Omaha daily bee., 1891-05-04

deposits.
lie, I'll sue for libel as sure as my names
Hodgkins!'
But why keep Mr. Clancy's whore
abouts secrct?' persisted Penhallow.
THAT is what starts all these stories.
The bald-headcd. smug-facCd IIOdg-
kins-a man who had represented Hi
terskelter in the Legislature so often
that he nursed an ambition to runfo
lieutenant gOvernOr-iiodgkins, | say,
stared very hard at the youth in front of
him. Then he gazed at Il yoke of oxen
passing by with slow, ponderous stride.
"Well, y he said finally and with con-
siderable snap, you newspaper fellows
make life a burden to the Helterskelter-
ties with your Internal yarns. | refused
to say a word to the other reporters who
came came 20 see me, and perhaps |
made mistake. They're bound to print
something"
Bank President Hodgkins had there
upon written note to Mrs. Clancy, the
cashiers wife. and handed it to Penhal-
low. "There," he said, take that to
her. If she refuses now to explain. she
will do it on her own responsibility.
Good-day, sir"
"A reporter" Mrs. John Clancy had
gasped, as Penhallow seated himself in
the front room of the Clancy residence.
The representative of the Bumblebee
assured her that he was harmless.
My husband?" the woman queried,
as Penhallow statedh is business. She
cad the note from Hodgkins.
80 dear! Everything is right John
has done nothing. These stories are
Hardly had she spoken, when there
lnl n
was Il mans voice.
Mrs. Clancy rushed from the room.
When she returned, about twenty min
utes later, her face was lucent with jOy
Dear meln she exclaimed; II forgot
you entirely. | will tell you all about it
if you will promise me not to write any
thing for the paper. | do want to keep
it secret. ! wouldn't have it get out for
the world"
She fixed two appealing eyes upon
I'enhallow.
The representative of the Bumblebee
had arisen from his chair and, with dig
nifty, said: MADAM, | am satisfied that
the rumor of defalcation by your hus-
band Is false, and that he is merely i'll at
| his own house here in Helterskelter. |
do not consider it my business to inquire
why your husband is i'll, if you, his wife,
are anxious to keep his illness from the
| public"
How good of you!"
The next morning, after she had seen
| the daily papers, Mrs. Cheney found ref
uge in her ammonia bottle, while HOdg-
! ilins had chortled in his rape and tore
| the offending sheets into long, curling
strips. Then he ordered the leading
| Helterskelter lawyer to bring libel suits
all around-''at once, sir, at once"
| A few hours later Penhallow strO(led
into the bank presidents office. For
some time IIodgkins sternly pointed his
finger at Penhallow and pounded his
knees to accentuate his wrath. In about
half an hour, however, the Bumblebee' I
disgraced reporter walked out with the
| placid look of cat that had Just suppeG
off an uncommonly fat and juicy mouse
Mr.. Penhollow was to finish his laborI
for the daily Bumblebee Saturday night
On Wednesday he appeared a
his desk again, and for an hour wrote
rapidly. The he walked to jenkins desl
and, placing his copy" before him, said
with the air of one about to lead il
prayer:
"Mr. Jenkins, allow me.
The most conspicuous news article OF
the Bumblebee's first page the mex
morning was headed:
WHY CLANCY DISAPPEARED.
THE TRUE STORY OF THAT BANK DE
FALCArION AT HELTERSKELTER
The cause of Cashier John Clancy
mysterious disappearance from his desI
at the IIcltcrskelter National bank tn
first Of this week has finally been re
yealed. In swallowing his soup at Sun
day evening dinner Mr.. Clancy so ia
forgot himself as to swallow plate c
false teeth. The teeth caught in tn
| pharynX and were not recovered unit
Tuesday afternoon, when suddenly, de
spairing of going further down, the
made jump the other way. Nh
Clancy in his JOY shouted, Clara tn
name Of his wife, who was in the dioit
ing room-this word being the dis
tressed mans first utterance since tn
teeth disappeared. The versions Of thi
case published in certain newspapers i
this city Wednesday morning were q
false AS Mr., Clancy's teeth, and have le
to the institution OF heavy libel suits b
the aggrleved parties.
Such was the opening paragraphs; fc
the ''c-c-color" Of the story and the d,
tails, send for the Bumblebee
MIR. Penhallow," " said Jenkins, lat
that night, "here's that f-f-ffty, 1t
yours" And without waiting for PEI
hallOw to speak he continued; II wis
you would t-t-take the early train fC
T-t-tumbletOwn. A cl-clergYman ther
is in a m-m-mess with his s-s-secon
wife. A very imp'p-portant c-c-caseW