The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1917-08-10
Monkeyiing With
A Signal Code
By DONALD cHAMBERlIN

= N'eDo anu via wing IOOIuS. ne owned
! splendid yacht, the Theta, big enough
TO sail anywhere In any waters, and in
Q this yacht he made his home. He con.
, tributed quite a number OF inventions
to assist scientists In making deep sea
soundings and investigating ocean cur.
rents and at the time referred to in this
: story was endeayoring TO simplify sea
: signals.
Abercromble sailed to the Philippines
among other places, where he was wei
coined by the United States officials.
especially the officers OF the army.
? Among the families OF the officers he
met Miss Leila Turnlee, the daughter
/ OF Colonel Turniee, commander of the
4, tn infantry. Miss Turnlee under
stood his devices readily.
Now, the way Abercrombie knew that
: Miss Turnlee understood his contriy.
anees was because she always said
Yes and Indeed and How clever
exactly at the right time. and when he
asked, "Do you follow me?p she always
replied. Perfectly"
4 Mrs. Turnlee was much pleased that
her daughter had a mind capable OF re.
ceiylng the explanations OF Abercrom.
bie's inventions by Abercrombie him
self-not that she cared anything for
the inventions, but she hoped her
daughters yigor of intellect would lead
Abercrombie to become interested and
I possibly that fine catch would fall to
the family. The good lady had drag
| ged half a dozen children over many
territories IL the western portion of
America during her younger days and
had known what it was TO get settled
in quarters to be Immediately ordered
TO some other station or turned out by
a ranking officer Abercrombie's yacht
| was preferable TO an adobe hut or log
t apartment even when fixed In other
words, Mrs. Turnlee desired that her
daughter should marry elsewhere than
( in the army.
At dinner one evening at Colonel
Tumlee's quarters Abercrombie was
explaining to the family his new sys-
TEN Of sea signals Colonel Turn1ee,
who was a West Pointer and should
have understood anything in the signal
line, knew but little of what his guest
said. Mrs. Turnlee understood never a |
word. Miss Leila did not need TO ask a |
single question. 1t all seemed to 90 |
straight TO her brain and find Judgment |
there
Upon my wordr' exclaimed Aber-
crombie. How did you good people
come to have a daughter who under
stands these things so well?'
Leila has always attended the best |
schools. said the fond mother pointed
". Besides. she has scientific tastes"
II have never met" Abercrombie de- |
clared enthusiastically, zone who has
taken in everything have said so
readily"
'She inherited 1t from her grand
father. Admiral Turnlee,s the mother
pursued. HE wrote book on coral |
reefs and another on volcanic forma-
tons Children always take from their
grandparents rather than their own
fathers"
Colonel Turnlee, who was cracking
nuts, did not notice his wifeis asper-
sions on his own generation.
do you think. Miss Tunlee," said
Abercrombie, "that II were to send
you a message by my code from my
yacht out in the bay you would under
stand it?'
81 think l would" replied the girl T.
demurely-"that is, II It were not too :,
long"
Every well. Look out for one tomor-
row afternoon"
How shall reply2 l have no sig
nails"
You can write or, better, tele-
graph"
Miss Leila made no reply to this
Possibly she was timid at being put to
the test, fearing that she might fail.
don't know how she felt about it. |
only throw this out as suggestion.
Her mother had confidence that she
would understand the signal perfectly |
and furnish Abercrombie with fresh
evidence of the brilliancy of her intel
lect. The colonel went on cracking
and munching nuts. but said nothing.
When the dinner broke up he had TO
go over TO see the commanding gen.
eral, and Mrs. Turnlee received visit
from the majors WIFE, This left Aber-
crombie and Miss Leila alone together
for the rest of the evening Aber-
crombie In order TO give her a better
chance to pass the test to come of next
day coached her bit. asking her few
leading questions concerning 1t. He
discovered that she did not know as
much about the code as he had thought
she did. He left her doubling that she
would be able to telegraph him cor
rect answer to his message.
The next day at 3 there were evil
dences on the Theta of desire to com
municate with some one. Abercrombie
himself was hauling up little flags and
running them down again. his mes
sage was, You are very bright CIR"
When the signaling was over Aber-
crombie waited for her telegram. IL
did not come. but later Colonel Turn
lees orderly brought note. 1t read:
Your fiattering offer OF your heart and
hand comes so Unexpectedly that should
have time. But my own heart says now
and always yes"
Abercrombie read the missive with