Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1895-05-30

u, the night editor and the foreman OF
she composing rooms.
The Owl was one of the oldest and
aoiest newspapers in the country. For
years its cramped and dingy quarters
had served well their functions, had
accumulated their full quota of SCOT
and dirt, of dust and Crime. Mice
scrambled about behind the walls and
reaches haunted the paste cups on the
editorial desks But there came day
when the old quarters, long ago far too
narrow and limited for the pressure of
business that had grown with the in
'creasing reputation of the paper, were
condemned, altered, enlarged and re-
Juvenated. Floorings were torn up,
beams taken out and replaced and the
whole Office literally turned upside
down. The mice squeaked and scam
pered about boldly, and the reaches
came from inconceivable places Some
OF the copy-readers, as they startled
the fleet bugs from the paste cups, sug-
gested that "Hughey." the Office boy,
should be commissioned to get a cat,
but nothing further was ever done
about the matter.
One evening the night editor had just
returned from his supper, had hung up
his hat and coat, and was approaching
his desk, when he saw cat actually
seated on the top, by the rnucilage cup,
and busily licking its paws. It was
thin and gaunt, and had hard, hun
CRY look in its eyes. The night editors
first impulse was to drive it away, but
he remembered the mice and the
reaches, and he turned to the little
group of copy-readers, busily correct
ing and getting ready for the compos-
ing rooms the manuscript that lay be-
fore them.
Boys" he said, there's cat"
There was a quick pushing back of
chairs, and the boys" turned around.
''Pss!' said the night editor. Don't
scare him We need his services"
The cat gIared about for an instant
as If in doubt whether to go or stay,
but seeing ne evidence of an immediate
attack it kept its position by the cup
on the night editors desk. One of the
-copy-readers threw it a cracker. With
a quick, ravenous grasp Of its white
teeth, the cat seized it as it fell.
Hes prime for the MICE" said the
night editor.
"Where'd the haste come FROM"
asked old John Evans, looking over the
tops of his glasses, from mis- seat at the
Suburban" desk.
''Hughey!" called the night editor.
There was sound of a tipped chair
quickly coming to the floor. and Hughey
hastily tucked away a thrilling story
into the recesses of his table.
''Yes, sir" said Hughey, as he came up
to the night editor.
''How many times have told you to
let no one into these editorial rooms
unless they send in their card and the
nature of their business?'
Il don't" protested Hughey.
'.Look at that" said the night editor,
pointing to the thin, gaunt cat repos-
ing on his desk
"A cat!" exclaimed Hughey, Joyous
ly, extending his arms and moving to-
ward the animal
Look out, Hughey," said the men,
''he looks pretty hungry"
But Hughey was used to cats. He
knew their ways. He even noted with
some pity its famished look. To the
surprise of the men the cat made no
effort to escape Hughey. He picked it
up gently and stroked its thin back. 1t
was good-sized cat with long. why
legs and hard claws. Dusty black and
white stripes ran about its body. Its
ears were partly crushed down, and
it held it's black head bent in a hunted,
.crouching manner.
Take care of him, Hughey," said
the night editor, sitting down at his
desk, for he's on the staff now"
But this was needless advice to
Hughey. He carried it to his little
rickety table by the window in the
paneled partition that shut out
peremptorily all who had no right in
the sacred precincts of the editorial
rooms Here was Hughey's throne;
here he reigned in undisputed author
ity. He domineered over the timid in
quirer who ignorantly mistook him for
the editor, tantalized fresh" messen-
ger boys by keeping them waiting,
drove nearly into Mysteries the inpa-
tient ladies who wished to explain
to the editor, bluffed the
literary aspirant, berated the peddler.
joked the politicians, and opened the
door to none whom he knew not or I'M
til they persuaded him into knowing
them.
It was to these quarters Hughey
brought Shockie. The name was one
of Hughey's own invention, and was
bestowed upon the gaunt cat scarcely
two minutes after it had been in
stalled. Why Hughey chose the name
he could never quite explain either to
himself or to those who asked him All
he knew of the swift christening was
soon told, and he told that in lieu of
an explanation. He had just put
Shockie down on the table and haG
to sort the evening mail.
when the cat suddenly sunk its claws in
to a bunch of Letters to the editor, and
bepan burrowing fercely amid them
By the time Hughey had rescued the
envelopes they presented sorry sight
to hand to the editor. And then
Hughey uttered the name that chung
to the cat ever afterward-
Huchey soon perceived that Shockie
was no ordinary cat. He was jour
na1istic cat. endowed as he fervently
declared with a genuine nose for news,
and he firmly believed that in time he
could teach it the difference between |
cake and q fact At any rate,
Huyhey hoped for this. and he spared
No mains with Shockie's education.
Night after night, as they sat at the
+able together, he would explain the
.,,bt1eties to Shockie. and as Shockie |
cured and whisked his tail intelli-
rr.,tlv. Hurhey felt comforted- Once
he saw Shoclkis looking curiousiy ~