The Washington times., 1895-02-03


II is worse than swearing, for when a man
swears over the wires a girl may sh ut him
of and report him. The ''quicE" aroused
Miss Sadie's temper. but she said nothing;
1864 was the number OF the Blade editorial
rooms, and Sadie new the Blade was the
rival OF Bily's paper. the Argus Sadie al
ways called the Argus Billy paper although,
as a matter of fact. 1t belonged 20 a company.
'.Helio Is that the Blade editorial rooms2
Is Baker there2 Well, ask him 20 step 70 the
phone, will you pleasel Tell him to hurry
up. Ii 8 Stokes.
There was a pause. Then Sadie heard Bar
ker's heavy step. and finally his ''Hellol
That you Stokesy This Is Barker"
..See here. Barker. there's the biggest thing
on tonight and we've got the dead wood on
the Argus if we Wors il right There's been
a Christmas Eve jamboree in the italian quar-
ter at No. 76s Brenner street Fellow
named Miieni- ni-M-i-l-e-n-i, got that?-pulled
a knife. Two men are dead. and one so Tad
he'll die before morning. woman Drained
Mileni with chair"
who's on tnat beat for the Argus?'' cried
Barker, breathiessly.
.'Oh, I've fixed that all right. Billy Nc
GGdy is the Argus man. and he's as green as
they make EN-. / had a fellow with buggy
call for Billy and tell him a cock-and-buH
story about a frightiul railway eident out
at Bloomfield, three miles beyond the city
limits Billy gone with him and wont be
home until morning. Billy thinks he's going
to make his eternal reputation on unat rail-
road disaster. Now, if YOU We got your pen
ell sharpsned III gire you the particulars OF
the Mileni murder.
Stokes talked and Barker took It all down,
punctGatiGg the narration with ..Ies" now
and then. Sadie, with the telephone receivers
over her ears, listened and also took il down
on the fly leaf Of a book she had been read
iny. Her lips were set in brm line as she
thought o; poor Billy on his wild goose chase
through the bitter night That, then, was
why he hat not teiephoned TO her. At last
Stokes flushed his account of the tragedy.
Sadie had made up her mind what 20 do.
although she knew 1t was wrong, and that
she would lose her place il she was found
out. But she thought Of Billy and lot of her
7 position. She knew the value OF time on a
morning paper, for she had been on the news
/ paper wires for some months. There was no
use Of waiting till Billy ycatied her up, it would
/ be too late then So she put in the plug that
| communicated with the Argus Office and rang
/ the bell. When the Hello came she asked
| who was there.
"BanweIl, city editor Who's that talk
/ ingg'
"Helo BiIIyI What's the matter with
! you? Where have yon been all the mighty
/ say Banwel. there's been a frlghtful
TRAGEDY up here-No. 768 Brenner street-gos
that DOWN.
/ eyes Hurry it along. Billy, can tell
by your voice you're scared; you talk Ike
/ girl"
That's all right. 1t would scare anybody.
/ There's two men dead and another on the
way"
Heavens and earthl Wait second. Billy,
/ till L whistle up to the foreman to save Us
| couple OF columns"
/ There was a pause Of a few seconds. then
+ Banweirs voice again: Now, Billy, whoop
/ her up"
Sadie gave full particulars and then added:
You'd better send man up to Brenner
4 street as soon a. you can. I'm done out and
am going home"
Hold on. " cried BanweH. Hold on. Billy.
3. Where are you!''
But the telephone had been rung OF and
BanwelFs question was unanswered.
Sadie sat back AMI looEei at herself in the
little bit Of glass she kept by her. ''Wel. I
I don't care" she said TO herself. I've done
it, and l N not the least sorry, though 1 sup
pose l ought to be-" The face that looked
back at her was rather pale. and in spite OF
her defiant assertion TO herself she FELT Just
little afraid, for she knew that she had
broken the most stringent rule OF the COM
pany code.
About O'Clock in the morning call came.
1t was from the Argus Office, and Sadie's
answer had trem5Ie ID it.
"Hellor' said the voice. "Is that you,
I Sadie?" a Merry Christmas. I'm little
/ later than I expected TO be"
''You are, Billy" replied the gfrR "HoT's
+ everything on at BloOmheld!'
| ''Grdc-ous. How did YOU know was at
Bloomfield? I've Just got back. and came to
this Office and to telephone the first thing"
''1 hat was bad railroad accident they had
/ out there; wasn't it, Billy"
Great heavens. Sadie, you're witch.
How in thunder did"
BILLY, you mustn't use language ike that
to the central. III report you If you do.
Oh, I forgot. The same TO you, Billy. Is
/ Mr.. BanwelI there?''
mo; they're al gone home, and can hear
I the presses in the Easement running OF the
paper. Sadie, may go over thers?"
mo, Billy; not Just now. I'll be free al
! O'Clock, then you may come over and see me
home. You draw up chair near the phone
and 80 to sleep, like good boy. At o'clock
I'll ring you up, as If the house was on FIRE.
I'll wait for you at the door down stairs Re
member, must see you before you meet Ban
/ well or any Of the rest"
"All right, said Billy.
He drew up a chair and threw himself into
It. It seemed to him that he had hardly
seated himself when he was awakened by the
long ring OF the telephone bell at 6. He
stumbled down stairs, trying TO button up his
evercoat and rub his eyes open at the same
time. Down stairs the Watchman handed him
a copy of the paper, damp from the press
The morning was crisp and clear and the
street was strangely silent. Billy glanced ar
the first page. and instantly his eyes opened
wider than they had done for all his rubbing.
He read the startling headlines:
FRIGHrFUL CHRISTMAS TRAGEDY.
DRINK, ANGER, AND KNIFE Work FEAREuL
Havoc IN BRESNER STREET.
Two Men Instantly Killed and a Third Dies
This Morning.
''oh, dear. oh, dearI oh, dear walled
Billy. I'm a goner this time. sure. 1 knew
it would come some day. Right In the mid
die of my district tool and me fooiing around
the suburbs-jaekass that an wo nder
who got it. and Banwell so shorthanded.
Well, it's all up with Billy MeGuffy. I'll not
wait 10 be fined, and I'll send in my resigla-
ton be fore noon.''
He jammed the paper into his overcoat
pocket and hurried along the frosty pavement
TO the telephone exchange building, where he
found Sadie standing at the door waiting for
him. She looked so pretty in the clear morn
ing air, With her naJty urbOrdered cloak
around her, that Billy almost forgot his
trouble as he gazed admirIngly at her. She
was the first to speak
ION, Billy" she cried coming rapidly to-
ward him, I've done the most dreadful
thingl''
so have 1. said Billy.
"But I'll lose my situation II I'm found
OUT
I'm found out now" replied Billy, with a
sigh. land my situations as good as gone al
ready But tell me about YOUR trouble first +"