Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1891-07-17
TIE STAFF OF THE BRIGGSTILLE
"BUGLE."

Mr.. Bernard BergeOis was startled. He
jumped visibly, and nearly dropped hand
full Of type he was taking from galley to
the form on the imposing stone. 1t was
incompatible with the dignity of the fore
man of the mechanical department of the
Briggsville Bugle to lose his self-control in
this way, and he looked around uneasily
as tlutfy-haired girl at a case near by
sniggered and made whispered remark to
another compositOr; then they looked at
him and laughed.
What made the foreman jump was a
whistle from the speaking-tube not far
from his ear. He did not Immediately
obey the summons, and another whistle
more pronounced and longer than the first
made him glue his mouth to the tube and
bawl back, "Hellor'
Come into my room at once Don't
you UNDERESTIMATE
Mr.. Bernard Bergeois thought he under
stood, and taking off his apron went into
the hallway From an adjoining room he
heard the clicking of a typewriter, at in
teryals with a steady ''plunkr' and then
with brief intermissions of silence. He
hesitated before knocking at the closed
door; for when the sold man" used his
machine that way it was an Office maxim
that he was in a bad temper
And the "old man. was i'm bad tenn
per when Mr. Bernard Bergeois mustered
up enough courage to face him. His ewes
cleaned through a pair of gold-bowed
spectacles, and his hair, which was turn
ing gray, was rumpled over his forehead.
He gave the tardy foreman reprmand for
his slowness, and then made remark that
upset Mr.. Bernard Bergeois. "Send ev-
erybody home" he said
81 don't think | quite understand. SIR
faltered the foreman. at is but little
after four o'clock"
That makes no difference Can't YOU
hea? Send every one away from here ex-
cept my Office-boy. That's plain enough.
isn't it?"
Every now and then the ''old man.
would absently strike key with his finger.
AMI then look up and jerk out a few words.
But there are five columns to set
began the bewildered foreman.
Come earlier in the morning. then.
don't want anybody around now. How
can man write with those presses out
there making such an everlasting noise,
and you people in the composing room gig
CLING and making the devil of racket?
why don't you have better discipline out
there?"
Mr. Bernard Bergeois had no answer
ready. He was quite nonplussed. Never
before in the course of his professional ca
reer had he received such an order as this
'Send everybody homer Was the sold
man. going insane? Did he not know
that tomorrow was publication day?
There are five columns" he began
again.
'Send your five columns to the deucer'
interrupted the other, furiouslv, 81 don't
care whether there are five columns or ff-
ty, so long as every one of you gets out of
here. Send me my office-bOyr'
Now the office-boy, who, by-the-way.
was named Cox, but who was known to his
intimate friends as ''Swipesey," was much
more pleased with the orders he had re-
ceived than the worthy foreman. He went
down into the lower office and sat in an
easy-chair, with his feet on the desk in
front OF him, and watched the other en-
ployes lille out with a lOrdly air.
Hope you have very pleasant time"
he said politely to the flutfy-hared compos-
itOr. 1--WE can run this office alone this
afternoon, loe can. l write the eddytorials
and sets them up. The old man he's writ
ing important letters, and can't be dis
turbed. GOOd-afternOonn
Cox made himself comfortable in the
easiest chair he could find and amused him
self by looking over pile of exchanges on
desk at hand. Presently this began to
bore him, and he began rummaging about
the room. 1t was seldom that he was in
the lower office alone, and he amused him
self by climbing up on a high stool, and
taking pen and ink and scribbling on
some of the Office paper.
II can do this, when / am one of the
eldytors,' he chuckled to himself.
just then he heard some one coming ND
the stairs slowly and turn in at the door of
the office. He raised his head and looked
over the desk, and saw a woman standing
there. She had very pale face, but was
very handsome. She looked at the bow
YEARLY.
rs the editor imp" she asked.
'Well, that depends" said Swipesey.
still scribbling vigorously, and looking upD
between dabs at the white paper before
him: (Which one do you want to see?''
The woman sighed YEARLY, and then
said, with an effort, "Mr Griswold."
II am very sorry began the boy, hitch
ing his stool little forward, and grabbing
his cap off, and laying it carefully down
before him, shut he is very busy-very
Dusy llueeu-anu gave orders that he was
not to be disturbed. If there is ANYTHING
can do" and he paused expectantly.
Nothing" she replied, and sat down in
chair near the window. "Will YOU please
tell him lady is waiting to see him when
he is at liberty?"
Now the ofiice-boy scarcely knew what to
do He did not exactly care to go up stairs
on an errand like that; it would ruin his
dignity, after the remarks he had already
made. Besides the editor was in a nasty
temper, and might throw an ink bottle at
him or something, if disturbed The
speaking tube-there was his salvation
He jumped from the high stool and yelled
tbs message up. There was no reply, but
it answered every purpose, and he turned
to the lady and said: every good; he will
see you when he is not busy; but you may
have to wait"
This was the first time that Swipesey
had seen the lady face to face, and he start
ed a little, and looked at her again. Then
he put his hands behind him and stared at
the floor for a moment. 81 know who tou
are he said nrasantlv ttVoY ara 1T,