The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1897-12-03
"Dat was one leet!e 'scape," observed

altogether too 'leetle,'" and he
reached for the reins, Il call. It's too
early Ia the game for any more bluffs
like thai. lwns in too tnurh of hurry
to make arrangements with my Ghder-
taker, and I'm afraid thatin their eager
ness my relatives might bunglc mat
tiers. There is one comfort, anyway,
will not be scooped. 1.-THE othe, paper
sends man out here, he'll never get out
of this swamp until the coroner has
viewed the body"
Presently in the distance could be
heard the putting Of an engine. "IIave
they an engine at the coal dock?N asked
the leader.
II nevair heared of wan"
Then that's the wrecker at work,
sure as fate. | thought that sounded
like q pump. Get up there" and thC
horse jumped as the whip came dow.
upon him. This is good for two-col-
umn head this morning. Here, hold the
lines" and he sprang out of the car
rage. Twisting a newspaper into
wad he lighted it and quickly examined
the road. There hasnst been soul
along tonight. I've got them scooped
sure. Won't they be sore, though, when
they see three-column account. Pm
going to run the horse, marsh or no
marsh"
His companions held their breaths as
he drove at a gallop over the narrow
road Now and then the fog would sud
denly lift for minute, and they would
see the dark water OF the marsh peril
ously near. Then it would lower again
and as they swung from side to side
each instant it seemed that they must
be dashed out of the buggy and into the
mire, where there would be absolutely no
escape from suffocation in the Shiny
ooze. The instinct of q newspaper man
after news had gotten the better OF his
Judgment, and his companions heaved
sigh of reiief hen the guide finally said
they must stop and proceed on foot.
Quickly tying the horse and hiding
the whip. they started over foot bridge
and along narrow path toward the
dock. The regular putting OF the
wrecker could be plainly heard now,
and in his impatience the reporter
would have left the others far behind
had not the warning Of the guide that
he would be drowned brought him to
s staadstill. in moment they were
standing on the coal dock.
Come on. if you want to see me land
tie biggest scoop of the year" he said,
as re started toward the edge OF the
dock I'm going to make killing,
sure. I would give " to see the old
mans face"-he referred to the man
aging editor of the other paper-"when
he sees this thing. There will be woe
in Israel surel viii gn over 20 the
wrecker before strike the clerk in the
office, and after have The details then
| will walk in and make him let me use
that phone willy nilly.' Say" he said,
suddenly, as he came upon coal HEAVIER
in the fog. what about that wreck here
tonight. How many were drowned'?"
what wreck?"
"Oh, so they fixed you, too. did they9
Well, there's no use of your bluffing be-
cause only wanted to get some minor
particulars from you, anyway. What
is the wrecker working on at present"
"What are you talking about2"
"Oh, come, now. I've got this wreck.
and anyway that steam pump would
give you away.
THAT amt no steam pump, That's
the engine in the boiler-room. guess,
or else it's the engine on the dredge."
He walkedup to the Office andknocked
furiously. well, I've got here, and
thought that before left would drop
in and hear your version OF the affair.
Pretty bad wreck, wasn't it? | felt
sorry for the poor devils"
"Why! Where's the wreck? What
boats were they? Was it collision?"
the clerk asked all in a breath. His
establishment was so evidently sincere
that the newspaper man stood for a
moment looking at him.
do you mean to say that there was
not wreck here Tonight" he fnall1
asked.
why, certainly do"
whats that boat out there in the
river pumping, if it isn't the wrecker at
work?"
That's the dredge cutting away some
rock. She has been here for week.
''You cant fool me, for Westcott's
man was towing by here and heard
the crash and the screams when the
boats came together"
'Why, he must have heard the Ne
WACO when she scraped the Lewiston y
bow. ] did hear some confusion for
minute, come to think of it. The Lew
iston was lying at the dock when she
came in, and as she swung around in
front of the barge her stern rubbed the
paint off the other boat. A derrick cable
on the dock gave way at the same time
and one of the carriers smashed through
the dock"
The ''molder of public opinion" stood
looking at him for moment, and then
turned on his heel.
well, I'll be-" but for once he was a t
loss for words to express himself
Detroit Free Press.