Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1895-12-25

I'm on duty. Why didn't you tele-
phone to me, and ask what night could
| SoF You knew I was at the end of your
| wire, and you would have done it, if you
| cared anything for me-" and down went
the tickets to the floor 1t was evident
| that pretty Sadie had q temper of her
own.
She turned with dignity, and left Billy
| standing there. The quarrel had come
| on SO suddenly that he hardly realized II
was all over. Then, feeling as if all the
world had suddenly turned to ice and ink
| he mournfully regained the street.
Sadie sat at her work, as the night went
on, listening to calls from people who
| wished "Merry Christmas" over the
| wires, and wondered why hers did not
| come. Then, about 1 o'clock. a sharp
ring came in. No, it was not Billy's
voice!
'Give me one-naught- six four, quick!r
Now, it invariably irritates telephone
, girl to be told to be quick. She is always
quick. The quick" aroused Miss Sadie's
temper, but she said nothing; 1,O64 was
the number of the Blade editorial rooms,
the rival of Billy's paper
Hello! that you, Barker?" continued
the voice. "Say. there's the biggest thing
| on tonight, and we've got the deadwOod
on the Argus, if We work it right. There's
| been Christmas eve tragedy in the Ital-
: Ian quarter at 76S Bremen street. Two
| men are dead, and ones so bad he'll die
| before morning."
''Who's on that beat for the Argus?"
| came the breathless inquiry.
"Oh, I've fixed that-Billy McGuffy,
| and I've got him out the way. l had
fellow tell him there was a frightful acci.
| dent out at Bloomfield, and he thinks he's
got scoop on it. Take the murder case;
here's the details.''
Sadie had made up her mind what to do.
| She knew she was wrong, but-poor
Billy! She had been on the newspaper
| wires long enough to know the value of
| time to a morning paper. She listened
carefully to the message, then she rang
| up the Argus.
Hello. Banwell, city editor" she said
Take a frightfuI tragedy in the italian
quarter. Billy-Billy McGuffy."
"All right; hurry it along. Say. Billy.
Yoq' re scared-you talk like a girl"
Its enough to scare anybody-two
men dead and another on the way"
Sadie gave the full particulars, rang
off abruptly. and sat back looking scared
herself at what she had dared to do.
About o'clock a call came from the
Argus Office, and Sadie's answer had a
tremble in it.
"Hello," sounded Billy's voice "Is
that you? Merry Christmas. just got
back from running down a rumor. Do
we make up. Sadie?'
We'll, I'll be free at 6 o'clock. and then
you may come over and see me home
At the Argus office, Billy just arrived
from his bootless errand. stayed all alone
till daylight. As he started after Sadie
the watchman handed him a copy of the
paper damp from the press. He read the
startling headlines:
AWFUL CHRISTMAS TRAGEDY.
Two Men Instantly Killed in a Brawl
and Third Dies This
Morning.
"Oh dear! oh. dearr' walled Billy. "I'm
goner! Right in my district. too! Here
was fooling about the suburbs. and
Banwell so short-handed. Well, it's all
up with Bill McGuffy."
He hurried to the telephone exchange
building. where he found Sadie at the
door waiting for him.
"Oh, Billy!" she cried: I've done the
most dreadful thing"
$50 have l."
But I'll lose my situation if I'm found
out
I'm found out now," sighed Billy, "and
my situation is as good as gone. But tell
me about your trouble first" and Sadie
told him as they walked along.
YES Billy" she said, as Billy accused
himself of being a fool they were stand
ing in the porch of her home now; ''yes,
Billy, you're green. You never know
enough to do the right thing at the right
time"
"Oh, don't I?'' said Billy, and he kissed
her as they stood there.
"Oh, Billy" she cried, catching her
breath, II did not think you had the
courage"
All of which shows that a young man
On a daily paper learns many things az
time goes on. which thought passed.