THE NORTH PLATTE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE.
(MQTO
fc&4-
JOSEPH C. S. BLACKBURN
mhPeop
Qirjt maps&zz, j&JLjrsz --' ,-t-H
4
HE wireless spark that cries to the
shore for help when nlgbt and terror
sottle down on the doomed steam
ship, ami tho wild moment of
thanksgiving ns tho mossnKo of de
llvoranco drums In the weary
operator's ear, has furnished many
a thrill, but tho cry from shoro,
searching tho sua and finding tho
wlilto sppek on Us bosom that means
hope and life, Is raro, and to put It
mildly, reversing tho order of things.
Of courso, In story books the hero
often finds himself cast away and Is
put to no great shift to rig a wlre
lesn whoso uncouth putterlngs turn the groat
titeumshlp from bur path and bring the right girl
In tho bargain.
Hut this Is a story of Swan Island, Desplto
tho namo you would not caro to live on .Swan
Island. TheYo aro no swans, nor are there any
dainty ox-oyodfjunos or peroxldo Junos to marry
tho castaway earl.
Swan Island lies In the tropics, some hundred
miles off Honduras If you insist on getting out
your atlas and by common report Is tho most
Xorsakou thing In tho Caribbean sen, which Is
saying much.
It would bo hard to imagine a moro dreary place
or ono loss suited for tho local color to a story
with a thrill. A fow huts scattered over the
Ifiwampy ground, aomo palms, some cocoanut
troes, and tho tally Is complete, all bu. the wire
less station.
Commorco must bo served, and the United
XVult compuny has eroded on Swan Island a lit
tle station that keeps In touch with steamships
passing COO mlloa out to sea. Tho station nlso
relayH mossagos from Port Union, Costa Rica
(boo your map ngaln), over to Jamaica. .
Nothing olso remains In the summing up of
Swan Island but scorpions, trantulns nnd a multi
tude of carnivorous insocts whoso execution would
drlvo tho Now Jersey product to envious suicide.
Thtthor at the close of- a' Bweltorlng dny In
autumn came n now wireless operator and a visi
tor, Necessity brought tho operator, curiosity
brought tho visitor. Tho sumo steamship depos
ited both on tho whlto beach, to call n month later
"with another operator. Kcenan, tho wireless man,
was In luck, for after a month nlone on Swun
Island that Is, alouo so far as white companions
uro concornod oxcopt for a single "beach comber,"
"which is doomed sufficient by tho company mon
ehow tho beginnings of a lino of solt-nddressed
conversation which would not entitle them any
too firmly to tho major premlso, "Man Is a ration
al animal."
Curiosity and scorpions brought tho visitor, ono
Warren Carow, who hailed from Now York and
Bliould havo known bettor. Carew had money
and troops, of friends, picked up in odd parts of
tho globe, but ho prcforrod to list scorpions. He
was a naturalist, ho told the wireless man, nnd
Koonau, accustomed to strango men nnd strango
placos, shrugged his shoulders and was glad for
tho companionship tho naturalist brought.
At daylight, boforo tho heat of the sun made
llfo a burden, Carow collected his ugly Bpcclmons,
and later ho talked with Kcenan, who furnished
gossip of Uio world snatched from tho passing
crnft. Two weeks passed In desultory fuBhlon,
-with morning searches and afternoons looking
oror the hot bluo son before and tho lagoon be
hind, that lay llko a spot of tarnished silver
showing through tho scrawny palms.
Carow was caroloss and ono morning It hap
pened. Tho lobster-llko claws of the scorpion
nipped and Carow went oft balance Tho nip wbb
not dangerous, but the sprawl threw him Into
lino for the swinging tall of tho holder of venom
that meant death -doath unless heroic measures
wo.v adopted. Whatever else Carew was ho was
not a coward. Tho report of Keennn and all In
formation that can bo gathered shows ho acted
"with Spartun courngo but again ho was careless.
Tho Hinull spot In tho calf of tho leg whoro th
polHon entered was bared by htm nnd u common
Juckknlfo brought Into play. Quickly Cnruw cut
at tho place, "und slashud until thero was n freo
How from a wound threo Inches long. Ho bound
up Uio log with strips of clothing and hobbled
back to his hut.
ICoouan Baw him and hurried to his assistance.
Carow was mado comfortnblu In a bunk, and
Bwoltorod cheerfully through tho afternoon, be
Moving ho had saved himself. Copious dosos of
brandy muddlod his sonsos and Kccnon returned
to his post. Thero woro no signs of tho swift
death that follows tho sting of tho scorpion.
zomzzrfrcs
'. Z&OFiKXZ, J&ZJ37XD
I
Two dayB passed and on tho evening of the
third Kcenan noticed tho mat curtains drawn in
Carow's hut. A group of natlvos gesticulated be
foro tho door, bur? none would onter. Tho wireless
toporator pushed aside tho drawn matting, wonder
ing why Carow should havo closed himself in
whon the slightest breath of sultry air was a
blessed relief. Carew sat in a corner of tho hut
laughing. Ho had lighted tho lamp, which added
to tho almost unbearable heat of the hut.
The wireless man gasped out: "What's the mat
tor? Don't you wnnt any air? You'll suffocato."
Ho started to draw aside tho curtains, when the
naturalist stopped him.
"Don't," ho said. "It's cold. My leg will catch
cold."
Swiftly Kcenan had him by tho shoulders, and
thpro In tho stilling room examined tho wounded
leg. It took but a glance to not tho swelling and
tho coming of the first mortification around the
wound. Gangrcno would set In, If It had not como
already. Tho end was certain death.
Moro brandy und water thrown on him desplto
protost, brought from tho naturalist tho story of
th? cutting. Ho had used an unclean blade, and
this was tho result. Both men returned to the
wireless Btatlon, Keennn helping tho now fright
ened hunter of scorpions.
A grim ellenco Bottled over them, and while
Carew Bat dumbly awaiting tho outcome Keenan
thought hard.
It was nearly midnight whon tho Idea came.
Away out at sea, hundreds of miles, wdro ves
sels passing, It ho could only summon ono and
persuado tho captain to turn In to save a life.
"I'll wireless a doctor, old mnn!" Keenan shouted,
Joyfully clapping tho Inert Carow1 on tho shoulder.
Tho naturalist was too amazed for the time be
ing to grasp tho idea, but after ho caught the
spirit his anxiety wns pitiful.
"Hut the steamship would not turn so far," ha
walled. Then ho cried out: "Promise them any
thing. I can pay."
Ills dynamos running smoothly, Koonau fin
gered tho key and tho bluo Bparks crackled. He
repeated at Intervals and waited. There was no
answering click In tho receiver. Through tho
night tho crackling kept up while tho awakened
natlvos nnd tho comber hurried to the Btatlon to
watch tho bluo spark that snarlod out Into the
tropical night.
Toward morning Port I.lmon answered, but here
wiiB no help. At daylight the swelling had In
creased, and with tho approach of what hobo
lloved the end the New York man became calm.
"I am sorry, friend," ho said, "but I think it's
pretty near ovor. Wo are too far 'from help, and,
besides, it is all impossible. No ship would turn.
I promise not to break down again. It I do be
come crazy and thore Is no hope, I depend on you
to" and ho noddod significantly toward his re
volver. Keennn did not answer. Somovvhero out on the
Caribbean he kuuw the Santa Marta was plough
ing along, so ho piled tho wireless unceasingly
Tho answer camo about nine o'clock in tho
morning from tho Santa Marta, which reported
her position exactly 420 miles to the southeast.
Hapld exchanges brought a refusal to turn to
Sunn loland. Tlio ship's surgeon, Dr W S. Irwin,
standing beside tho wireless, said It would be use
less. And the messnge was sent to Keenan, who
dared not look at the doomed young man
That seemed to to bo tho end for a moment.
Then thero came a new sputtering In tho receiver.
"Tho doctor says to perform the opuratlon your
self." "How enn 1?" tho spark from Bwan Uland ques
tioned tho Santa Marta at son.
Hack came the Instructions.
"Got him ready," said tho wireless. "You havo
Warren's modlcal book thero and you can go on
tho pngos I mention. Descrlbo the symptoms."
Keenan told the condition of tho wound nnd
tho circumstances, but ho Insisted on his fears
whon it camo tlmo to amputate.
"No amputation necessary," came back the mos
sago. "A lot of cutting according to direction and
your man Is saved."
Keenan howled this message to the trembling
man and made ready for further directions.
"Take, a tourniquet," snld tho wireless. It waB
hard to bellevo that out of sight beyond the hori
zon a trained mind nt another instrument was di
recting through spaco the way to save a human
life
With tho aid of the beach comber the tourniquet
was applied and a knife Cnrew's own, which had
caused the trouble plunged In boiling water to
make It clean. More brandy wns served to him
by the wireless man and everything was ready
for tho operation. A native boy who acted as
Herman's helper ran after articles as directed.
By turning to tho pnge he had been directed
Keenan found a chart of the leg.
"Heady," ho Unshed to Dr. Irwin.
Tho first direction came, he repeated It back
and It was verified) so there could bo no mistake.
Each part of tho lancing was gone over, cnrefully
under repeated Instructions. Meantime the Santa
Marta continued to plunge along on the blue Ca
ribbean. And when tho cutting was over there camo
Uio query from tho Bhlp to shore:
"Havo you any tar?"
Keenan had, and tho instruction came to boll
It and pour It on tho now clean wound. It wns
rough Burgery, but the best thing under the cir
cumstances. Carew fainted under It and was re
vived. "Toll him he's safe now," came the wireless.
The tourniquet was removed and the numbed
leg, still horribly painful under the searing tar,
was bandnged.
"Oot plenty of brandy?" asked the spark.
"About the only thing we have," Keenan pound
od back.
"Lot him have enough to forget his troubles,"
ordered the Burgeon, nnd the message was sent.
Now by rlghtB all should have been over with
tho saving of Curow. But there remained the one
touch that will be a long time finding its dupli
cate. The following day the young naturalist appear
ed dragging himself along with a cano in deflauca
of orders. Ho stopped by tho wireless mnn who
had taken his Instrument out under the treos.
' "Forget It," he said when the other began to
romonstrato. "I feel great, ilt's wonderful to
know you're going to live after all. I want to
thank that doctor."
So Kcenan raised the Santa Marta again and
tho surgeon was called to the wireless room.
"Tell him I can't operate the key so it means
anything." snld Carow, "but If he will sit down at
tho Instrument I'll make some dots with the thing
and that will serve for the present. You know
our hands will really touch when his has one koy
and I the other nnd the air between."
And so It hnppened that through tho air over
the blue Caribbean there passed sundry dots that
meant nothing and everything.
Joseph C. S. Blackburn of Kentucky,
who was recently appointed to suc
ceed former Senator Shelby M. Cullom.
of Illinois as tho resident commis
sioner In chargo of tho construction,
of tho Lincoln momorlal In Washing
ton, Is ono of tho best story tollers in
tho country.
Speaking of tho penchant of poli
ticians to hold offlco onco tho gorra
gets Into tho blood, Mr. Blackburn
told ono of "Prlvato John" Allen's
stories recontly to illustrate his point,
Allen of Tupelo, Miss., was ono of the
historic wits of congress. A number
of years ago Allen went to visit tho
plantation of his grandfather and ris
ing early in the morning wont out
Into the garden, where ho found "Aunt
Betsy," n negro servant of his grand'
father, whereupon tho following con
versation took place:
"Marso John, ebery tlmo I sees you
I kyan't help thinking how much yuh
looks like yuh ole grandfahtah. Yuh
looks like him, yuh talks like him and yuh walks like him."
"Well, Aunt Botsy, what office did ho over hold?" inquired Allen.
"Jes' do sanle office you hold, Marso John," replied Aunt Betsy. "As lony
as Ah kin dtsremember, he was a candidate."
REPRESENTATIVE HUMPHREY'S FIRST CASE
When Representative W. E. Humph
rey of the First district of Washington
isn't in congress ho practices law for
a living but he hns been in congress
for 11 years. However, he spent long
years at tho" bar, but they and the sub
sequent service in congress, have
failed to dim tho recollection of his
first caso. Ho doesn't tell it; one has
to got Mrs. Humphrey to do that. Hero
it 1b:
It was back In Indiana, tho state of
tho nativity of moat far western states
men, where they breed politicians as
Massachusetts breeds highbrows. Mr.
Humphrey had Just- hung out his ahln
glo whon he was retained in a Bmall
caso before a county Justice of the
peace.
This Justice was an old friend. Mr.
Humphrey and he bad sat on the
same bench in country school and
gono swimming together in the ol'
swimming hole.
"Will," said tho Justice, seeking him
out privntely, "this is the first case I over tried as Justice, and I don't know a
blamed thing about law. You've Just got to help me out Seer'
Tho young advocate saw. And so, through the trial, he hammered vigor
ously, mostly on tho tablo. But when he hammered on tho book he got tho
ruling. The score at the end stood: Hullngs against Humphrey, 12; rulings in
favor of Humphrey, '6; percentage against Humphrey, .294. Nevertheless,
Humphrey won.
TREADWAY'S WASTED ENERGY
THE SURPRISE.
"Well, that's the verdict, doctor?"
"You are worn out. Tho best thing for you to
do Is tlx up your business affairs and take a
month's vacation."
"Why. confound It. doctor, I Just got back!"
Cleveland Plain Dealer.
HE SOLVED IT.
"I think I'm rightfully entitled to
tho presidency of the Wasted Energy
club," remarked Representative Allen
Treadwny of Massachusetts at Wash
ington, the other day. "In closing my
campaign last fall with a tour through
my district I sallied forth gayly one
morning, after telephoning my lieu
tenants at tho town of B that I
would arrive thero punctually at threo
o'clock that afternoon to deliver an
address.
"An hour later, as my car topped a
hill, I saw a most charming valley
stretched off to my right Turning
down into It I commenced my election
eering work.
"Never had I met such genial folk.
Every ono seemed ready to listen to
me with a smile as soon ns I made
known my mission. Charmed with this
reception, I forgot the flight of time
until I suddenly found It was after
four o'clock and I was a dozen miles
from B .
"When I chugged Into It I "tfound tho remnants of a reception committee
awaiting me.
" 'I'm late, boys,' I said, cheerfully, 'but I've done a capital day's work
back In the country here.'
'"Havo you been electioneering up that road you Just camo down?' in
quired tho committee spokesman in sour tones.
" 'Yes,' I replied, 'and I've got that section solid. Every man of them
promised that, at least, he would not vote against me.'
" 'I guess not!' rasped the spokesman. 'You've been electioneering all day, '
across the state line over In Vermont.!'"
MRS. MORRIS SHEPPARD OF TEXAS
"Talking about the servant problem, I know
onn man who got a woman to do his cooking,
washing. Ironing, housework, mending nnd denn
ing, Just for hor board."
"Where did ho get a prize servant like that?"
"Slio's his wife."
VITS ADVANTAGES.
"Thero Is ono good thing about tho stock of
that Irrigating enterprise."
"What Is it?"
"They ought to be nblo to water It extensively."
The woman In public life who re
mains enthusiastic and unwearied
throughout a Washington season, with
Its round of official nnd private enter
taining, Is rare Tho woman who not
only accomplishes this feat, but who
finds time to read with her husband
tho good old books tha,t a certain Mr
Dickens, a Mr Thackeray and other
gentlemen of their tlmo used to write.
Is a paragon. She has achieved both
polso and a sense of leisure.
One finds on the library table of
Mrs. Morris Sheppard, tho young wife
of Senator Sheppard of Toxas, not
only theso standard works of fiction
that show sho treads the conventional
and well worn paths of literature. Be
sides these, thero Is always some raror
volumo at hand, such, for Instance, as
an "Autobiography of Benevuto Cel
lini," or It may be, an oxqulslto
brochuro by some little known, Uttlo
rend author, which proves Its owner
nnd render to bo a connoisseur of
books.
is.
,lf.. . .. . n .1 n . .1 T amret f rm Cltnnitniifl ". . ..4 nt .inn!.-... I...A ... .1
UJ uunimiiu uuu a, ou;a .utn. tjnuiiimi u, uiu iuiiu ui duuiuij, UUI WU uu
not allow It to lntorfero with our favorite recreation, that of reading togother.
I don't know Just how wo accomplish It, but wo do find tlmo to enjoy together
a great many of those standard books which are so much moro enjoyablo when
road aloud then when read to one's self."
A
1 r"
.'.!