The record-union., 1896-04-19
MISS ADAMS SCOOP.
written for the Record Union by
Beselena)

written for the Record Union" by
Beselena)
When Rachel Adams brought her
work up to the Office of the Evening
Star she was surprised not to see the
editor sitting before his table near the
door. She looked around the office in
Cuiringly, but only a row of solemn
faces answered her mute question. No
sound save the clink Of the type fall
ing in their cases, the ponderous hun,
OF the machinery and the busy scratch
ing of the reporters pencils broke the
silence. Although she had been to the
Star" office almost every day for a
year, ever since her connection as a
special" yet to-day as she glanced
towards that empty chair for the first
time a vague feeling Of something diff
ferent stirred within her. She glanced
towards the hands of the office clock.
They pointed to the hour of nine. With
half concealed sigh, which she quickly
converted into a cough as she caught
the assistant editors eye upon her, she
sank into the vacant chair and waited
The minutes dragged their slow length
along. Rachel began to feel a shadowy
sense of disappointment steal over her
for which she promptly chided herself.
The voice of the assistant editor
aroused her. Can I do anything for
you? The Colonel"-people always
spoke of the editor as the Colonel
hasn't shown up yet. Don't know
when he'll be in either. Never knew
him to desert us in a pinch before. It's
election to-day, too, and we need all
the help we can get"
The assistant editor spoke in an in
jured tone and made vicious kick at
the Office cat, which the feline avoided
by leaping upon the editors table.
Foiled in this attempt the assistant
editor was gloomier than ever. At that
particular moment the office boy came
clambering up for more copy. The office
boy Of the Star" always had a griev-
ance. He had one now, and even the
pr essence Of Miss Adams did not hinder
him from airing it.
"Say, dem fellers in dere played foot
ball wild my anatomy fer bringin' in
copy writ on both sides. Say, 1 can't
help it, kin II"
mo, Deuteronomy, you cannot" re-
piled the assistant editor with the
calmness Of despair, taking up the
scissors and proceeding to cut into the
first paper his hands fell upon. There
1 guess that will do. There is an Ode
to Bacchus,' and treatise on is Life
Worth Living" Deuteronomy de-
parted whistling the Dead March in
SAUL while the assistant editor
glanced over the morning paper. When
y,a 40 Ia, n
her hat off.
II am going to stay" she announced.
Maybe I can take the Coloneps place
until he returns" The assistant editor
opened his mouth, but no words pro-
ceeded from it. It was one thing to
have Miss Adams around the office in
the light of paid contributor all un-
initiated in the. ins and outs of big
paper, but to regard her as his superior
was a little too much. With difficulty
he suppressed a wild desire to laugh.
Certainly Miss Adams; certainly,
anything, you WISH" he stammered.
Now, suppose you stay in here while
I step around to the polls and see how
things are progressing. Back in few
minutes, tell 'em so, If anyone calls, and
the assistant editor hastily departed.
This was not what Miss Adams had
expected. She felt that her offer had
not been properly received. Why could
she not have been given a detail? Deu-
teronomy or anybody could have been
left in charge of the Office. After the
reporters left she looked around for
something to amuse her. Upon the
Coloneps table lay miscellaneous COL
nf pEao oho1 10
straighten them out, but dared not
touch them. The table drawer was
partially open. Not knowing what she
did she opened it still farther. There
lay several novels by ambitious young
writer's waiting to be reviewed, a COL
lection of stubby lead pencils and bat
tered pens, a pipe Of the corn-cob vari-
ETY. and several pads or copy paper.
Rachael picked up the topmost pad; !;
a slip of paper fell from 1t. Picking it
up again, her eyes fell upon these words,
The rose my little sweetheart gave
me-" and underneath was pinned a
faded pink rosebud. Rachael's eyes
danced like twin diamonds. Her heart
beat fast, while a wave of color spread
over her face. She replaced the slip
of paper in the pad and hastily closed
the door. Just then the telephone bell
rang. Deuteronomy came forward to
answer 1t. "I will attend to it, If you
please" said Miss Adams
What she heard caused her to close
her lips tightly to keep back the words
which trembled upon them When she
hung up the phone she put on her hat.
Say, aren't you agoin' to wait fer
de Colonel?" called Deuteronomy in
surprise.
Il will be back shortly" replied Miss
Adams, as she hastily ran down the
stairs and boarded a passing car. She
got off at fashionable uptown hotel
and sent her card to certain room.
She almost held her breath until the
bell boy reappeared.
Mr.. Billionair will see you," she
heard, and then almost before she knew
it she found herself seated before man
who had made his name famous on
both sides of the continent for the mag
nitude of his wealth. When she en-
tered the office a half-hour later she
sat down at the table and wrote busily.
Just as she finished the assistant editor
came.
Things are going our way" he said.
with a cheerful grin, and then fell to
work on more copy. When 1t was fin
ished he called to Deuteronomy TO
hand it to the foreman. II have a
story 1 should like on the first page"
said Rachel.
Better let me see it first, hadn't you" :"
said the assistant editor in his sweetest
tones holding out his hands. IF it's
fiction Won know it wouldn't look well
on the first page, long with all the tele-
graph reports and the election news"
But 1t isn't felton, objected