The Portland daily press., 1892-01-02
He rose and answered

ing room. ''In a hurry-going out of
town "a few miles unexpectedly-won't
be back. Get Griggs to look after things
for me. Ta-ts!'
''All right, Burton answered, in bliss
ful ignorance Of the arrangement Griggs
had made with Daggs.
Almost at the same moment the night
clerk, who was in the rear of the bust
ness Office, was calling by the telephone:
"Hello, there, Star ofice!"
"Well," said the clerk, fumbling for
his pencil, and making ready for new
advertisement.
''That you, Baker,
"Yes, SIR"
1t was the proprietor's voice. He had
popped into q drug store to speak to the
night editor.
Parker there"
"No, sir"
"Well, tell him when he comes to see
Griggs at once. Do you hear?"
"Yes, sir"
"Have given Griggs special orders.
Tell him. Got thatg'
Eyes, sir. To tell Mr.. Parker you've
given special orders to Mr.. Griggs, and
for Mr.. eParl1er to be sure and see
Griggs."
"That's ALL"
The night clerk went to his desk and
was soon immersed in his labors. In the
upper story of The Star establishment
the foreman was discussing in a desul-
tory way Bigger's chances against Mig
giles for the congressional plum"
What sort Of a place is Pompey
Smash, anyhow, Daggs2 Ever been
there?'
"No; but Griggs has. There's lot
of moss backed Democrats over there
the sort that vote for jackson and Van
Buren,, and opposite there is another loS
of straight laced, stiff backed Presbyte-
rians-nosurrende written all over EN-. :"
Anything in this speech Of Miggles'Y'
"Blest if / know"
whats the point-what makes him
go out to Pompey Smash to fire off?'
"Oh! Why, it's a mighty close vote,
you know. AS near as can make out.
the idea is to tickle the people thereto
honor them with the opening specific
have the people talk about the speech
Miggles made at Pompey Smash. A
hundred votes, one way or the other,
will settle it; everybody knows that"
81 see" said the foreman.
Then he turned around, and lifting
his voice said in tones that could be
heard by all in the composing room:
"Boys, pull out on Miggles speech. I
want to get it in early"
Then there was silence in the compos-
ing room.
The wires worked well that night.
The night was a repetition of the day.
Daggs was up to his eyes in news from
all quarters. Nothing stunning" as he
called up to the foreman; s'just steady
glut of slush from all sources that could
be chopped off any place and never be-
missed"
When newspaper Office is in order it's
surprising how smoothly everything
runs. The Morning Star was run on
sound system; SO thorough that although
the proprietor and editor, business man
ager and telegraph editor were absent
they did not seem to be missed.
Along about 2 o'clock in the morning
Daggs thought he would run up stairs
once more and see how the speech looked
in type.
Looking for Miggles' speech?" asked
the foreman. "There it is-three col
uns."
Daggs glanced over the form. It was
all right
''You read the proof sent it down
to you-or, rather, the revise"
81 looked at i'll guess it's all right"
and Daggs returned to his desk, whist
ling.
Just then messenger laid fresh dis
patch on his table. Daggs glanced at
the clock. 1.-TWO fifteen" He handed
the boy back his book after acknowledge
ing the receipt Of the message, and be-
gan to whistle again as he tore it open.
Daggs' lips retained their position, but
no sound escaped them. The message
was from Pompey Smash, and contained
four words:
Don't print Miggles' speech"
Daggs was dumfounded. He rushed
to the pipe; he was going to call to the
foreman, when he bethought himself.
He turned the dispatch up to the light.
1t was filed at $50. What did it mean:
There was an initial appended what it
was he could not make out. Possibly i:
was ruse-a trick of the opposition.
He ran up stairs and laid the mysteri-
GUS message down before the foreman.
"What do you think of that, Burton?"
81 don't think anything. There's only
one meaning itsays plainly, Don't print
Miggles' Speech and here we are print
ing it,"
"Well, but Griggs' orders were to
print it. What made Simmott be SO par
ticular about this speech? Why, he must
have suspected trick. Anyhow-my
orders are imperative"
''rake my advice-no, I'll have to con-
suit Parker. He's night editor. and he