Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-01-01
NEWSPAPER STORY.
ROW TEE 0 FlOs oKD" CELEBRATED CHRIST
MASD
An Adventure With the Ki,sns-Ths Little Darling
Of the Editorial Room Takes a Ride, and Re-
turns il Iriunpa
Cneiauaii Tribune

usually quiet 81 o'clock Every body
who could got OF was of until 6, when,
as a matter of policy, they would put In
an appearance for night assignment.
Tae homeless boys, three 10 number,
With recS'esSneSs due 20 the occasion,
had cleaned out the unused CRATE and
b1bed the janitor 70 bring them
bucket OF coal from the furnace cellar.
The society editor had q bunch OF mis-
tletoe hung over his desk and the united
fOrcs had contributed a holly wreath
bought Of stray Deddler. The dude
Law upon his back on the table, meaning
10 start cut every minute after case 10
Norwood. where a woman had left ner
Christmas dinner In a cOOSer'while she
went 20 church aud had returned 90 ind
10 missing, with gentlemaClY card left
iu its place. The real estate man toast
cd bis shius and the religious editor
swOre softly, s. vas bis won't wAen be
had much work on hand.
The wife of the sporting editor came
in quietly and SAT down before the
desk above which the partition was lit
orally covered with autographs AID en-
cravings OF the best horses, base ball
lists and crack foot balljSIs and crack
foot ball teams OF the country. The
wife OF the sporting editor helped him
a great deal She was familiar figure
about the office, going and coming.
About ten years behind her. 10 these 60
logs and c0miDgs. was the "kid." Tho
kid was 8 years old, dear little bit OF
humanity who already bad a promising
colt named for her, and who knew more
about racing aud base call and foot ball
and prize fights than any one else.
There was not nook or corner OF the
building that Annie did not know. The
little figure 10 the plaid dress darted
here and there like a bright dragon ny.
She bad a delicate, thin little face, al
WAYS liz up with some intense ideas,
which she impaired freely 70 all corners.
10 was fully three minutes before the
k'Newspaper Kid" ran into the editorial
room. She was In the seventh heaven
OF excitement Clasped 10 her breast
was her Christmas doll. which she de-
posted with an awful bang on the
first desk she came 70 10 her headlong
career, Her mother, most placid Of
women, looked up.
"The cat" began Annie, in her eX-
cited treble, "the dear, beautiful cat
has seven Christmas kittens. They are
ever n ever 50 much prettier than
them last ones
This was one Of Amie's special excite
ments-the composing room cat being
kind enough 20 De continually providing
her with material. Ii was quite IN
keeping with the day.
"Seven LOTS" said Annie. They
look like roOmfuls. Sweet old thing"
People were used TO Amie in the once.
The boys smiled at her now, but had
feeling that she ought to be at home on
Christmas. Her mother was busy
writing. The sympathy was small here,
so Annie, forgetting her doll, danced
out. 20 one knew by which door. The
Dude Jumped up when the assistant city
editor came Ia and buried OF. The
religious man sorted out the notes with
disEusted Intersections. Others OF the
men sauntered 10, exclaiming at the
FIRE in approval Gay jokes were flung
about aud repartee. When the wife OF
the sporting editor finished her notes
sac PIT them away and looked about
Amie's doll lay neglected on the desk
by the door. She crossed over aud got
n. smoothing It's clothes and rumpled
hair Then she passed OUT II the
office men thought at all. they supposed
she lad gone 20 fud the child
she was back In few minutes asking
quietly il Annie had been In. She went
out OF the other door and for ten min
utes in the unusual quite OF the big
bu Ling the clicking of her boot heels
could be heard on the steps and floors.
Then she passed through once more and
was gone for time. When she re-
turned her voice made every man in the
room jump TO his feet
"Annie is rot about Keep her here
II she comes in. will hunt around the
corners"
The doll lay DC the table, its staring
face upwards. The man looked at it
uneasy. 10 was only a quarter Of an
hour before the mother was back, but
10 the meantime the whole building
had been Quitely gone over and search
ed By the men. The staff had visited
that kitten box as starting point one
by one, but there seemed nothing 20
learn OF the cOntented feline, Durring
under an old coat, surrounded by the
bits OF stirring kitten life.
When the mother, now quite alarm
ed. aud white 20 the lips, came back,
there was 10 need TO ask FOR help. The
real estate man went after the father,
who was eating a dinner with some
sporting men from Chicago over st ST.
Nicholas, and the religious man had
the great good sense TO call up the
police ana report the case.
nil M
woman or the stat, who did hospital
work, came 10 about that time, and the
women were Instantly full Of sympathy,
and the men were dispersed right and
left by the city editors orders.
The mother sat by the table, one
hand holding over the doll with its
rpmpled hair. The other mother, who
had left three happy little youngsters
riotously enjoying their Christmas az
home. was huShed by her very sympa'
tky into acute anxiety. She was a very
imaginative person, and saw Dossloiii-
lies at once tbas nsrde her Shudder.
She surreptiously vtsit ~
places. including the shaft O.s
freight elevator at the end of the con-
Only the foreman could have !
iold her that ali the people In the office |
had stolen silently, one by one, 10 look |
down there, that he himself had gone !
IN once 10 The cellar floor, shaking with |
fear, sc the first alarm.
The father came over utterly speech |
.ess and unaOle 70 suggest. He could |
nan nothing. The real estate man
telephoned police headquarters every
i've minutes for news. The women
we're all crying.
..What was the child talking OF when
,ba left the doll?" asked the Hospital
reporter, suddenly and sharply.
Goats" sob0ed the mother
"No. kittens. corrected the religious