Reel Life (Sep 1913 - Mar 1914)

12 Reel Life Ironcli© The War Correspondent Nov. 19, 1913 This stirring war drama recalls William Gillette and Secret Service — though the hero is a newspaper reporter and not a government man at all. In the days of the Civil War, reporting battles at the front was a simpler and rather more dangerous matter than it is now. But even then, there were occasions when a corps commander had sense enough to restrict the news of the moment which might be going over the wires and leaking out into the enemy's ears. The story starts with a boy and girl love affair. Tom Halsey, star-reporter for the Daily Press, is in love with Mary Gordon. So, also, is Bill Baker — a meaner sort of individual in every sense of the word. He learns that Tom is being sent to the front by his paper, and bribes a couple of thugs to waylay the plucky young reporter. They succeed in sand-bagging him — putting him in an empty box-car — and seeing it started off with a train of supplies on a line of railroad within the battle zone, expecting that he may be shot to pieces from the artillery fire, or hanged as a spy, if discovered. Bill Baker, needless to say, remains at home and pays redoubled attentions to Mary. On the firing line, the corps commander has given strict instructions that all of the war-correspondents shall be detained under guard in a farm-house several miles in the rear. As it happens, the train with Tom's box-car is switched on a siding which commands a view of the entire battle-field — ^and he succeeds in getting out of it in time to see pretty much the whole fight, also to catch a distant glimpse of the enemy's movements on the other side of the ridge. Eventually — when the enemy are apparently in retreat — Tom is discovered on top of the car — captured, and sent to the guard-house in the rear — though treated with much courtesy because of the important information he has given the general as to the enemy's movements. The other correspondents naturally try their best to pump him as to what he. has seen. But, hoping to save the scoop for his own paper, Tom refuses to say a word. Presently — as they are discussing the campaign in the dining-room — he hears the tapping of an army telegraph instrument in the attic, and recognizes his own name. Then follows a statement, in Morse, that the signal corps sergeant at the key is an old friend for whom Tom had once done a great service. He says that if Halsey will tap out his story on the wooden wall of the house, with a table-knife, or any solid object, he will put the story through to the Daily Press — and Tom immediately begins making the dots and dashes on the boards with a railroad spike. The other correspondents are, many of them, able to make out most of the story — but they are under guard and cannot get to within ten miles of any regular company wire. Not being near the wall, as Halsey is, they fail to catch the sound of the army instrument — and do not realize how they've been beaten until they get into communication with their own papers. One of Halsey's drawbacks, in Mary's eyes, has been a weakness for whiskey— and there was plenty of it in the army camps. But in the open-air life of excitement, he has been able to overcome the desire for it. So that when he returns, his appearance fully justifies her in marrying him. The story is full of action — full of the most intense sort of interest. L "The War Correspondent" Broncho