Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-08-02

line of the manuscript was dear to the
how. and on the victories Of the local
ball team hung all his happiness. his
heroes were the winning pugilists, ana
the glorious eagles that fitted across
his youthful imagination always assumed
the forms Of prize ROSTERS that won III
the CITY cooking mains. And thus the
lad motherless. fatherless, friendless,
and neglected, unmurmuringly saw the
months drag by. He never complained
for his pitiful life, with its brief history
of sin and ignorance. offered no yaria-
ton I'm its past or present. inc may re-
collections OF his early childhood, If he
had ever paused to bring back That period
of his existence, would have recalled
story of unbroken hardship, darkened py
the absence Of maternal care. His pre-
cent was n grim reality 10 be endured
and not considered, while his future pre-
sented the ugly vision OF cobwebs and
sombre surroundings.
One day as Mickey neared the second
year of his tenure Of Office he heard
strange whisperings among the reporters.
Something important was in the vino,
the devil knew, and, as he was small
and too utterly insignificant Tor notlcei
his worthy friends did not deem 1t con-
sistent with their dignity to exclude MIN
from the caucus He learned, afteE
some pardonable eavesdroppng, that that
night. lust before the clock struck H.
plug" Murphy, the pugillstic Achilles
OF the town, was to meet "Bruiser"
Williams q fistic celebrity who COM
bined the commendable occupation OF
cracking skulls with the nobler profess
sion OF starring in Decent variety show
The reporters had reason TO believe that
the rival paper would not be apie 10
procure an account Of the affair, and that
their morning issue would be glorihed
with what is technically but indignantly
known among the profession as
SCOOP" It was with more than burning
interest that Mickey waited for the sport
ing editor to return that night, and when
at last the little man entered his ad-
mirer was ready to seize the manu-
script Slowly and calmly the prize-ring
rheforician took up his pencil and then
paused to gaze for inspiration into the
incandescent light which overhung his
desk. For minute the writer's face was
absolutely expressionless, and then, ike
the sun bursting through nimbus clouds,
IL III up with a joyous smile. Quick as
fash he seized his pencil and wrote the
significant words, punched full OF holes"
Mickey saw that his beloved was prepar-
ing the caption for his story, and his
heart beat wildly to know who was
perforated in the horrible manner de-
scribed in the heading.
1t seemed years to the "devil' before
the second line of the caption followed,
but finally IL doomed up in this form;
"Plug Murphy knocked out by clever
Bruiser Williams"
The sporting mans face now fairly
sparkled with Joy. and his pencil sped
over the paper like whirlwind.
"Cut down those religious notes." quoth
the city editor to the pious reporter at
the opposite table, ''for we want to let
ourselves loose on the prize-hght, and
need space"
Ere many moments the fisticuff Dickens
had completed his heading and was
plunging madly into the description of
the fight. The hour was late, and the
rattle of the machinery below betokened
the fact that the massive press was al
most ready TO begin It's work. Page by
page the copy" was hurried up 10 the
compossng-room with all possible speed,
always allowing five minutes for the devil
20 pause on the back steps and read each
instalment.
When the reporters came down 10 work
the next day there was universal re-
soicing among them, for the article
about the pugilists was scoop" and
the other paper had gone forth TO the
world without line about tho impor-
tant event. At nightfall they were in
high feather, and the fact that their
duties kept them away from their home
firesides did not .depress them In the
least. High up In his lofty abode,
above the electric lights that shimmered
down on the busy streets and above the
Nocturnal stragglers who loafed upon the
thoroughfares Mickey fitted to and fro
with his face encrusted with dirt and a
cigar stump in his mouth. Towards mid
night he was detailed 10 go down into
the reporters room 70 bring up she
copy" as usual. When he reached the
sanctum he took his place beside the
sporting editors desk, as was his GUS
tom. and perhaps he even east a siv
glance over the journalists shoulder a,
see what was the subject of his article.
But OF course no ore noticed him. for
the cheerful writer's were busy. and the
foreman was bowling through the whistle
Tor manuscript as II his life depended on
H. Even the fellows who usually made
Il a rule TO gossip on nearly all occasions
were temporarily sIlenced-too hurried IN
fact 10 peep over their shoulders TO see
whether tho city editor was slashing their
articles.
II was a time above all others when
visitors were unwelcome. and hence,
when a foosstep was heard In the hall.
there were several irreligious expressions
OF disgust. IL was a wavering. undecided
footsfep that thus broke the slence-a
footstep that plainly indicated the late
ness OF the hour, and told of excessive
revolries with the footstep came the
oder Of cheap whiskey, and with the oder