The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1898-12-15
GETTING OUT AN EXTRA.
A READY -WlTTED GIRL SCORES A
BEAT ON NEWSPAPER RIVALS.

News of Dewey's Victory Arrived -
Margaret Clyde, the Proofreader, Rose
to the Emergency and Made Record.
Isabel Gordon Curtis contributes q
story toSt. Nicholas called margaret
Clyde's Extra" telling how a young
girl who read proof on q morning pa
per scored heat on the rival jour
nails. The girl was left alone in the
editorial rooms when the nights work
was over.
Margaret read column after column
of the news from Cuba, Key West
and Washington. 1t seemed to her as
if she had read it all before, aud she
put away the paper while she ate her
meager luncheon. Then she tidled up
the desk and laid her head on her
arms. She was growing drowsy. She
wondered if she could take short
nap. Her train would not leave ior
an hour ard half yet. 1t vas grow
ing lonely in the deserted composing
room.
She woke mp suddenly, thoroughly
lazed for moment. She imagined
she heard noise. The presses were
still rumbling downstairs, aud the
gray dawn was stealing ha2lly into
corners Of the composing room.
It was by the large clock. The
noise came again. Somebody was
beating and shaking the outside door.
Margaret was frightened, and for
moment she turned to run to the
press room.
The noise grew louder. It was an
in atient, determined pounding, inst
OF hands, then feet. She flew to the
door. through the glass she saw the
dim figure OF a boy in blue messen-
ger uniform. He thrust yellow ea-
velope into her hand, cried excitedly,
"News from Manila!' turnel to mouat
his wheel, theraiissTrpeared down the
dim street.
Margaret felt stunned. She knew
something ought to be done, hut
what? 1t was SO far to Philips home;
Mr.. Schell lived in q suburb three
miles from the Office, and there was
nobody in the pressroom who could
set type. She wished the boy had not
left so quickly.
Margaret hurried to the proofread-
er's desk, where an electric light
glowed. She tore the yellow envelope
open and read the fifty or sixty words
on the thin sheet of paper.
ssAll we'll at Manila Not an AM
erican lost!'' She felt as if Dewey
had sent her the message direct, and
an excited 'Ohp' echoed through the
empty room. Margaret glanced at the
clock. It was FIVE minutes past five.
Time was: precious, and she felt she
must something. A few days ago
she had worked on an extra. Some
important news had come in when
Phillips and she were alone. She had
helped him to set the story IN large
type and stood by while he filed it in
the upper part of the front page.
There were few exciting minutes
and Margaret had worked GREATNESS
ly. Phillips had said some kind
words afterwards about her efficiency,
and it made her happy for all day
long.
She few to the case where the large
black letters were kept that had
adorned the first pages Of the "Gaz-
ette' recently. She was working AS
if life depended upon her movements.
She learned to SCI type with wonder
full deftuess during two years work,
and in ten minutes she was standing
over the words that later that morn
ing sent wave of relief and thank
fulness through America. She hur-
ried down to the press room. The
regular edition was nearly ready. The
men were running of the last thou
sand, and the nimble folder stood be-
side gathering the papers into
bundles.
Pomeroy, the foreman of the press
room, looked up in mild surprise when
Margaret dashed in.
"Well, what are you doing here?
"Come," she cried excitediy, 'come
upstairs with me at oncer'
"The place isn't on fire, is it9" he
asked, half seriously.
'Nol it's the news from Dewey, !"
she answered, hurriedly.
"Here, Thompson" he shouted to
man at the other machine, 81 must
20 upstairs a moment-you take my
place."
He followed Margaret up the steep
stairs to the table where CLEAN OF
light fell on half form of large type,
headed by block lette:s. he read the
type almost at a glance:
DEWEY rs ALL RIGHT.