The record-union., 1894-09-29

aging editor seated himself YEARLY, fix
ing his attention upon the open door with
the WEAKNESS Of a picket when the en-
emy's lines crowd closely.
1--WE wish to congratulate you, Mr..
Breem, on the success, the eXtraordina-
ry success, of the Motor" began Editor
Shotwel uneasily.
success of the MOTOR" the other
four blandly echoed.
: And express our satisfaction as to the
general-general-"
''State of the Market" ventured Editor
Lomster IN burst of helpful enthGsi-
asm, suddenly recalling the recent happy
advance in hides.
AND emphasize our approval of your
editorial management in every partIcu-
lar save on one point" bravely insisted
Editor Backus.
"One point" the others heartily reiter-
ated.
Here Kirtley Breem's thin fingers
crushed his old straw hat like bunch of
'killed copy"
"On that pint" blurted out Editor
Whitaker firmly, "we can't by no means
agree. That pint is"
Never mind, sir" came quickly and
quite as decidedly from the managing
editor. You shall have my resignation
III your hands in five minutes time!"
AS klrtley Breem said this there was
an awful look in his strange, cadaverous
face; a look such as might come over the
lace OF one who, whipped on by stead
last love or heroic duty or sacrifice in
endless ana rewardless toll, reaches sud-
denly the ultimate Of effort-in terror for
Its swift ruin to others, transfigured in
momentary realization of pitiless
Scourge at end.
Some instructive consciousness of this
seemed to fit through the mines of the
| men before him, and for miment it
stllled them. But In an instant more
they were all upon their feet, restraining
him from his purpose and filling the
room with the clamor of their protests.
"Lord!-we didn't mean thatw gasped
Editor w Whitaker, in a very perspiration
Of mild desperation. Cant we no ways
git inside your machinery long 'nuff t. do
leetle friendly packin' an oilin', Kirt-
ley Breem?"
The managing editor arose to go. Ed
ltor hittaker, with a quick move of bis
fat little body, reached the door before
him, snapped it shut with loud click,
turned the key in the lock, and with his
dumpy brown hands behind him and his
dumpy broad back against the door he
exclaimed triumphantly:
"Kirtiey Breem, it's no use! You've
got Z listen T. th' voice o. reason. You're
killin' yourself here. This 'ere board s
unanimously decided that you've got t.
take vacation. All work and no play
hang the rest of it!-t' kinder go into dry
dock M git th' barnacles off yer copper
IN yer gineral apparatuses frightened
up. Now, make it four, six or eight
weeks, jest Is ye like; but out ye go to-
morrer mornin'"
"Good, goodr' $50 it!' enthusiastic
cally cried the rest of the board
1--WE amt no all around editors like
you be, Kirtley Breem; but we're goin' T.
take turns here at th' wheel while you
go below. Ii she (the Motor" was un-
doubtedly referred toy goes smooth, then
smooth she goes! If she goes jinkey an
| crinkey we won't mind few cogs a-slip-
PIN! Git yer dunnage tgether pnight.
| Breem. Now, no hemmin' an hawin'!
It's passed the board 'thout ary nayv'
The managing editor was helpless in
! their hands and he looked it. He seemed
| to be painting like Gagged animal. More
| than once he endeavored to rise, and
then to speak. His eyes famed and paled
| and appeared to penetrate, out above
! their heads, to the remotest outreachings
of the great establishment. If these men
| could have known they could not but
have followed them on, on, far beyond
| all that.
"Pve been here very, very long," he
| faltered.
Don't matter" retorted Editor Whit
| taker doggedly. "All th' wuss!'
You are all very kind, gentlemen
But-but simply cannot afford it,"
AS he said this, his selt-conSciousness
! was of meanness and insigniticance. To
them he seemed infinitely beyond and
! above them. Five lat hands instantly
made five swift dives into five plethoric
| pockets.
''Oh, it isn't that! 1t isn't thatr' came
! so like cry from the lips of Kirtley
! Breem, as the old straw hat swished
through the air. that the five fat hands
relaxed and slid silently from their re-
ceptacles.
"Anybody weighting you down. keep
ing you back. choking you off, smother
! ing you under, Breem?'' Editor Lomster.
! who had for a time been silent, blurted
| suddenly at the bowed man upon the
| rack
"Who said there was? Who dare saw
] thatv' he answered back hoarsely and
| fiercely, shaking his clenched fist and
/ crushed hat defiantly at the speaker.
| "My God! Let me out OF here at once!-
! at once, gentlemenp'
Trembling and paid, Kirtley Breem
sprang toward the door. But Editor
Whitaker anticipated him. He had one
| arm about him In a twinkling, holding
him gently yet firmly as in a wise. He
raised the other hand and let it fiutter
back and forth toward his astounded
companions for long time before he
| seemed able to gather fitting words from
MS turplu anu onruSnlng thoughts and
| conjectures.
There's some things" he finally stam-
mered, "a leetle too close T. th' vest T.
bear onto even atween friends-as well as
here. Kirtley Breem takes a vacation,
| That's passed the board. Kirtley Breem
can afford it. That's passed the board.
| It's none o. th' boards business t'prod am
poke. That's passed the board. What
ever bothers anybody'll be tended to
kirtley Breem's own way. That's passed
| the board. Pll see kirtley Breem pri-
vately. That's passed the board Th'
| board now stands adjourned till tmor-
rer mornin' O'Clock sharp, ready fur
! editorial business. And that's passed the
| board 'Ghout airy nayp'
| And, with this, Editor Elijah Whitta-
ker, with their managing editor still
captive in gentle bonds, withdrew from
the most memorable board meeting the
| directory of the DAILY Public Motor
Printing and Publishing Company had
| ever known.
! Though it does not so often happen in
this world of ours, supreme contempt can
as swiftly be flashed into measureless
esteem as passive admiration be trans
formed into revolving pity.
In moments time Kirtley Breem's
| isolate. desolate, self-prisoned life had
| been maglcally touched and softened-
and here the only vacation the managing
editor had ever known had really begun
/ by rough old Elijah Whittaker's cum
! ming and protecting perception, for it