Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1894-12-27

head and signing. The next night
word came from down stairs that the
old night editor was at home with
brain fever and mightn't be back in
| the composing room for a month They
made up" that night without him
and were twenty minutes late, besides
committing the objectionable sin of
| leaving out Il twenty-five "ad."
The old man had been in a printing
office so long and so steadfastly that
it was part Of his life. He was typi.
cal Of all good men in the place, good
nntured and lovial from s to II o'clock,
ulieter and more active from II to
T. 10, ana from II 10 to press time
rs nervous and lidgety as IA hen with
n brood of ducklings He hadn't saved
much mOncy-just a tritle for Il rainy
day, and, as he laughingly observed
he needed an umbrella about once a
week. He had buried two children
girl and boy. The boy fell a,
the battle Of the Wilderness, and his
father saw the name IN type one night
as he leaned over the forms.
When the foreman went up the next
afternoon, he found the old editor in
dclrum. At the bedside, gently fam
ming him. sat his dear old wife-one
Of those sweet-faced women who seem
to be on earth simply to bear burdens
for others and to lend comfort to the
i'll and distressed
"Docs he seem any betterY was the
whispered inquiry "rhc boys miss
him, | tell you"
81 very much fear he is not" was
the quiet, resigned reply ellis mind
is on the paper all the time. He has
not spoken OF anything else since the
doctor was here an hour ago. He
seems to think-there now. father, it's
all rlght-yes, yes, we will do just as
you wish"
The sick man had interrupted the
first part Of the remark. He was
resting on his elbow as his wife spoke.
"Never mind that, joe" he half
muttercd. Then, raising his voice to
II decisive tone: "Get that galley. I'll
railroad 1t now. That's the dirtiest
proof | ever saw in this office. Dump
1t in here. We've only eight minutes
to get this form down. Who's setting
that JOhnstOwn head?"
"IIe's thinking of hard week we
had in the Office the time of the
Iohnstown flood" whispered the fore
man, rs he gazed sorroWfully on the
flushed face and the fevcrishly bright
eyes. There was moments pause,
and the old man cried out again:
Joe Joe, what's the matter with
you? Is the office full Of subs to-
night? Chase up KG, will you?
never saw anything like 1t since the
snakes were driven out of Ireland
Here you are standing around like
lot Of Stoughton bottles, and | can't
get that hole filed to save my neck
What? | don't care if you're five col
umns ovcrsct. Get that plea cap line
changed to cap and lower case, and
let's get this form away. Only two
minutes only two minutes, Joe"
"lIe is all broken down." said the
faithful partner of his joys and sor-
rows rs the tears cOurSed down her
checks, land the doctor gave me no
hope at all. He said it was Il question
of II few hours, and
The patient was on his elbow again.
as that You mothcr?' he asked
frcbIy. "Oughtn't to be getting up?"
The fever began to talk, but the I'M
natural strength it lent was gone. The
breathing was lahorcd. and the words
were uttered nj long intervals.
"rell 'em to send that second page
back, Billy" whispered the dying man.
I'm make over, instead of on the
sixth, Tell cm they will get this last
form in ten seconds. Keep your shirts
ON, boys; keep your shirts on"
The breath became more Stertorous.
CAN right. Joe? No. Put Il thicker
quad IN there. Now she'll 20, joe
llollcr down there, Joe-thls is the
laSt!'
The foreman drew the sheet over the
dead mans face. Mail and Express.