The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1922-07-20

behind struggling men; the world hs.
meath had been ffoscn In, TO give
place 10 new ono above. Aud with
that:
ITS openl It's openr' The shout
came from tho lips Of the teleErapher
waving his arms as he ran from the
tunnel that led 90 the stationhouse,
ITS openl I've had Rawlins on the
wiref'
Men crowded about him and
thnmped into the little box car 10
listen. like children. 20 tho rafting
Of the telegraph key--as tho they
never had heard one before. SO soon
does civilization feel the need OF It's
Inventions. once they are taken
away: 30 soon does tho mind become
primitive. once the rest Of the world
has been shut away from u. Eagerly
they clustered there. staring with
anxious eyez toward the operator as
he hammered at the key, talking In
whispers lest they disturb him. walt.
lng for his Interpretation % the mss.
sagc. like worshipera waiting for
the word % an oracle.
I'm putting IL all on the wircr'
he announced AZ Last. with fevcrish
intensity. I'm telling 'cm Just how
Il - over here. Maybe they can do
something from Rawllna"
"Rawiinsf" Houston had edged
forward There's not a chance. It's
hundreds OF miles away they can't
use horses. and they certainly can't
walk. waitr-will you give mo a
chance Ut aomethlngT-
A rlcam had come into hla eyes
His hands twisted nervousiy. Voices
mnmbicd about him, suddenly tho
great hands u Ba'tisic grasped him
by tho shoulders and literally tossed
him toward the telcgraphcr.
~Ah, oul. II Get Is the ldea--then
speak it,
Go on the telcgraphsr had
stopped his key for moment--~l'fl
put u thru. II Hll help"
All right. Get Denver on the
wire. Then take this message for
every newspaper In the city;
Can't you help usf Please try
TO start campaign 20 force crestiIne
road 20 open the Pass Women ana
chiidren are starving hero. We have
been cut Oft from the rest Of tho
world for two weeks. We need food
--and coal, Road will not be open
for four or five weeks more under
ordinary circumstances. This will
mean death 10 many az Us here. the
wiping out Of great timber and axri.
cultural country. and a blot on tho
history ~ Colorado. Help us--and
we win not forget II.
'ci;lxens o. the West Country.
~Ah. OUR old Ba'tluts was nd.
dressing the rest % the crowd. The
newspapers. they can help. better
than anyone else. Eet In cur chance.
Bon--xood' Mon Baree. he have the
big. what.ycus say. sentiment"
Sounds good Tho teiegrnpher
was bnssly putting ~ on tho wire
Then a walt Of hours-hours ia
which the operator varied his rou.
tine by sending the word of the
stricken country 10 Cheyenne. 10 Col.
orado Springs. 20 Pueblo. and thence.
through the news agencies, 20 the
rest Of the world.
Might as well set everybody IN
on It," he unused. an he pounded the
telegraph instrument: cant tell
some 81 those higherups might be In
New York and think there wasn't
anything 10 II unless they could No.
II in the New York papers H.
Then he stopped a. the wire cut un.
der his finger ard ciattered forth a
message. lie jumped. lie grasped
Ba'tiste In the iank arms. then turn.
Ell beaming to the rest OF the gaping
crowd.
Its from the papers IN Denver
he shouted. "A joint message.
They've taken up the fight
A fight which had its echoes In the
little railroad box car. the center Of
the deadencd. shrouded West
Country. the news OF which must
travel TO Cheyenne. 20 Rawiins.
thence far down through the north.
ern country over lily patched teie-