The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1891-10-23
913 AS BEST MAN.

Number 91S wasn't freckled and
snub-nosed. and he wasn't altogether
tough Most messenger-boysa are both
he used TO swing his heels and wait
for calls In District Messenger Station
No. 81, West, which Is up In a quiet
part Of the town, and where most of
the calls are to private dwellings,
Number 9lS wasn't overworked and
pLI in considerable leisure thinking
| about the things that went on in the
! neighborhood. He knew how many
times day the pretty Irish maid in
the first house on the side street shook
the house-mats at the big policeman
as he passed. He knew a lot more
things, too. He knew that the pretty
girl in the house had lover. and that
the mother and she were trying to
keep the fact for some reason. from
the father. +.
NIne-thirteen knew that the father
was kept out OF the love affair by tho
way in which things were conducted.
The old gentleman went off TO his Of
fee each morning and returned about
half-past four in the afternoon. just
at luncheon time each day, the young
man would turn the corner briskly
and dash UP the steps H
Sometimes his trap would como up
after luncheon. and the two young
people and the mother would go for s
drive IN the park. Sonnet mes he came
In his ridiug-clothes. and then she
would come down the steps In her
close dark habit and silk hat and
they would drive of together. Nine
thirteen was little disappointed that
they didn't have the horses brought TO
the door. He wanted 10 see Miss
Mabel mount /.
Occasionally they neither drove nor
rode but just went out for a little walk
and sometimes they did none OF these
things, but sat in the house and talk d
Once In long while the old man
didn't go downtown for the day. and
Nine-thirteen never looxed in vain on
these days for q summons from the
house whence he was sure TO carry q
telegraph blank on which was written;
Can not see you to-day. VIII write
To be sent TO Frederic -Romayne-H
NJ. W.
One OF these days had come Nine
thirteen had answered the call and
dispatched the telegram. A few min
utes later. Miss Mabel came down the
steps and walked toward the avenue
with a stout grey-haired lady. who
looked like Mrs Wright, but who
wasn't Mrs Wright II
About twelve o'clock the door of
| District Messenger Station. No 81.
opened with kind of dumb reverence
to the impressive person OF Mr.. Horace
| Wright broker. Taking a golo pen
! out of his pocket he dipped it into the
/ ink we'll pulled pad of blanks toward
/ him and began to write. The telegraph
operator was sitting at the instrument
with his back toward the Office Here
Clark. " he called out to his assistant
take this message down: III
Mabel Wright, 81 East til street
Something has happened. Must see you
to-day Wire me where and when. II
F.RB"
| The words rang out loud and unmis-
/ taxable, moving two persons to indis-
I Greet and unusual behavior thereby
! The stout old broker stopped in the
/ midst of a scratch as he heard his
/ daughters name. AS the words went
! on, he grew frst purple, then asheu.
! He stood motionless while Clark wrote
/ out the message. Then a large pres
! ence lowered ut Clark's side and u
! large hand was laid on the paper. Il
will take that IL you please" he said
! and the operator looked up. saw Mr.
/ Horace Wright. and slipped the tele-
gram into an envelope.
When the message came in. Nine
thirteen was specializing how much a
! pair OF patent-leathers like those the
operator was wearing. must cost
| When he heard the address of the
message he jumped to his feet like u
cat
The blame fool!' he whispered.
! under his breath. Then he watched
! old Wright as he always called hlm.
Nine-thirteen hadn't been down TO khe
I Bowery theaters for nothing. He
! knew the look meant mischief HIS
! head whirled for a minute and his
mouth was dry. He didn't know that
| he was pale. but he was Nine ttfir-
teens life had been cast along in
prosaic lines until now. and this was q
great tragedy. He sat down To think
and in a minute things got clear
I That blame foolr' he said again. UNI
der his breath. and yet up to that very
/ hour the operator had been his hero
Old Wright meant mischief that was
, sure, and Nine-thirteen saw Miss
Mabels pretty face wet with tears and
heard hot words poured out before her
and-eomething had got to be done!
and he had got to do 1t II
Neil she ainst ketchin' 1t this
minute" quoth Nine-thirteen to him
self; shes away yet" Then he fell
into deep thought for minute. Sud-
denly he seized a sheet OF paper and
began TO write What he wroie he
thrust into an envelope stealthily di-
reeted it and slipped ie into bis