughter was very
much troubled. Her mothers heart
was weak.
There's no danger, mamma; indeed
there isn't, I assure you"
How do you know? You DOM
know. Isn't it awful!'
II do know"
1t appeared that the girl was trying
to keep her mother from another
danger than a bomb; therefore no one
who overheard what she said paid any
attention to her claiming to know that
nothing was to be feared from an ex-
plosion. In the wireless message re-
ceived description Of the box was
given. 1t was six feet square and
marked: Fragile. Handle With Care.
This Side Up"
| A thorough search was made of the
hold where freight had been stored,
but 1t was not necessary to remove
anything, for the box was found as
described with nothing stored in it. An
officer conducting the search listened
for ticking, but heard nothing. He
was not surprised at this. for the bomb
was probably In the center Of the box
with packing material around 1t.
The next information the lady and
her daughter received concerning the
danger was seeing the box swing out
over the side of the ship. The girl
gave shrek and, running to the rail,
called out frantically to those below
not to drop the box into the water.
The mate directed them to hold 1t, and
while the Internal machine dangled in
the air the girl ran down the compan-
ionway to lower deck where the work
OF getting rid of the danger was going
on. The mate, the men at the tackle
and group Of passengers standing
around looked ut her wonderingly.
"Oh, heavens" she CRIED don't let
1t go; take 1t inr'
What have you got to do with it?"
asked the mate.
Bring 1t In
Its safe enough where 1t is. Come.
confess. Are you mixed up in the
plot?"
Moves. 1t isn't plot to blow up
the ship; there's no bomb In the box"
well. what Is In the box?"
why. there's nothing to hurt any
body"
How do you known
Because I do"
mo such wOman's reason as that can
be taken where the lives Of hundreds
| or persons are at stake Let her 20.
men,"
The girl sprang to the ropes. The
officer made II sign for them to hold.
Come, out with 1t. We can't take
any further risk
Bring 1t back and I'll open 1t IL
you are afraid to. There's nothing In
1t to hurt any one"
The box was brought back, and for
the first time holes were noticed bored
/ In its sides.
"A stowaway." remarked the man
who made the discovery.
Bring hammer" said the mate.
The lid was taken Off the box by
one OF the men. and the top Of mans
head appeared
Come out o that!" rOared the mate.
The man was helped out Of the box.
as pale as the girl. They staggered to-
gether and fell into each others arms.
Inc act caused more commotion than
the receipt Of the wireless telegram.
What In thunder does this mean?"
asked the mate. Young Teller, if you've
been trying to beat your way you'll 60
down into the furnace room to shovel
coal"
Nonsense" exclaimed passenger.
Don't you see that they're a pair of
lovers?
"A love story! cried another locker.
ON. Lets have it,"
Inc young man and the girl looked
at each other sheepishy; then the for.
mer said:
My friends, | suppose wen have 10
confess. This young lady and | are
lovers. Her mother is taking her
abroad to get rid of me- 1t occurred TO
us to outwit her by my being shipped
as freight. Some friends helped me.
| was put In this box. with plenty of
food and water, and all might have
gone right. but some of the crowd
must have talked. Likely one of them
has reported the box to contain bomb
as practical joke"
Joke be hangedP' said the mate.
In another minute you would have
been dropped overheard"
"A parson" cried a passenger.
"Good!' cried another. "Tie 'em up
before the old lady comes"
The girl shrank back, but nothing
would do but that there must be a
wedding. There was a clergyman
among the bystanders, who, being rec
ognized by his canonicals, was pushed
forward, and before the nsir raoIiza5