The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1890-11-21

stuplaiy druniz. II was the Rrsr time ne
had ever offended so ~grievously, and our
amazement was great when it transpired
that he was unable to write or even to
tell his story.
took a cab and went over his ground
as rapidly as possible, managing to get a
fairly good account Of the shooting in
type before the paper went to press, but
Bowers was discharged peremptorily.
hunted him up in a day or two and
asked him how it happened He de-
clared that he had been drugged by an
intimate friend Of the woman to whom
he had gone for fuller particulars than
he could get in the routine way. He
saw as plainly as | that the drugging
had been an idiotic attempt TO keep the
news out of the paper we worked for,
but what he could not be made to ac-
knowledge was that the woman he loved
was worthless. He raved about injured
innocence, and declared that she had
shot the man in her own defense.
This showed plainly enough that it
was a good thing for the paper that
Bowers had been unable to write the
story, but it made me anxious about
Bowers.
Luckily | knew the detectives who
were investigating the case, and got
them to lay the full details of her career
before the boy Bowers had got his les
son.
1t would have been a severe 4 for a
stronger man. 1t seemed for a few
weeks AS if it would be altogether too
severe for Bowers. Somehow | didn't
look on him as a mere unit in the multi
tude in those days. It really seemed to
be worth while to try to v him.
l was getting dubious about succeeding
when l was suddenly ordered to Cape Cod.
A ship had been driven ashore IN one of
the fercest gales of November, and when
the news came there were known to be
a number of men still on beard in peril
of their lives, and unable to get away.
There was d chance for a magnificent
story IL | could get there before they
were rescued, and l lost no time.
The chance was caught, and l was
hard at work in my room in the village
tavern. sending copy page by page TO
the telegraph Office by a boy who was
chartered for the night, when he brought
me word that there was a man down
stairs who was very anxious to see me.
Tell him / can't see him tonight IN
less he has important news | growled
impatiently; but the boy replied, "He
don't want to interrupt you, he says, but
he wants to see you a minute when you
are through"
THAT will be l o'clock" | said still
more impatiently, and straightway for
got the man. As l hurried across to the
telegraph Office with my last page, how
ever, a white haired gentleman at the
tavern door accosted me.
BE you the reporter or he began.
Don't stop me now" l exclaimed an
grily; Il haven't a minute" and !
rushed on, not too quickly, however, to
hear him say politely, 81 beg your par
DON" Whereupon | turned my anger
against myself for not being as courte-
Gus as he.
After | had given the Office good
night" took time to wonder who my
caller was, and speedily found out. He
was still at the tavern door.
BE you the reporter of the New York
-" he asked, as | came up.
~ am, sir" said l, trying to make up
for former brusqueness by extra civility.
my name is Bowers" he said. Il
have a son workin' on your paper, n
thought maybe you might give me news
on him. | hain't heerd from him for
nigh two months" and the old gentle
mans voice almost broke.
.Why yes, indeed" said i. Il see
him almost every day. So he is your
son. knew he came from New Eng
land, but / didn't know just what
part" And | went on ~nervously and
verbosely telling him how much we all
liked the boy, and how be liked his
work. hoping to escape some questions
that l knew would be hard to answer.
They had to be answered though, anc
Iwish all my sins lay as lightly on my
conscience as those | committed IN the
next fifteen minutes TWAS plainly I'M
possible to tell all the truth to tins
rugged. earnest, simple, white haired
Puritan. And / found it equally inpos-
sible to resist his insistent invitation 10
visit his home and tell mother all the