The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-05-23
JOSIAH.
The Story Of His Many Trials and
Their End.

He sank YEARLY into his chair, and
, ran his hand over his fast-increasine
| bald-spot. He was neatly dressed-as
| neatly as he could be on the small salary
| he was allowed by the Old Man (who was
known as the proprietor of the Sun to
outsiders)-but his shabby coat hung IN
long, wrinkled folds, from his sloping
shoulders, and his gray mustache
| dropped as mournfully as his weak, sad
old mouth had ever done
We three men-reporters on the little
morning daily-barely glanced up as
he came in, for it was growing late, and
the calls for copy would soon keep US
more than busy to supply the printers
upstairs. The first proofs had already
come down the shute from the compos-
ing room above, and that meant it was
somewhere near twelve. For five min
utes no one spoke word and the only
noise which disturbed the silence of the
room was the scrubb1ng of pencils over
the pads as they hurried on to paper the
story of the days haps and mishaps,
and the mufied rattle of the telegraph
"
the Associated Press man, sat pounding
his typewriter and taking bulletins of
the Chicago nominations. Now and
then late cab bowled by on the street,
or some happy, besotted citizen sang a
few wavering bars from the latest pop
ular song as he reeled home, but the
little town was nearly asleep, inside and
out.
At last with relieved sigh 1 scrib-
bled my especial mark at the end of the
"wad'' which had kept me busy for the
last half hour, and took it across the
room to where he sat. He had his face
buried in his hands now, and he did not
hear me stop beside him.
''Here's this car-strike stuff, Josiah"
I said, laying it down before him. He
uncovered his eyes slowly, and pulled
the copy to him, as 1 had seen him do
thousand times before; then he seemed
to remember something, for with a sud-
den gesture. he showed it away and
turned to me
Mr. Bird will attend to it, he said,
slowly. Il will not be here after this
He has taken my place" AS he spoke
his voice quivered, and ! noticed in the
changing glare of the gas jet overhead
that there was something like tears in
his honest old eyes. Newspaper men
are not apt to be affected by any dis
play of emotion, for their training ac-
customs them to it too much, but with
youthful arrogance | had always felt
4
d passing interest in him. / began to
question him at once. but he stopped
me with an answer | had heard many
times before: MIR. Barnell has made
other arrangements" And as Mr. Bar
nell was the only proprietor OF the Sun
the same being the Old Mani knew
there was nothing more to be asked.
As turned to so herose from his chair,
and taking his hat, tall and shabby like
himself, from the desk, he put it care
fully on his head. Then he made
for the door, past the Uttered
table, past our three little
desks, past the row of broken, weakly
chairs and the bookcase. AS he put his
hand on the knob he turned, and, clear
ing his throat, he said:
Goodnight, gentlemen, and-good-
by" and before the other men could |
look up in mild surprise at this unusual |
he had passed out and closed |
the door behind him.
Whats wrong with Josiah tonight" !
inquired Jones, usually termed the |
horse editor" on account of his deep |
Same old story,-turned back into |
-he composing-room again answered /
Brothers, the society man (who also |
combined his social work with report |
ng court proceedings, both circuit and |
police}. Whenever the Old Man gets
mad he bounces Josiah out of the edi-
.orial chair right up to a case, and jams |
4 stick into his hand. Then ne says:
There, go to work sticking type; that's
III you are worth, anyway You
ought to hear the foreman tell how he
loes it"
Has he done it often?" inquired,
how man could stand such
disgrace.
AT least three times IN the last year"
aid Brothers, numbering the sheets of
rs pad for the court proceedings. Al
er he has been at the case for awhile,
he Old Man takes him off and puts him
Up here. and tells him to go to work
writing editorials again and see if he
an do better than he did before"
WELL" said the horse editor, she
have a chance 10 do that
more than once with me. tell you;
would let him find another playthins"
Not if You couldn't get another Job,
onny," said Brothers drily. and that
; the case with Josiah Poor old chap.
feel sorry for him, but-there's the
Id Man at the tube" as the
peaking- tubes shr:l whistle inter-
upted him. and Brothers turned back
he whistle and YEARLY inquired
Weli?" into the opening. For mo-
lent there was ne response, then there
anne, in the short sharp accents we
Tere all so used to:
Mr.. Jones viii do the telegraph to-
light, until Mr. Bird can get down.
hats all. and Brothers turned away
nth smile upon his dark face.
SsAoN KS ttAASAi4AAt-A sGNhs
horse editor; You fellows never get in
o 1t like this" and catching up the
ong exchange scissors from the desk
lie shu flied into the operators room.
vhile Brothers and looked at each
Their and smiled because we had not
'esar assigned tn the nights padding
I the autographed news.
For weeks afterwards. Ire patient,
MET man who used - write i5re-eating
stood before his dusty SO all
izht long clicking the tpc into rs