The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-07-11

The fire was at hand. It threatened
to devastate an entire block. The entire
department was out, and in less than
fifteen minutes we began to set "fire''
copy. The copy that night seemed to be
forked right in fresh from the fire. 1t
sInelled of the fire.
Presently the bell rang, and after that
the foreman's ear and mouth were glued
to the tubed. His assistant had to mark
takes" while Tom Duncan vibrated be-
tween the men at the forms and the
speaking tube.
Tote Potter paused just long enough
to carefully read startling headline he
lifted from the hook. He stood besides
his case reading those that followed.
Numbers were dead numbers were
dying.
The fire had reached several cases of
guns gathered from the battle-fields
whereon the blue and gray had madly
cOntended for supremacy. The guns,
deemed useless, were disposed of by the
government. Those who had charge of
them did not even think it worth while
to examine them ere they passed from
the possession of the government into
the hands of the private purchasers.
The purchasers did not dream that he
case contained death charges rammed
home on a battlefield.
The copy box danced up and down on
the elevator that Dight-or morning
rather-as it never moved before. Tom
Duncan's desk was submerged early.
The fire copy rolled over on his assist
ants, took complete possession of that,
then spread over the proof.reader's ta-
bles.
The human wheels never worked so
regularly as they worked that morning
in the VindicdtOr composing room.
Every ybody mopped their heads, faces
and necks. The bell kept up din. The
foreman and his assistant fitted from
their desks TO the makeup; the readers
had it all to themselves, for no man on
case had breath to spare.
The last take" was out, The assist
ant foreman and proof-readers were
comparing notes. None of them had
experienced rush that could be com.
pared with the last hour. Tom Duncan
stood anxiouly by the form and called
out "See if its all up, Jack" Every
body was exhausted. The only cool
looking man was Tote Potter.
Suddenly the bell iingled viciously.
Whats thatF" Tom Duncan demanded.
Jack lifted paper out OF the copy.box.
"It's the name of one of the victims"
Jack turned TO Potter. "Slug 49,"
Potter advanced, tOuk the paper from
Jacks hand with a.l ugh, and walked
back to his case. When he faced his
case, and was in the ar, nt reaching for
the type, he utt, r, d Ii arse cry and fell
in heap.
81 ct the form 20 down without it,"
said Tom Duncan, suvDgely, when he
heard that Potter Ind dropped like one
dead on the fl 'or. One name don't
signify"
The same physician who was sum-
moned to Totes assistance before he was
given permission to stand AZ a case came
speedily to his side now in answer to the
call.
Tote was lying on the table where Tom
Duncan helped to lay him tenderIy. His
face was fiushed-the very picture of
health. But nobody could detect a pull
sation.
The doctor glanced at him, lifted both
hands in horror, and said, in strange,
broken voice : at came sooner than
expected"
"What Is that, doctor?" Duncan asked
in whisper.
Heart disease" said the doctor. "He
knew it was only question of time as
we'll as did,"
"How ?"-
"Why," said the doctor, interrupting
the foreman, ''Its very simple how he
learned the truth. He came to my office
after was brought here years ago to
see him. He persisted until subjected
him to tests, and then his fear was lest
his sister would learn the truth. He
knew he was likely to drop any moment.
This will kill his sister. They were
bound up in each other.
Half the men around the dead boy
were crying. One man Che worked next
to Tote) walked away to conceal his
emotion. When he reached his case he
picked up a piece of paper that was
lying on Totes case. 1t was Tote Pot
ter's last take" He turned it over and
read 1t, then walked over to the foreman
with it.
Tom Duncan held the paper where
the doctor could see it. Ii contained
the name of the last victim identified at
the morguc ; Florence Potter. ."-Er-
chdnUe