The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1897-04-03
IN AN EVIL MOMENT.
BY EMMA C. HEWITT.

The editor sat IN his sanctum, a
heavy frown upon his brow, his blue
pencil in hand, rapidly scoring here
and there with a muttered curse, first
for the stupidity OF typos, anon for the
stuff sent in by would-be contributors,
whose position and influence made cOn
citation necessary. His annoyance was
increased by the irritating conscious
Iess that a messenger boy was waiting
at his elbow, and had been 81 waiting
in stoIid silence for some time. Three
short, sharp whistles at the tube di-
Tectly behind him!
See what's wanted!' commanded
the magEate, never lifting his eyes and
giving a specially heavy blue line TO
ar obnoxious word. But the command
met with nc response. The silent fig
ure at his side never moved. Why
don't you answer the tube, you idiot?"
he exclaimed, %furiously, as the three
whistles came again, short, sharp, i'm
patient. Then his pencil dropped from
his fingers and rolled unheeded to the
floor. Beside him. mute and motion
less. stood one of Raphael's cherubs!
No wings had he, to be sure, and
more clothes, but one of Raphael's
Cherubs all the same The same chcrub's
face-the same golden aureole! The
baby-blue eyes looked into his with a
mixture of sadness and pleading which
moved the stern heart strangely.
Again the whistle sounded. Without
n word he answered it himself, creating
<voIrderment below, not to say conster-
nation, by the announcement hat he
was busy, adding with a vigor of Ian
Guage well known in those realms, that
anyone who disturbed him within the
neNt Is minutes might draw his salary
to date and get out! Winston busy"
ant the presses waiting for him! Fiji
teen minutes valuable time lost The
foreman passed the word along with a
shrug-the typos swOre, but it made
not a whit of difference. The autocrat
had sent forth his fiat, and if fire had
been discovered issuing from the sane
tum. it is TO be doubted that anyone
would have had the temerity to knock
on the dOor before the allotted time had
expired.
Now, how did you get up here, and
what do you want?" he demanded more
gently of the little creature beside him.
Dent you know that editors are very
busy men, and not to be disturbed in
this wag?"
In accounting to himself afterwards
for his extraordinary attitude upon this
occasion. his only excuse for o pitch
ing the child out suinmarily was the
remembrance of a tiny grave upon a
New England hillside where slept 4 lit
tie brother of 80 years before.
Il came up myself. Nobody saw me-"
answered the child, in a plaintive voice
that had something unchildlikc in its
ring. please. do you buy poetry?"
and he brought from behind him a baby
lii,e hand in which was closely clasped
a sheet of note paper.
If he had announced himself as a
dealer in diamonds, Winston could not
have been more taken aback.
why? Are you a Poet?" he asked,
u mixture of establishment and amuse-
mcnt on his countenance.
NO, but Sister Marie writes poetry,
and she's sick, and there's only two of
us, and she's sick, you KNOW told
you that-and l thought m~aybe-may-
bel could get some money"
Let me see what you have there"
replied Winston, abruptly.
The idea of the sick girl lying at
hcme there, and this scrap of a child out
trying to sell her poetry seemed to him
a monstrous thing. No doubt it was the
worst kind of rubbish! 1t was folly to
even look at it. But the whole strange
ness of the situation had a sort of fas-
~cination for him. The child grew red
and. white by turns as he gazed at the
countenaoce of the man who held his
fate in his hands.
Boy, your sister is a genius!" ex-
claimed the great man, as he rapidly
scanned the lines.
II don't know just what that is" an
swered the charub, modestly, "but feel
surf it must be something very nice, OF
YOU wouldn't look $3.50"
WHAT a funny, old-fashioned little
body il was, to be sure.
This shall go in at once" went on
the magnate, land 1 will see what l can