The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1882-06-28

1t is remarkable how the habits of
life cling to Z person even during his
last moments. The boys in the IN
tcr-Ocean Office hardly expected TO
find the old man at his case when
thev came to work in the morning,
for when be had gone home the
night before they had noticed his
steps were very feeble. For over
forty wears he had held a case; first
on a metropolitan daily, then on a
little country weekly, and then on
religious monthly. His hand was
steady as vet, despite his sixty ODD
wears. aud very few of his as got
into his r. box. This bright, sun
shiny morning he came IN and
greeted his fellow-typos with pleas
ant good morning. The boys no.
ticed his hand tremble somewhat,
and that his voice was husky and
uncertain, but they paid no parhcu,
lar attention to these things; the old
man had been acting rather strange
lv for the last few days. and they at
tributed these failings TO a gradually
weakening constitution. he stood
at his case for almost an hour throw
ing in. and had distributed nearly
all his matter, when of q sudden and
without any previous warning, his
composing stick fell from his hand
to the floor, and he himself tottered
and would have fallen had not the
BOYS sprung to his side and support
ed him to a chair in front of the fire,
His head dropped forward on his
breast, and his breathing became
more and more rapid. The press
man ran for a glass of water, and
returning held it TO his lips. As the
water touched his parched tongue
spasm OF pain shot across his face,
and his frame was conyulsed with
agony. With an effort which SEEM
ed almost superhuman, he dashed
the glass upon the floor, and it was
slintered into a thousand pieces.
This effort seemed TO arouse him
somewhat, and he gazed about him
with bewildered stare.
Boys he said, boys, are the cases
all full?' His mind wanders, whis-
pered the foreman. in a low voice,
and then said aloud as he bent
over the old man:
Yes, Dick, old fellow, everything
is throwed in
That's right, that's right, exclaim-
ed the feeble old man, there is moth
ing ike haying the galleys and stones
cleaned Off and he seemed 10 bright
en- up considerably, and made an
effort TO stir the fire with a warped
sidestick, which the boys used as a
poker
I've run short on EN- quads,
boys, and haven't enough to space
out this poetry he said, and his fall
tering fingers went through the mo-
ton of travelling over the case in
search Of the requisite metal.
That's all right, Dick, we'll throw
in some quoins and that will bring
il all right, said one OF the BOYS in
= sympathetic voice.
'Ah, Charley said the old man,
that reminds me of the old Casey
vile Herald days, when we used to
drop out dead ad. and lock up the
planer in the forms to fill out with.
Fat times, those, he continued;
they viii never come back to the
old man. and be leaned his head
on both hands and swayed to and
fro. The boys gathered around him
more closely to prevent his falling.
One of the boys, IN coming to the
old mans side, stumbled over a
chase which was leaning against the
composing stand. and it fell to the
floor with loud crash. The old
man sprang to his feet. and it was
all the boys could do to restrain him.
You've pied the form, he shouted,
and it's time to 60 to press. What
shall we do, what shall we do?'
Sit down, Dick, old fellow: it's
nothing but an empty chase said
the foreman, and he gently placed
the old man in the chair.
You can't deceive me. Mac. and |
the tears stood in the veterans eyes. !
The form is pied, and we ought to !
have been at press an hour ago. The |
iolios are all wrong, Mae. See here |
is page 102, backing up 27, and the |
old man snatched q proof from the |
revise hook, and began folding in d
helpless manner.
Its all wrong, butts too late, ne /.
gasped. The press waits Here |
his head sank again upon his breast. !
and his breathing was thick and |
fast. Yes, boys. lock up the forms
and look outlook out for loose
spaces
The boys stood silently around the |
old compositor, and the scene was
an impressive one in the extreme. |
The pages are all proved, every |
thing all right he murmured, in /
broken accents. Now, then. care 1
full, boys; lift off the forms and clean
off the stones, and before YOU start
up the press, let us-let us-jeff for
the drinks
He fell with heavy thud to the |
floor, and the foreman, with the aid 1
Of the pressman, lifted him up and !
laid him tenderly on a pile of mail /
bags under the cutter, and one by |
one the boys returned to their cases /
and left him to sober up.-Dcnuer
Inter Ocean.
borrowed Herself Out.