Pleiades Club—Telegraphers' Paradise on Planet MarsHayes, J. W. (Jeff W.)
Science
Pleiades Club—Telegraphers' Paradise on Planet Mars
Hayes, J. W. (Jeff W.)
Mars (Planet) -- Fiction; Telegraphers -- Fiction
“I dare say Mr. Tinker will not delay in climbing the Horeb Heights and
he is most likely to arrive on the Thunderbolt Express, which is due
tomorrow,” ejaculated Moxon, “and I believe that I will immediately
bulletin the event, knowing that there will be many who will want to be
among the first to welcome him to our Elysian home. President Lincoln
and Secretary Edwin M. Stanton will want to meet their old friend and
comrade; besides, there is a long list of members of the old United
States Military Corps who will be on hand when the express train
arrives.”
A bulletin was accordingly indited chronicling the passing of Mr.
Tinker and announcing his expected arrival on the morrow, which
attracted much attention.
A regiment, bearing banners with the legends, “Spirit of 1865,” “The
United States Military Telegraph Corps,” etc., accompanied by several
bands of music playing stirring airs, came down the line under the
leadership of Col. Marquis D. Crain. The regiment was composed of
admirers of Mr. Tinker and were mostly members of the United States
Military Telegraph Corps, and all were eager to greet their former
colleague.
Among those who were formed in line were the following: James E.
Pettit, C. Fred Loomis, Hamilton Young, Ed P. Whitford, Thomas T.
Eckert, Samuel Bruch, Jesse H. Bunnell, W. K. Applebaugh, C. D.
Hammond, J. C. Van Duzer, Dennis Doren, Anson Stager, G. M. Brush, Eli
Cole, H. W. Cowan, J. E. Gamble, Patrick Mullarkey, Douglass Kent, G.
D. Sheldon and many others.
“I would like to be among those to escort my young friend to our
Tabernacle,” remarked President Lincoln, who could not think of Mr.
Tinker in any other light than being “young,” forgetting for the time
being that he had not seen the gentleman for more than a half century.
But time does not count in eternity. “I remember him so well, and I
used to be greatly pleased to call him and his immediate colleagues
‘The Sacred Three.’”
“See, what is that in the sky that looks like a comet?” was asked on
all sides. “If this is the Thunderbolt Express it is twelve hours ahead
of its record,” and everybody hastened down to the spacious plaza where
the big air machine from Earth made her landing.
There was no screeching of whistles or ringing of bells, or cries from
the omnipresent hack and cabmen. Instead of such distracting noises
came the sound of many voices in patriotic melody, and in the midst of
tuneful airs of “Hail Columbia” Charles A. Tinker was welcomed to a
temporary abiding place on the planet Mars.
The meeting between President Lincoln and his former confidential
operator was joyous, but not affecting, for there is only joy in this
haven.
Mr. Lincoln and Mr. Tinker locked arms for a stroll, for both had much
to talk about concerning past events. Mr. Tinker verified many of the
reports already inscribed on the bulletin board and his patriotic words
and spirit evoked a tumult of applause.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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