Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1894-06-15

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heaven seem.
Detroit Free Press.
BUDS COPY.
The city editor opened the door and
peered impatiently through the clouds
of smoke rolling up over the long cen
ter table in the reporters room.
''Did you get that story, Carleton?" he
asked
''Carleton's not in yet, Mr.. Howard, -
one Of the men replied. 'He"--
But the door shut with bang, to
open minute later, when the same
worried voice inquired:
where's Bud? No; suppose he
isn't to be found either! Did any one
ever know him to be on hand when he
was wanted? Here, Bud, :" as the grimy
faced galley and general utility boy in
question came in with his proofs, Ego
down to the foot of F street and find
Carleton. There's wreck off the point,
but it won't do us any good unless he
gets here with that copy pretty soon.
We go to press at o'clock-in just two
hours. Bud''-
He stopped with half smile, for the
boy was already part way down the
stairs on his way to the street.
None Of us knew exactly why we gave
the weird, shriveled specimen of boy
hood the name of Bud. Possibly it was
because of the certainty we felt that he
would never become blossom. He was
thin shouldered, sunken chested little
fellow, small even for his 10 years, with
a sharp featured, unchildish face, and
the suggestion of eternal Group in his
voice. He had drifted into the Office one
stormy night about a year before the
time of which write, and although his
request for ga place. had been prompt
ly refused he had calmly staid on and
become fixture. He was not communi
cative about himself, and we were not
particularly curious. One Of the women
proofreaders discovered before long that
the gray rat under her desk was not
more constant habitue of the Office than
was Bud. He spent the hours between
the time that the paper went to press
and the arrival of the day men at II
o'clock sleeping on pile of empty mail
sacks i'll dark corner of the engine
room, but from that time on he was
alert and ready for business.
AS 'understudy" for Frank, the reg
ular galley boy, he was fast picking up
a knowledge Of printing and had oc-
casionally displayed a surprising amount
of information regarding the general
makeup Of newspaper. Strongly i'm
bued with the idea that all things were
secondary in Importance and must be
subservient to its requirements, moth
ing pleased him so much as an errand
of the kind just given him by the city
editor, and we all knew he would re-
turn on time if he was alive.
Carleton was a new man on the pa
per, a little green in the business, but
with ''nose for news" and sense Of
honor and the eternal fitness Of things,
coupled with reliability of statement.
Mr. Howard had looked over his staff
that night before giving the assignment
"Get to that wreck, Carleton" he
said testify. "You are the only man
uCI0 VIII Cd1l NIltO IL uP hdN
ing the waves roll mountain high. "
And the new reporter had torn thick
section from the block of copy paper and
hurried away.
Bud found no difficulty in locating
the wreck, although he could see its
dark spars outlined against the sky
much better by running along the wa
ter front as far as H street. The storm,
which had been raging for three days
and had finally caused the disaster, had
subsidized trifle, and from his distance
the great, black hulk seemed resting
easily upon the waves. On account Of
the hour there were but few spectators
only the hurrying life saving crews,
the patrolmen and the inevitable groups
of ragged wharf rats. And Bud observ
ed, with delight, that not another paper
had reporter on the scene He looked
around for Carleton, and some one told
him that the "chap" that had been writ
ing there for long time, sitting on an
overturned small boat, had at last right
ed the little craft and set off for the
half submerged ship.
"He hadn't oughter either" the
man continued. 'This water amt as
peaceful as it looks. We had hard pull
gettin in the last trip with the passen-
gers, and the wind is risin higher every
minute. -
It was true that the clouds had begun
to roll again, while the lightning threw
ever sharper and more jagged fangs
across the sky. The crew on shore made
hasty preparations to put out. There
were still many people aboard the wreck
"a number of them women and chill
dren. Bud was the first one in the boat.
Come out of that, youngster, said
sailor. "Be quick with youp'
'I'm goin," cried the boy. GIVE got
to see Carleton-I've got to, tell you"
The sailors hand was on his collar,
but Bud chung to the seat with desper
alton, the muscles in his little hands
standing out like gladiator's.
''I've got to get something for the pa
per-" and his voice rose to a shrill
scream.
The man lifted him out, sat him-not
ungently--,down on the wet sand and
pushed off the boat, With fierce cry
the boy was after him, clinging like
monkey to its side. The sailor loosened
the boys hands, and he dropped back
ward into the water. He scrambled to
the shore and stood choking with impo-
tent rage, strange oaths pouring from his
lips and his frail hands beating at the
air.
The wind increased in violence The
thunder was terrific, and the heavens
were cut with broad, white blades The
night grew ever blacker but he could
see by the flashes that the lifeboat rolled
heavily and seemed in distress. He sank
down and dug his hands deep into the
sand. All at once a peal Of thunder
shook the solid earth. A flash Of light
ming leaped down and seemed to lap up
4he sea and ships. Bud uncovered his
owes and in a moment his shrill voice
was added to the chorus Of agony sen,
nm from among the flames of the fateo
steamer. Lightning had struck her, and
the boy had heard the sailors say that
She carried consignment of coal oil.
The light was bright enough now, ane
the watchers could see a small, dark OBJ.
ject leave her luminous side and heat