The Kansas blackman., 1894-06-22
NIGHT MESSENGER.

NULL I1ls
Theo was a girl, although she
cqht to have been a boy. Her
aort curly hair, which persisted in
mmbIng about her eyes in a way
thst was difficult to tell whether the
Ia,t was in the middle or on the
ade together with the don't care
rsk that any boy would be
mould of, made her regular street
aanmie. Just where she came from
DobOdy around the Tribune office
semed te know.
It was one Of those nights when
he Associated Press wires were un-
guaIly busy, and HawleY, the head
vp6rat0r, was having a hard time to
Eeep up with the Washington spe-
Gals Neely, his assistant had not
Ot around, and Jim, his messenger
ag was nowhere to be seen. "A
sreat pile of dispatches lay before
im, waiting to be taken to the
ight-editor's room. Hawleyss was
urious Special after special came
icking over the wires, and no Jim.
he couldn't leave to 60 and get an
ther 10y, for ''tick, tick" went the
0under with no let up. IT seemed
D him that the operator at the
Washington end of the wire was
nnnlng at Nancy Hanks speed. He
lad taken the debate of the House,
and had the Pres dents message
piled up before him. and neither
Neely or Jim had put in their ap-
pearance Just as the last Congress
siOnal report came over ahe wire.
New York began sending big rail
road accident at furious rate, which
piled the yellow sheets higher and
higher before him. 1t seemed to him
that the operator at the other end
M sending on bet SO fast came
IL words over the wires
III only had some one to carry
ihe messages into the night editor, h
be groaned, as t'tick, tick" went the
Boston wire, telling CT bank failure
u which hundreds of poor working
men lost their last dollar.
lem me carry 'em," came from
II ome0ne at his elbow.
He started, looked around and saw
wee girl standing by his side, with
1 ragged dress and a cap with its
crown nearly torn out through which
ler short thick curls stuck through
"a wild confusion.
'sYou?" he said, wheeling cleal
lIound in his chair, and staring al
per Ia blank amazement, unmindfu
pi the repeated calls from Pitts
auFgh.
"Yes, sir, / kin carry 'em. / an
lim's sister, / be. He's sick; got the
grip He sent me ter tell yo' yO
needn't ter be 'traid, he wasn't com
III soon es he could. I kin do it, fel
lin told me all bout it, he did"
And without waiting for Hawlel
O say anything further on the sub
ect, she snatched up the pile Of vel
low paper, and darted out Of tn,
nom, down the hall to the night
ailtor.
ALI through the night hours unit
II ao'clock in the morning, 1.-THE we
gfl" glided in and out Of the room
Without word.
Several times Hawley asked her !
she wasn't tired.
Nav II Jim kin do it. I kin.
And away she few with a fresl
bundle OF specials.
III was o'clock when the last mes
sage came over the wire. Hawle.
laid aside his paper, covered up hi
typewriter and rose to 60
nIf Jim can't come ter-morroy
hight I'll come again." she said, a
she twisted her cap vigorously wit
both hands. He said he didn'
Rant ter lose his job"
ssBut YOU are a girl" began HaM
es.
q Cause Im a girl taint no sign
can't take 'em messages ter the night
8aditoy's room as well as Jim kin. /
go' please, Mr.. Hawley, Jim said he
be 'pliged if yo' woulu let me Ill hi
spIace till he got round"
'sVery well" replied HaWley bu'
0ning Up his coat. If you thin
Rau can do ii all right you can come
Ii don't like girls in an office"
lie knew Theo was one OF the man
ssand wee girls i'm the great cit
AicagO who were street gammies
Is nothing new TO him to see
staryed girls face, clothed il
garments in the dead Of winter
lad seen them every night as b
4 to his work, shivering in tn
blast from of the lake. There
scores Of just such waits q
SC in the city, but he neve
ped to ask them how they lived
eRen cared. He had seen girl
should have been in bed hurryinI
sR the crowded streets, selling
papers and singing in saloons
as Az everyday sight for him Il
,s ee girls huddled up under some
airNay selling matches, bu
sseF laid anv attention to them
ska sie III Than did thousands Of other