Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, May 04, 1900, Page 9, Image 9

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THE OMAHA DAILY HEJ3: El?! DAT, MAY 4, 1)00.
y
By virtue of an unprec edented purchase we are now enabled to offer to the public at 1-3 less than the publishers' price the Funk & Wagnall's
STANDARD DICTIONARY
Entirely New
from Cover to Cover
It is not a reprint, rehash, or re
vision of any other work, but is the
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Nearly 100 of the leading universi
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on the educational staff; 20 TJ. S.
Government experts were also on
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Never was any dictionary welcomed
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It should be the pride of literary
iiiuuwxu, V-(UULU,1IIB OUl.ttli.'l
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plates 5,000 illustrations.
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tus. Its mtrits are mainly due to the fact
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pert or specialist. No dictionary over had
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delphia, Ta,: "Continual uie of tho first volume, since it
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cholarly results,"
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brarian U. S. Treiury Department. Washington, D. C: "After
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Judge W. K. Townsend, Professor of
y University, Sept. 9, 1895; "1 have carefully com
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which retails for $12.00
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THE Independent, New York:
"From tho time tho plan (of tho
Standard Dictionary) was brought
to its full and systematic development, the
work has been pushed with, great energy.
No expense and no pains have boon spar
ed. Collaboration has been carried to tho
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forth the joint product of tho linguistic
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age.
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T contains all there is in tho English
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I
Parents
Should not underestimate the
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diate consultation of a Standard
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The early use of reference bookB by the
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Thirty-three and one-third
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MAIL ORDERS GIVEN PROMPT ATTENTION.
MEGEATH
STATIONERY
1308 Farnam Street, Omaha.
A
MS
ADVENTURE AT LONG TUNNEL I
o o
BY C. W. REAMER.
O , O
(Copyrighted, 1900, by C. W. llcamcr.)
ol tho tunnel a temporary telegraph office
had been erected, between which a private
wire had been strung for the exclusive use
of, tho tunnel operators. Tha ofTlccs thorn
selves wcro hastily-constructed shanties,
each oontntnlug a chair and a Ublo for the
Instruments.
It Wan .simply n Snnp.
Tho samo evening-1 went on duty at tho
tho man at tho other end, but be had evi
dently forgotten that tho train wub back
and had taken advantage ot tho quiet to
catch a nap.
"Dawson must bo 'pouudlng his ear," " I
said to tho 'watchman, who was stretched
out on tho lloor in the cornor. "I can't
raise him."
But that gentleman, whoso duty It Is to
keep watch and ward, was evidently In
dulging In tho same luxury, for hin answer
was a snore.
I kept on calling until the long train had
came almost to a standstill. I knew as a
matter of fact that thero -wore no trains
bound In tho opposite direction within
many miles of Long tunnel. I also kriow
that even It there wcro they could not
enter the tunnel until given tbe signal by
Telegraphers aro essentially a class ot
rovers. In tho dally course of their business
thoy aro brought In touch 'with points, hun
dreds, even thousands, of miles distant. The
acnso.of dlstanco is thus lost and nt tho samo
time u feeling of rcetlcs3ncss Ih created
which' can bo satisfied only by travel. To
this 'rulo I formed no exception. For several
years I had knocked about tho country at
random. I had seen servlco In both tho
largo commercial telegraph companies and
on many railroads. I had traveled hy rull
ruan and by frolght, according to tho state
of my finances at tho time, and In tho
course of these travels I had met with many
experiences which, when viewed retrospec
tively, aro brightened by tho glamour ot ro
manco, but at tb,o tlmo wero 'terribly real.
One of these Is the story which I have to
relate.
It wan In tho spring nt 1890 that, In tho
courso of my wonderlnris. I drifted Into
Ashovlllo. My finance were In a depleted
state and It became. necessary to replenish
them. Several days had been opent In a
vain search for a position, when I dropped
In to sco tho superintendent of telegraph on
one of the great railroads leading out of
lAshovllle. Putting on my brst front I
asked him If he needed a first-class operator.
"Well," ho said, looking mc over quizzi
cally, "I do need a man If ho's the right
kind. Where have you worked?"
I mentioned tho name of a single railroad
only. Uovlng telegraphers' aro not favored.
"Any references?"
I produced a soiled paper that had accom
panied me through nil; my wanderings.
"A lltt'lo stale," ho' said, "and somewhat
tho worse for wear; but It looka all right.
Go Into tho next rcom and Mr. Jones will
see what you can do."
Ho took mo to tho dcor and introduced me
to the dispatcher, who was sitting at a
tablo with tho train record spread .beforo
him. . v,
"This young -man "clalmn to be n first
class man. Seo what he can do."
"Well," said tho dispatcher, turning to
me, "answer that fellow calling 'Hx,' "
I answered, took the mtBsago and handed
It to him. Ho lookod at the handwriting ap
provingly. "Now." he said, "send him that one."
When I had done so he tcok me to tho cast end of I.oiig tunnel. Tho day man cx-1 tho operator, and such signal could uot bo
auner ntendont. ulalned to mo the nature of tho work, which ; given until 1 nan Dean consulted, i was,
"Well." talfl the superintendent, when he , was anything but arduous, therotore, perfectly safe In allowing tho
had hoard tho report. "I cuoss you'll do. I "You simply call up the roan nt the other train to proceed. So, not wishing to hold It,
Now. I want you to go to the east end of end when you want to let a train In tho
Ixing tunnel. We aro widening tho tunnel tur.nol," said ho, "and get hla permission,
for three tracks. While ihls work Is going ' He must do the samo txfere ho lots a train
nn, ono of tho two tracks at present thiiro enter at hi end. Such permission having
will necessarily bo blocked, and wo will . lucn given, the rpsrator giving It Is bound
hnvo lo run trn'np through tho tunnel on a ' to hold all oppoilte bound trains and keep
single track, Tho position will bo ono of , tho tunuol clear until tho train which has
responsibility. You wjll havo to be con- been given tho rlf,'ht of way clears at tho
stantly on (ho alert no going to sleep and othor end. That Is all It amounts to. It's
nt
AS I LOOKED THERI3 CAME KROM THE MOUTH OF THE TUNNEL A WHITE
MOHT.
lcelng trains there," ho added, wnrnlngly.
"I thank you for your kindness," I an
swered. "Whan Bhall I go?"
"no rmdy to go on duty tomorrow
night."
"I shall glvo a good account of myself,"
I answered ns I left hlnj. ,
Tho next morning I boarded tho train for
my now field of labor., Iong tunnel was
Rbout forty nillen west of Coal tower. Kor
jnlles to tho east the. railroad ron parallel
with thu river, through n' beautiful and
fertllo valley, but ut this paint It had mot
nn obstruction In tho sJHapo of tho moun
tain and, parting from jts sinuous com
panion, had plowed Its way through this
natural barrier, emerging Into tho light of
day a mile to the westward, At each end
tho greatest snap I over had."
Tho rcmilt of nil this was that no train
could enter the tunnel until the operator
at the other end had signified that tho
track was clear and would bo kept clear
until such train had emerged nt tho other
end. Simple as tho system was, Its very
simplicity seemed only to add to Its effect
ler.rs, and had we, tho oporators, ndh'ered
lo It strictly, this story would not havo
been written, nut ono night about n month
after my advent at Long tunnel a chanro
ovent disclosed to me and tho operator at
tho wont end tho possibility of making It
simpler fctlll. It came about In this way:
About 3 o'clock one Sunday morning a
belated freight train approached my end of
tho tunnel. I opened the key and called
I pulled tho signal and It rolled Into the
tunnel. When It camo out at tho other end
tho.nolso aroused the sleeping operator nnd
I told him what I had dono.
This event, as I said, awakened In both of
us possibilities that had never occurred
before. Sitting at breakfast In tho big
farmhouse the samo morning we talked tho
matter ovor.
"Thero Is no renson," said Dawson, after
we had discussed tho thing from all sides,
"why -wo shouldn't got Borne sleep out of
this."
"Especially," I added, "when wo can do
so with ported safety."
So wo agreed that for the future, If ono
of us called the other for "track" nnd re
ceived no reply, ho should act on the as
sumption that tho other was asleep and let
the train go through. In such a courso thero
appeared to bo absolutely no danger, be
cause If, while this train wna In tho tunnel,
another should approach at tho opposite
end, the operator thero would have to call
up the other man to get tho right of way,
when he could hn Informed of tho state of
affairs.
And thus we altered tbe system which
had been adopted by the .officials to suit our
own convenience. So far a ivo could soe
thero was In the now system not a single
flaw. No posslblo contingency could we
devise with -which it could .not successfully
cope. But such a contingency did arlso and
it shall ever bo to mo an object lesson of
tho limits of human conception. Wo went
on with our new scheme for a month, sleep
ing when we choso and staying awako when
wo chose, when our "system" was sud
denly exploded.
On tho particular night In question tho
operator at tho other end of tho tunnel was
attending a festival In a neighboring village
and his placo was filled by tho day man. Of
this fact I was unaware until afterward.
About 1 o'clock I got out my lunch basket
nnd had Just mado a half moon In a plcco
of plo when a hevy freight train drifted
around the curve and whistled for tho signal.
Ab usual, I called the man at the other end.
Receiving no answer. I pulled tho signal to
white, and tho train rolled Blowly Into tho
tunnel. As tho engine passed tho office, I
heard a lump of coal strlko tho door. Somo
of the trainmen wero In the habit of throw
ing off old papers and magazines for my
perusal, and usunlly took this way to at
tract my attention. Relieving this to bo tho
case now, I picked up the lantern anil stepped
out of the office to look for tho papers, nut
I found nothing. Thinking that the
momentum of tho train might have carried
them along, I walked up tho track perh.ips
fifty feet, hut could see nothing of tho
papors. Then I returned to the office. I
had been out perhaps two minutes, but In
that time tho mischief had been dono. The
"tall lights" ot the freight wcro Just
onterlng tho tunnel when I again called
Dawson. This tlmo ho answered.
"No. Dt Is In tho tunnel," I told him on the
wire. "Don't let anything In east."
"My Clod," bo ticked back, nnd tho dots
and dashes came to mo llko tho death war
rant to a condemned culprit: "I Just let an
'extra' go. I called you, but couldn't raise
you, so I let them In."
Swift as lightning tho terrible truth
flashed over mo. lie had culled while I was
out looking foi tho papers. Falling to nilso
mc, ho had lived up to tho letter ot our
system nnd sent the train through tho
tunnol. And now-whnt? Why, two iron
fiends, nuided by human hands, wore re
lentlessly bearing down upon each othor in
tho heart of tho mountain, and no power on
earth could ston them.
The sensation which I then experienced
Is somethlns that every man will hnvo to
imagine for himself: It la Incapable of being
put down in black and unito. vvuuoui Know
ing what I was doing, or why I. was doing
It, I put on my hat und coat. Then I walked
out of tho door and up tho track to tho mouth
ot tho tunnel. 1 listened for the crush that
must surely come. 1 strained my eyes In a
vain endeavor to penotrato tho tunnel s
black mouth. I thought of the human Uvea
thnt wero going swiftly and surely to their
awful death, and I their murderer. I wished
that I might bo In tho tunnel when tho
monsters met In combat and be the first to
die.
Soon this mood gave way to another
the Instinct of self-prrsorvatlon. I turned
abcut and faced the. open country. Surely,
In that wide, Illimitable expanse which
stretched far away to tho east, thoro was
tcmo place where I might bldo myself
somo hnvon where I might bo secure from
thrf vengeance ot tho law. I leaped ovor
the ditch at tho sldo of the track and climbed
tho fence, mindly I stumbled acros tho
swnmpy bottom, going I know not nor cared
not where, but simply that I was golntr.
Once I turned nnd looked back. I could
foo tho signal light nt tho entrance of tho
tupnol, showing through tho blackness of tho
night the danger signal, nil.
"Curso you," I cried out in my despera
tion, " jou car show danger now that It is
too late,"
Rut us I looked thero came from tho mouth
of tho tunnel a white light, large and brll-
Itnnt, causing grim shadows to danco up and
down on tho glistening rails. At first I
thought I was dreaming, but I looked again
and know, even In tho face of tho utter Ira
pofslbliity of tho thing, 'that It was tho
headlight ot an engine tho "extra." Then,
like a crazy man, laughing ono minute and
ctylug tho next, I ran back toward tho of
fice. Several tlrues I fell, but In an In
stant I was up again aud on. I did, not ask
myself how this could be; I mado no at
tempt to reason It out. I know, simply and
only, that tho miraculous had happened
that tho two trains had passed each other
without a collision. And so, covered with
mud from my falls In tbo swamp, I reached
tho ofilc which a few moments before I had
left bearing with mo a terrlblo burden.
The Instrument was ticking my call as I
walked in the door. I sank down on the
chair and answered.
"Where in the name of Clod have you
been?" asked Dawson s substitute. "I
thought you had skipped tho country."
"Don't uok mo wIjctc I vo been. Tell mo
how tho trains passed In tho tunnel."
"You fool," he retorted. "They didn't
pats In tho tunnel. I held tho 'extra' here
until 01 had cleared.
"You told mo you had let the 'extia' In."
"Yes, my boy, I did that to teach you a
Iptson. Dawson told mo of your little
scheme. After he left I got to thinking It
over, wncn you cnuou me 10 gei me irncK
for 04 I was standing In the doorway. 1
knew that you would lot tho train como
anyway, .so I didn't trouble myself to answer.
Then the 'extra' came. I thought you might
bo holding tho train, eo I called you. When
you didn't answer thero Hashed over me tbo
porslblllty of what might have occurred had
I been asleep when you culled for 01. ou
would have let them In, ns yott In fact did.
Then the extra would hnve wakened mc
and I should have called you for track. Re
ceiving no answer, I should have presumed
you to bo sleeping and lot the 'extra' go.
Now you see what your little scheme might
havo led to?"
"Yes," I said, "I neo."
I was, tco much relieved .tt the happy out
come of the affair to be angry at his decep
tion, nut I told Dawson what had hap
pened and tho next night we abandoned our
system and thereafter used tho old ono.
cwi'taix i,i:.nv ay ouam.
Itrnl Covornor Seimrnioil from iltr
I'lflltloii .Stories Aliont lllni.
So many varying and untrue stories havo
been circulated about the recall of Cap
tain Rlchnrd V. Ieary, tho first American
governor of our new Island possession, Guam,
that tho Navy department has felt Itself
called upon to print Captain Lcary's letter
asking that this step be taken. Whatever
picturesque methods and high-sounding
phrases he may havo used during his porlod
of almost autocratic sway there, It Is plain
that the chief reason for bis recall Is that
his tour of what Is called "sea duty" has
practically expired. Leary undoubtedly did
stir up tho friars as to their charges for
marriage, and he proclaimed against servi
tude amounting to slavery and against in
toxication and various other customs calcu
lated to debaso thoso who Indulged in them.
He also used many lofty words to Impress
tho easy-going natives with a vivid Idea of
the greatness of the American flag and the
United States as a nation. All this made
our first governor of Cluam picturesque.
I3ut. according to Franklin Matthews In
Harper's Weekly, Captain Leary Dick
Leary, as cveryono who knows him and
thousands w,ho do not know him call him la
more than picturesque; he Is positively
rugged, always Interesting, and never hap
pier than when ho scents the atmcsphere of
Btrlfe. His career In the navy has been
1 "Darling. I could sit ho-c torevnr iling sou a my I o, and--
2 Just then tho bleigh upset.
ono of turmoil. Few men In the navy hav
more sturdy friends or more bitter enemlos
among his Immedlato fellows than Dick
Leary. Three times his name has been re
moved from tho roster. Twico It was re
stored by the department after thorough In
vestigation and review of tho circumstanced
under which It was removed. Once it -was
restored by order of congress.
Somo of the naval officers havo never for
given Leary for that distinction. Ills career
In tho navy has not been n bed of roses. Ha
didn't get much of a chance In the war with
Spnln. Maybe it was bocause thoro was a
reluctance to allow ono with something ot
tho repute of a daredevil to come to tha
front, and It might havo been that th
projudlco of others bad somo effect. Juet
before the war came he had had another tlm
of stress In tho navy. Some of his enemies
suddenly discovered that Leary was color
blind. He said It wasn't so, nnd again ha
confounded his enemies, although It took
more than ono examination to thoroughly
establish Leary's contention. The antl
Lcarylsts that time thought they had him
sure, but he passed bis examination for the
captain's grade, did more or less obscure
work In tho war, and now haa won notoriety
and glory of a certain kind In Guam,
Leary did ono servlco for his country In
tbo latter part ot tho '80s In Samoa which
attracted a great deal ot attention, brought
him tbo thanks privately ot a president,
u secrotary of state and a secretary of
the navy, but no official document of ap
proval, and when It was proposed to glvs
hlm the thanks of congress n storm raged
about him. Ho had resisted the aggressions
of the German Influence in Samoa and had
cleared his ship for action ono day when
n Oerman war ship threatened to fire on
some natives. His correspondence at that
tlmo, when he was beyond reach of the
government, was so vigorous that when It
was transmitted to congross certain sen
tcncei wero ccnsorol, probably for the good
of continued pleasant relations with a cer
tain foreign power.
If Leary had fired on that German war
ship It would probably have brought on
war .between the United States and Ger
many. It was a tromondous responsibility
to put on a lieutenant commander. No
officer of his years and rnnk was ever
placed In aush a position. Ho was un
questionably right In his attitude, and In
his vigor ho was truly Amorlcan. His
distinction, It Is openly asserted, brought
down upon him more Jealousy, nnd that
may nccount for tho fact that, Inasmuch
as his country goo him no public ap
proval, his state of Maryland felt called
upon to honor him, and did so, present
ing him with a watch by order of the leg
islature. Personally Leary Is slight In physique,
quiet In behavior, quick to wrath, a typ
ical southerner In chivalry, an ardent lover
of hl country, a man who In war would
rather fight than eat, drink. r lee- -d
In peace would rather devote himself to
his real frlonds than have any attention
whatever brstowed upon hlmtelf No m
ter where Dick Leary may be or what ho
may do, it Is safe to predict that something
will always bo going on there of especial
Interest.
OAHTOSIIA.
Bun tin lhl Y,u Hm B,ulM
o a. tst a? o x. i Jk. .
Sean th j9 1tl9 Have Always CiujU
oAsrroxixA. t
B tho I Kid YOU nMAlMjj BWiN
D