The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1898-09-30
tention to such matters as interest

"What are you going to pay me?"
"Seven dollars a week will be about
right, I think"
! "What would you give man in the
same position?"
"Ten dollars, probably"
"Why do you make that difference"
"You cannot be expected to do night
work, and there areSome places where
! can send a male reporter, but not s.
woman. think seven dollars week
is all you can earn at present"
"Oh!"
The engagement was ratified, and
the chief, after finishing the editing
of his weekly, departed. Two days
afterward, Miss Julia Finch was in
stalled in the Bugle sanctum..
There was only single room for the
editorial force, nailed off at one end
and provided with four desks and
tables. The new coadjutor sat on one
side of the room, with her back to the
others. The chiefs position was such
that he could observe her.
When Miss Finch entered the office
to begin her duties, the local was
perched at his desk, having strolled in
during the leisure of the forenoon to
refresh his mind by practice on his
banjo.
At sight of this appartion, he hastily
removed his hat, and laid his pipe and
instrument upon the table. A vibrat-
ing leg was also lifted from the arm OF
his chair, and he rose to his feet.
for you?"
II am 10 occupy this desk" Miss
Julia responded with a flush. "Mr.
Russell has engaged me. Are you one
Of the force?"
The astonishment depleted upon the
locals countenance 1t would be diff
cult to describe.
"Ahl indeed" he murmured-he was
gallant young fellow-"very happy,
I'm cure. I'm the city editor; here's
my card. I hope you'll be comfortable
here, sorry there isn't q separate room
for you. Do you mind smoking?"
Julia replied that she supposed she
could put up with it, II 1t was essential
to the evolution of daily journal.
Whereupon the local excused himself
with some perturbation, and fed with
pipe and banjo to the omposing-room.
| There he held an animated conference
with the foreman. The slide which, for
purpose of "copy," gave access to the
sanctum was soon cautiously moved,
while several pairs of eyes in success
sion eagerly took notes Of the new
member of the corps.
It was the general conviction in the
composing-room that the chief must
| be "cracked," and the local gave vent
to his agony by executing Poor Old Joe
| with great vehemence on his banjo.
| During the next few days the sane
tum was the scene of various anus
ing episodes. One by one, on different
occasions, the familiars of the office
came tearing in without the formality
of knocking. bursting full of some
| piece of news, which they began to
bawl out before getting fairly inside
The consternation with which these
visitors pulled up, and lapsed into ST.
lence, occasioned many a mirthful
twitch Mt the editorial mustache, and
even gave rise to suspicious shaking
of the trim shoulders at the side ia BILE
After o few of these incidents, sol
emn hush fell upon the sanctum in the
working hours of the afternoon. The
hight editor, who now came in to do an
hours paragraph work, which proved
to be rather out of Julia's Line, quietly
transferred his quarters to the com.
posing-room.
Remote and smothered echoes of the
banjo indicated that the locals mo-
ments of leisure were enjoyed in the
seclusion of the job department. That
worthy did not forsake his table, yet as
his duties were mostly out of doors
his intervals of afternoon work in the
Office were brief. He was studiously
polite to the new assistant. Indeed
being devotee of the sex, he made
some advances toward mild fiirta
ton. But as these were firmly dis
countenaced-Julia's mind being
strictly upon business intent-he soor
withdrew into the region of polits
commonplaces.
There was to be woman's conven
tion at Helmford about this time, ant
it naturally occurred to the chief how
appropriate 1t would be for the Buglt
to represent itself by woman. II,
suggested this idea to Julia, who re
ceiyed 1t. with delight, On the day o
the convention she departed In higl
spirits, duly furnished with notebook
railway pass and certificate, as a regu
lar member of the honorable body o
reporters.
1t was half past nine In the evening
when she burst into the Office, radian
with enthusiasm.
"Oh, have had such q splendid time,
she calculated, to the great admiration
Of the group of frequenters collected il
the sanctum-for these WORTHLESS hat
discovered that the lady editor favored
the evenings with her absence.
II wouldn't have missed 1t for tn,
world. There was lady reporter from
the Tribune, and ! got introduced t.
Miss Anthony, and Mrs. Stanton, ant
Kate Field, and a lot of others. Inevel
had such treat in my life."
swell, the report, is it ready ?" asket
the chief. blandly extending his hant
for the manuscript
{ "Why, no! l haven't written a word
, was too busy and excited"
Haven't you the notes of the meet
: ingT"
) "oh, dear, no. l Icouldnt do 1t. Iva
completely carried away"