Show ir j TELEGRAPH LINE IS SHORT O AND tr FOt Fourth t tt Assistant t m t I C r I General in Touch With C Private Secretary t f FOR OR DIPLOMATIC USES 4 t J Ingenious Wire Saves Time ff t and Often Trouble Trouble for If t t Busy Man r BY Br RALPH n. M. M 11 f f i Washington Wahington May 28 Telegraph Telegraphy J 1 jg a fine thing because It Is possible JI M sometimes to do a little talking In 1 J ln tho ho pres presence nce or of others than the operator and thus savo many cm- cm ML situations I The shortest telegraph line In the IK t w world Is s In tho office omee of or Fourth As- As SJ Postmaster General DeGraw a aj a 11 j 1 veteran operator r I Mr DeGraw's outer Is 19 presided prey proUI pre pre- UI y sided pItIed over by his private secretary 5 rr Allen lIen who also can hold the i re wire The Tile line runs from Crom tho the outer to toi i 1 J the Inner office W A few Cew days as a's ago alo a n. senator hap- hap V pone in and 1 he began an a n. conversation tT t with Secretary Allen While the they Jr wore were talking a n tall shouldered broad k man wearing a n. rimmed broad hat I- I arid a 1 stern disgruntled expression 5 I happened d In In Without so much as 1 excusing himself he began beg talking r r Young Toung man ho said I am postmaster postmaster postmaster post- post master at it IlIc Texas An InI In- In I 4 came down our vay 3 the jt other day av and looked over my ac- ac f. f PV Pg counts I 1 thought Id I'd come como up and 1 8 tee bee G what you ou people had against us I If Ie nn any galoot aloot has S had the tho nerve nervo to toi h i m nake ke charges against me I wantS want to toI I A hear lear them right off ore the reel Understand Under Under- v n stand e L Secretary Alien llen understood all v right f Awful u. glad to see c you ou Glad you OU I. I J l In while In t dropped town Have a sear sea 1 i r O to Chief 1 i Then he sent over the tho ho wire wiro this i message to Mr Ir DeGraw w In the inner L r Postmaster from here Mad ad as hornet because Inspector V- V j S i looked over ocr his accounts Thinks some omo ono ana made charges and nd came camo all alli Ij i the way to seo see who had nerve ner t to 0 flu question his honesty Get papers 1 In j. j case caso and look them over lIe He wants want to see SOC you ou Dad Bad frame framo of mind Mr DeGraw Immediately sent scat fo for tor b. b the tho papers and examined them Then Ther he sent ent a a. message to Mr Ir Allen Allan a Click Hold him outside a a. few minutes Be Dc right out Papers show hes he's O. O K weather were we're having ing Mr DeGraw's busy at the present minute hut hUl hell he'll receive you ou In fri n a a short time said tho the secretary T ep cp fine weather said tho the post post- master IC If any ln ono thinks the they can cnn throw mud on m my reputation hell he'll be bc beI I t ml mighty badly fooled Nev r spent a. a cent cont dishonestly earned In my life Ute J No er oven oven na as much as a tobacco O I ray payback back Th The durn cd Inspector carno camo around my I k T laco and ond never no f nothing oth jutt wont with wilh his A st st t him out outto t- t to have havo a no drink and ho refused I right richt away that some somo one had been mud when he be r refused fused a n sociable drink So I decided to cometo como come comoto comoto to Washington in lo Our City I Tho The door of or Mr Ir office op opened opened open open- n- n ed cd and that official camo came In He glanced at the Texas postmaster and a smile of or welcome elcome spread over his sea fea Ui tures turcs roe Why h If Ir It Isn't tho the postmaster of or he exclaimed H How aro are you Mr 11 Elkins Glad to see you I Iwas was as Just about to you hating you on tho the splendid conduct o or of your our office o ot of tho the best showings S In the South Allen the next timo Mr Nr Ir Elkins happens in show him right In Int into to m my room Im I'm sorry sorn I kept him waiting Como Corno Inside Mr Ir Elkins of was flab lab labI I asted Ho Ito Ho didn't of or ever ever eve having met Mr 11 DeGraw but he mus must havo haro been Introduced to him three years year ago when he was In Washington ti to secure his appointment Mr Ir DeGraw S 'S admitted ho lie had a n splendid memory for faces i I Knew ne you the minute I clapped eyes eye on you rou he said Hows tho the folks In r. r Five minutes later Elkins was v.-as on hi hiway hIs way to his hotel to look 1001 up the timetables time tables to learn when then tho the next train i left leU for tor Texas One Olle of or the squarest most decent rum roan I ever cr met mel ho lie commented to himself himself him him- self as ns he ho cut off ort a of Peoples Chico tobacco Got a a. bolter batter memory for tor faces than them I have c too One Time rime 1 It Pulled Tho The truth of or the existence of ot this private telegraph line has never ne been bee admitted b by tho the principals but It 1 Is widely accepted To admit of or Its cx- cx of or course would destroy It Its usefulness to some extent Heros Hero's another another an an- other star story told of or It A happened In one d day y t to cee Mr DeGraw at a n. time time- when It wa was Impossible The postmaster was j rr- rr mists on seeing you ou ticked tho tim In In- In Have to chol choke choko o him him oft off somehow came back tho the answer Looks like Ilke a sticker was tho reply Making himself comfortable 11 0 to h get gt t him to como coma n again Simply Impossible clicked back Allen was WIlS about to rep reply when th the stranger walking from a 0 window sal said I there there- was a n. tire arc across tho street Al Allen Al- Al c. c len 1011 went to the tho window V to look ou out The Tho stranger er immediately grabbed grabbe l th the I Instrument and began bejjan to telegraph raph j I Tell Ten that to the marines ho wired I Is Jim Blake from Cram Washington r f county count Pennsylvania and I want to sec see secAllen f you Allen was caught with the tho good goodr Blako sent Morse along as wall as ho did In less than two tV-tO minutes ho walked walk walk- ed od Into Mr Ir DeGraw's office wearing a 5 broad d grin Mr DeGraw w also grinned hind kind of or sheepishly |