The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-08-31

looked at him with pity that was akin
to fear and asked themselves: "Shall
we, too, come to that?" For they
thought that work had caused his ILL
ness, and that Illness had made him
what he was.
His old desk had long since been in
possession Oh another, but the pro-
prietor, when Jack asked for place,
gave orders at once that he should be
employed at whatever he was able to
do. The managing editor, cycling him
obviously, but recalling the brillance
that had once been his, turned him
over to the city editor. And the city
editor, whom Jack had instructed
in the rudiments, did not forgot the
debt he owed, but placed bingham"
opposite the easiest assignments in his
book until the staff would have risen in
open revolt had the object of his favor
itism been any one else.
AS it was, Jack himself was the first
to complain. Banquets and balls, re-
ceptions and races, lectures, sermons
and interviews, quickly cloyed the APP
petite of the newspaper man who had
been used to the strong meat of jour-
nalism for his daily diet.
"Give me something with blood in
it," Jack said to the city editor one day.
"I'm tired of this woman's work.
When l was on earth before they were
not afraid to send me out after big sto.
ries once in while"
"It's for you we're afraid and not for
the story, Jack, and you know it," ex-
postulated the man on the city desk
''Even the Kid believes that no man
on the paper can work up sensation
with you. But you're not strong
enough yet for rough job, Jack. Look
in the glass and see for yourself. Just
take it easy for while longer, old man,
and trust us to work you hard enough
by-and-by to make up"
The "story with blood in it" came
sooner than any one expected. The
very next night Jack CHANGED to be
alone in the reporters room when the
city editor came to the front door and
cast worried glance around.
mo one else here, Jack?" he asked.
"Then you will have to 60. l hate to
send you, for it's hard trip, but We'll
Just telephoned me from the union sta
ton that there's big smash at Mad
River. A wreck train will go out in
ten minutes. Catch it on your life.
Rush in first story for an extra and
then plan to do the introduction for the
later editions. I'll get more men out
to you just as soon as possible. They
will report to you and you can lay out
the work for them. You know what to
do better than can tell you. There's
a cab at the door. And take as much
care of yourself as you can"
Before the last words were out OF the
city EDITORS mouth Jack was half way
down the stairs, pulling on his over
coat as he went. His nerves were
tingling with that subtle citation of con.
flict which newspaper men know as
we'll as do soldiers on the verge of bat.
tie and sportsmen in sight of big game.
He whistled under his breath as the
nighthawk cab jolted and jounced him
over the stones to the station, and when
no other reporter appeared to claim q
place on the wreck train he even
hummed tune, something he had not
done for months.
AS the train rushed along through
the night Jack learned all that the
railroad men could tell him of the dis
aster. An extra freight and through
express had collided on curved EN-
bankment which skirted the banks Of
river. In the strong light of su ~
mer day the landscape was a picture
of beauty; the long sweep of the blacl
tracks through the green valley an(
by their side the clear water OF tn,
stream ripping over bright, yellow
sands.
The scene Jack looked upon tina
winters night was as fascinating il
it's wierd horror as was that of sum
mer in its vivid coloring. Out of
clouded sky the moon struggled il
vain to pierce the heavy, snow-ladeI
darkness. Upon the track and tumbleC
on either side engines and cars wer,
piled in huge, formless heaps. StiAeC
shrieks and screams sounded from tn,
depths of the black masses. Here anC
there the cleaning lanterns of tn,
trainmen darted like will-'o-the- wisps
frequently converging upon one point
where lay torch-guarded row of thu
dead.
Suddenly, while Jack strained hi
eyes to pierce the gloom, little tongu
! of flame leaped into the darkness.
NTha wreck,a afiratO cried tho roll