The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1890-06-26

"Where can l find him?"
Dunno"
Coming down to the Office soon2"
"No-ap"
''Why not?7
Gone away"
But to-day is the day for the paper,
isn't it?"
yep"
but it isn't printed yet?"
"No-ap"
How much more type have you to
set?'
"A column"
A brilliant thought struck the Quaker
City lawyer. He would help the boy
get out the paper, and enjoy Chelton's
establishment But he determined to
sound the boy little further, so he
asked, unconsciously adopting the lat
ter's laconic method:
"All alones'
Yep. Can't get nobody to help"
Gould you get out the paper if you
had hand?'
"Guess 1 could"
'Supposing help?"
If the boy was startled he did not show
it, but only answered.:
"All right"
Manley wasted no words, but threw
off his coat, and, with his shirt sleeves
rolled up, took his station at the other
case and began on an editorial written
in Cheltons bold, manly chirography
and entitled: THE Future of the West"
ln 60, !
facility came back to his fingers, and
''stickful" after stickful was placed in
the form with rapidity that won the
respect of the assistant.
The forms were locked and put on
the press. Marley took hold of the
crank and turned the great wheel
while the boy fed through the papers.
1t was no child's play, turning the
ponderous wheel, perched as he was on
a topping dry-goods box, which swayed
and creaked beneath his weight
He had had no dinner, and this fact,
com bined with the unaccustomed en-
ployment, made him actually faint
What fool am" he meditated, "to
be turning a one-horse press out here
on the plains, thousand miles west of
the Mississippi river, when l would
sooner be shot than do such a thing at
home.'
On went the iron machinery with it's
steady ''click, click" and its regular
laying down upon the slowly-growing
pile of sheet after sheet of damp paper
They were nearly through with their
task, and the room was beginning to
grow little dusky when, suddenly, the
door of the Office opened, and a straight,
ladylike form entered.
She was not really beautiful, but she
had that inexpressible charm about her
that characterizes the Western girl,
that something that makes her self-re-
liant and independent, and drags in alb
solute slavery the men with whom she
becomes acquainted.
why, Joe," she exclaimed, when
she saw the new form at the press,
who has been helping you?"
"a man wot come in,'' was the Office
boys laconic answer.
why didn't you wait for me?"
''What business of hers is it?"
thought Marley.
'He wanted to help, an I let him."
replied Joe.
"Did you got in my editorial that I
left hereof imperiously demanded she
Yep"
"I1er editorial" thought Marley, tug
ging away at the wheel with logged
determination, what has she to do
with it? III give this old thing a few
more whirls, and then"
His mental sentence was never fin
ished. There was cracking of the
box beneath him-a swaying motion
an attempt to regain his balance
crash-a fall-a sharp, quick pain in
elbow, shoulder, brain-and uncon.
seriousness.
When he recovered, he was lying in
the Office corner of the room, and very
much frightened but very pretty young
lady was bending over him and bathing
his forehead in water. He attempted
to move, but twinge in his arm
warned him that he must not.
Il have sent for DOCTOR" said the
lady. will you give me your name,
please, so that can tell him?'
He motioned toward his coat. which
had hung on the case while he was turn
ing the press.
She comprehended, and going to it
took out his letter case and card book.
When she read the inscription on his
cards, she started back with surprise,
and then, alternately blushing and pal
ing as if guilty of some crime, returned
to his side.
mot the president of the Boomtown
Syndicate?" she stammered.
The same. And you?" he whispered.
For an answer she reached to the
desk and holding before his eyes copy
of the Boomtown Herald, copy which
he had few moments before been
grinding through the press, pointed to
the head of the first column. He read:
"A. c. CHELToN-Editor."
There was no more time for CONVEX
sation; the physician had arrived.
How did this happen?" he asked,
with profound bow to the lady, bow
eloquent with suggestions of such
epithets as ''courtly," accomplished,
ETC., to be applied to him in future
references in local items.
''He was standing by the press, when
the box upon which he was, gave way,
and he fell. In the fall his arm caught
in the press and was wrenched," was
her summing up of the situation.
The doctor took hold of the arm. gave
it twist-and Manley dropped off into
Inconsistencies again.
1t was something of nine-days' won
der in Boomtown-the nine days during
which the stranger lay in his room in
the hotel, nursing a broken arm, and
building up a system which had given
way under the strain of several months
hard work, ending with the long jour
ney and the events of the afternoon of
his arrival.
His first call, when he was able to
leave the hotel, was at the Herald ONCE.
The same little lady who had startled
him before was sitting at the desk.
After some preliminary congratula-
tions had been disposed of, he felt . de-
cided embarrassment in carrying ON the
conversation. At last he blurted out