The morning call., 1893-04-17
A TINY GARMENT.

l. as - llANtb dlASI U Ine most
quiet hour of a summer day in the editorial
rooms OF the great morning paper. The
rooms Of the managing editor were still
dark. A single editorial writer scribbled
away at his shabby desk in a little den as
signed to him. The local room, which but
a moment before had been brisk movement
and confusion, was silent and deserted.
The big detail book, lying open on the
shelf before the city editors window. had
issued its orders. and In obedience to them
the small army Of reporters had filed out.
In an anterOOm that led to the main hall.
way lOunged Simpson. a general utility
man, ready to serve in case of emergency.
The only occupant of the local room was
Brander, the city editor.
Brander sat in his small private office,
separated from the main room by a glass
ptrtltion, through which he could see every
man and every movement in it. 1t was not
particularly pleasant to be under Brander's
eye, ana there was scarcely a member of
the local staff who had not freely cursed the
little glass Office and its point of vantage
at the end of the long apartment, where its
tenant could focus every corner and Granny.
If Jones essaYed to have quiet chat with
Robinson there was sure to come a cOurte-
GUS summons from the glass office, calling
his attention to an error in the cOpy he had
just given in; and if Robinson, in passing
SmiLh's desk, halted 10 laugh with him over
the latest j ke told by Chirkup, the clown
in local politics, he would receive q gentle
reminder that when lie had finished the
story in hand there was another detail he
might work on; and everybody knows that
a second detail in the same evening TO a
staff man, who has done his full duy by
the first. is an lndignity that no man who
sIectS himself Will patiently endure and
that no man who IS not an ogre will infiict.
Brander did not look as if the milk of
human kindness flowed in his veins that
night. He was a tall, raW-boned fellow
with broad forehead and face that could
be kindly, but that wore an habitual frOwn.
Tie strength and grace of the man lay in
his sparkling dark eyes and q certain awk-
ward dignity that asserted itself in his
shambling, loose joiuted gait and his hesi-
taling speech. lie sat looking cut of his
window into the crowded street, where
happy crowds J0stled on the narrow side
walks with smiles and cheerful salutations;
and shame aud woe fought for mastery In
bis heart, His mind again and again re-
bearsed the scene that had taken place at
his home before he had come down for the
nights work.
II asked hernot to go. That should have
been enough How could l explain to her
the hints and Insinuatons had heard? Or
dsnne TO her the sort of man l knew
CaTeW 10 be? He never plays the squire
TO a pretty woman without dastardly Oh
ltCl. one BtlibNeS III UI1-uOEt IIan sue
believes in me; considers him a proper es-
eort because there is distant cousinship,
or she affects to. How far has it gone?
How far has it gomez"
He earose to answer a whistle for copy"
sIuffing bundle IF sheets into little hole
in the wall, anu jerking a cord that sent
them spinning up to the compOsing-roOm In
the top story. lie turned back 10 his desk,
and tried to busy himself with the papers
there. but his gaze travelled again and again
to ha hrfu lfuhrad "a
thoughts wandered.
81 was a fool to have married her. She
young and pretty, fond of society, of music; !;
], getting old aud gray, detestiDg these
things, caring only for home and her, and
yOked to this luEgeTnaut that cruSheS those
who draw IL as well as those who are
dragged under it. | haven't any time for
idling, and l believe I've forgotten how.
She taxed me with it tonight and said
CareW was bright and agreeable ana she
enjoyed his society. Talked OF the matter
with perfect Indifference. her needles click
ing In the most exasperating way while
she worked steadily on at some fluffy
pink thing, Gne Of those bewitching
scarf-like hoods, I'll :be bound. that
pretty women like to wrap round their
heads wien they 20 out at night for fellows
like Carew to admire. And she said il was
cruel for me to misiudge her, and TO try to
spoil her pleasure
''She is off with him by this time. It's TO
be a swell affair. jenkins. whom we've
sent over there, is q thorough man; he'll
have the name and costume of every pretty
woman there, and he's not likely 10 miss
her. | shall have the pleasure of editing
his copy, and Of learning how she looked
ana dressed"
The door of the local room opened. A
young special reporter, who had been
hanging around for month to secure a
detail walked bTiskly in and seated himself
at desk, with a look In Branders
direction that invited attention to bis
dispatch In dischaTging his mission.
Brander scowled cordially at him. He
did not approve of a fellow who took
anly half an hour to execute a COM
mission that would have justified half
the evening There was jingle OF the
telephone bell in the anteroom, and a
mans voice asserting to some message
whispered over the wires. Then Simpson,
the emergency man, strobe through the
local room and flung open the door of the
glass Office.
'My soul, Brander! The most horrible
accident"
"Ah. Is it possible? What is 1t, Mr..
Simpson,"
Brander always resented familiarity. The
emergency man accepted the repro0f, and
changed his style of address, laying sar-
castle emphasis upon the prefix as he again
addressed his superior.
II beg your pardon, Mr.. Brander. The
S-o'elock train from the western suburbs
has run off the line. What's the matter,
Mr. Brander? Are yon sick p"
Brander's face was CHASTITY. II was the
train his wife and Carew were to have
taken, but lie met the others inquiry with
Icy resentment.
You are deviating from your text, Mr..
simpson. What else have you learned?"
bodies"
Very well. Make your way to the scene
OF the accident as fast as you can. Leave
that rubbish and join Mr.. Simpson," added
Brander. stepping out Of his office and ad-
dressing the amazed special, who was siyly
consulting Ihesaurps. "Pllshaye two or
three other men there before you're of
Get every Item You can. Don't let anything
escape you"
he followed the departing men into the
anieroom and rung the telephone. calling
pu reporter strong on description. who
had Deen sent TO the opera, and be sent a
was a walking directory of names and
faces, ordering him to see each BODY as il
was extrcated from the ruin.
At this moment the assistant editor made
his appearance. He had been let for the
evening, but had made his way to the Office
at the first tidlngs of the disaster, led by
that strange fascination that leads news
paper men to the center OF action when any
great calamity is announced.
"YOu may take charge of the Office,
Harry" said Brander. quietly "Hurry
the men up on this stuff. Have them
boil down every item. Send the men
down TO the railway as fast as they
turn off the work on hand. Run every
line they bring that isn't repetition.
People viii want 10 read nothing else
tomorrow. You'll have to fight Bangs"
Bangs WAS The business manager. Hes
been laying Lsnsef out for ads, but If he