The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1891-08-26
THE STAFF OF THE BRIGGS.
VILE "BUGLE."
BY WILLIAM EARLE BALDWIN

MIR. Bernard Bsrgeois was startled TT,
jumped visibly, and nearly dropped
handful of type he was taking from
gailey TO the form on the imposine
stone. 1t was incompatible with the dig.
nity of the foreman of the mechanics
department of the Briggsville BuoLe r.
lose his self control in this wav and h.
looked around uneasily as a fluffy haired
girl at case near by sniggered and made
whispered remark to another composi.
tor; then they looked at him and
laughed. anu
What made the foreman jump was n
whistle from the speaking tube NOT for
from his ear. He did not immediotolr
obey the summons, and another whistle
more pronounced and longer than the
first made him glue his mouth to the tube
and bawl back: "Hellol"
"Come into my room at once. Don't
you understand"
Mr. Bernard Bergeois thought he nm.
derstood, and taking off his apron wont
into the hallway. From an adioin;no
room he heard the clicking of tvpe
writer, at intervals with a steady
''punk !" and then with brief intermis,
slons OF silence. He hesitated before
knocking at the closed door; for when
the "old man" used his machine that wov
1t was an office maxim that he was in y
bad temper. "
Ana the "old man" was in bal tenn
per when Mr.. Bernard Bergeois mustered
up enough courage to face him. His
eyes CLEANED through a pair of oold
bowed spectacles, and his hair. which
was turning gray, was rumpled over his
forehead. He gave the tardy foreman n
reprlmand for his slowness, and then made
remark that quite upset Mr.. Bernard
s1id ' no
~ don't think I quite understand
sir, faltered the foreman. "It is bnt
little after 4 o'clock"
"Ihat makes no difference. Can't YOU
hearf Send every one away from here
except my office boy. That's plain
enough, isn't it3"
Every now and then the Gold mani
would absently strike a kew with his
finger, and then look up and Jerk out n
few words.
"But there are five columns to set
began the bewildering forman.
"Come earlier in the morning tber
l don't want anybody around now.
How can man write with those presses
out there making such an everlastino
noise, and you people in the composingo
room .giggling and making such a
racketf Why don't you have better dis
cipline out thereY"
MIR. Bernard Bergeois had no answer
ready. lie was quite nonplussed.
Never before in the course of his profes.
sional career had he received such an or.
der as this. "Send ever body homeln
Was the sold man" going iusane9 Did
he not know that tomorrow was publi-
casion day9
"There are five colums-" he began
again.
"send your five columns to the deucelu
Interrupted the other, furiously. sI
ion't care whether there are five columns
'r hity, so long as every one of you gets
'ut OF here. Send me my office-boy"
Now the otfice-boy, who, by-the-way.
vas named Cox, but who was known to
his intimate friends as "Swipesey, " was
much more pleased with the orders he l
lad received than the worthy foreman. |
lie went down into the lower office and /
at in an easy-chair, with his feet ON the !
Iesk IN front of him, and watched the {
ther employees file out with a lordly
ir. 'O'N'y =
"Hope You have pleasant time," he t
aid, politely, to the fluffy haired com /
losltor. ave can run this Office alone I
ms afternoon, we can. l write the /
ddytorials and sets them up. The old l
nan he's Whiting important letters. and /
ant be disturbed. Good afternoon. " a
Cox made himself comfortable in the i