Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1877-09-13
Our Selected .StOy'Y.
4 PRINTING OFFICE TRAGEDY,
BY EDGAR LINDLEY WARREN.

1t was the day before going to press in
the Gazette office. and the glum-loOking
foreman. measuring-rule in hand. gazed al
ternately ut the well-filled copy-boN and
the busy cOmpositOrs. whilst anxious fore
bodings fitted through his brain. Two of
the boys had been absent on Il spree all
| that week. and as a natural result, the re-
naming printers were rather crowded with
copy.
Whilst he was pondering upon the sit
aution the door Of the composing room
creaked softly upon its hinges and Il bizarre
looking figure entered. Ills clothing con-
sisted of a straw hat, an Ulster overcoat,
which had seen better days, very dirty
shirt and Il pair Of slippers-.'only this and
nothing more" The experienced eye of
the foreman at once discovered in him an
impeculnious, peripatetic member of the
craft.
CHANGING composedly about the room
the tramp sauntered up to the fInctiOnary.
and, handing him greasy-lOoking card Of
some Union. said he would accept Il ''sit"
for few days. He professed to be ''light-
ming on sit;' had worked in the New
York Tribune office, and reckoned he
could read any manuscript that ever was
written.
At once assigned to case. he went to
work in manner which proved he under
stood his business, and was really superior
workman.
The devil of the office at once struck
up acquaintance with him, and managed to
elicit from him in the course Of the fore
noon the valuable information that he was
on his way from the Black Hills to Eng
deceased, hadbequeathed him an enormous
fortune. At dinner time the boys invited
him to restaurant, where he was supplied
with square meal. and in the afternoon he
resumed work.
About two o'clock, johnson, the senior
editor. sent out his leader. Now JohnsOn's
writing is fearful and wonderful to con-
template. Before its intricate maZes the
chirography of such hieroglyphical prodi-
gies as Greeley or BlOss would look clear.
II resembles nothing in heaven or on earth
but itself. You may read it in any man.
ner you choose-upside down, sideways or
backwards, whichever way .,'ou select, you
are bound to be at sea.
The only man on the Gazette corps who
could set this manuscript with any degree
of accuracy was Muggins, and Muggins
was on a periodical drunk. When the
tramp made dive for that copy sardonic
smile played over the features of the other
compOsitors, and they awaited future de-
velopments.
He put the head up in jiffy. and then
made dive for capital ''R'' and set the
word Rxesyky. Now everybody knows
that there is no such word as ''Rxesyky."
This fact having forced itself upon the
tranp's mind. he threw the word back in
to the case. Then he held tue copy to the
light, and slowly and deliberately reached
for '.1'' but changed Ills mind, and took
a Wv" instead. This, however, upon re-
Election. he decided was not the thing. SO
rejecting it he made a plunge for 80"
But 10. he could find nothing to convert
into figures to follow it, and, as no words
could begin with such sign, the disguised
ramp in despair laid down his stick and
vat ON a stool to collect his scattered wits. |
After gazing tor half an hour at the piece
If copy, which might be put forward,
without exciting suspicion, as represent
zion of either japanese puzzle, a Servian
var map. or several dozen lengths Of Vir-
,inia rail fence, he heayed a deep sigh and