The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1893-11-08


and stood waiting by the side of the
desk
"Welll" said the city editor, look
ing up sharply, after an instant, "what
do you want?"
'I wanted to know if you could
make use of this" answered the new
conner, timidly holding out small
bundle of manuscript.
'1'm sure We can't unless it's some
thing trihe less hoary with age than
that you brought here the other day. Z"
The city editor, who was compare
lively young man, very alert, very
quick in speech, and all business, took
the manuscript, unfolded it with a
snap and ran his eye over the first few
lines. Then he wheeled his chair
around and said, Strengthening up and
speaking testify:
''Now look here, John Harmon, once
and for all, understand that it's no use
bringing such stuff as that in here,
and l won't be bothered with looking
at it Why, this is identically the
same ancient history you tried to shove
off or me the other day."
"But 1 polished it up" suggested
the old man.
polished up your grandfather ~
exclaimed the other. "Why, you
couldn't polish that matter SO that it
would be readable if you worked for
ever. It's hard luck; but the plain
truth is there are too many young men
hustling for live news to allow of such
back-number trash as that being good
for anything but to stop hole. 1
haven't got any more time to talk If
you get any news, bring it in and I
will look at it ! Otherwise, stay away,
please !"
The city editor faced his desk again,
picked up his pen and fell to work, not
looking at the other. The older man
for an instant stood motionless, then
he picked up the manuscript, put it in
his pocket and turning away walked
slowly ont of the room without a word.
The wind was biting hard outside
and he drew his collar about his ears
rs he walked despondently down a side
street. He had not far to go, for pres
emily he went mp the steps of small
house and opened the door. The room
into which he came was bare and mis-
cradle looking, and everywhere showed
the lack of awoman's hand to straighten
the few bits of furniture, which only
served by their mean repair to add to
the forlorn appearance of the apart
ment The old man stood quite still,
one hand resting ON the doorjamb,
staring ahead of him as if he saw be-
yond the opposite wall. AS he stood
there, there came a glad child's cry
from the other end of the room:
"Oh, Gran'pop, glad you come I!
It's awfully lonesome -
The old mans face frightened. He
reached down and, as the little girl
came running to him, caught her mp
and laboringly lifted her to his breast.
Then he kissed her and put her down.
She did not see the tears on his checks
as he talked to her of the fun they
would have that evening "after work
was done. After work was done was
the season when these two had grand
romps together Work, as little Polly
we'll knew, meant writing, writing,
writing until she would crawl upon the
old mans knee and beg him to come
play, and he would drop the pen from
his cramped fingers and let her kiss
from his eyes the mist which would
gather there, when he kept his mind
long fixed on the pages before him.
John Harmon was nearly eighty, "a
broken-down newspaper man" he was
called, aud his only inheritance from
past days was knowledge of news
paper writing anda little granddaugh-
ter, whose mother and father had died
in a fever epidemic few years before
The old man threw the rejected
manuscript on a chair, then set about
getting something to eat for himself
and the child, the little one all the
while chattering to him of what they
would do in the evening. When they
had finished he pulled on his coat once
more, kissed the child and went out
again. A publishing house had prom
ised to look over some manuscript he
had left a week or so before. He was
going thore 10 get their answer. He
eomprehended duly tLat this answer
might mean something to eat, but,