The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-11-19
The White Rose Tree.
A STORY OF NEWSPAPER LIFE.

STORY OF NEWSPAPER LIFE.
BY M. J. COSTELLO.

man had taken deep interest in him
and his years were full of great promise
Mr.. Beck the city editor still held his
post. Prematurely bald. with keen, sharp
features and STOPPING shoulders, his tao
turn nature manifested itself in his every
movement.
Under tina greatest excitement and
then only In anticipation Of some adj
vantage being obtained by a contempo-
rary, did he indulge In continued speech.
/ It was not always such speech as en-
deared him to his associates or subor-
dlnates. His eNpressionless gray eye'
however gave out a light which had
tta%ed into state OF speechless helpless
| ness more than one unhappy reporter It
| mad cast its spell over many q weak
| SOUL and clearly bespoke the strong psy-
chic powers which lay behind it.
NO two men could be more unlike In
characteristics of mind and person than
Ned Beresford aud Mr.. Reck-the one
fair. gaunt and impasSive; the other dark,
dash1ng, robust and impressfonahle
Early In his career on the staff of the
Telegraph Ned had. happily for himself.
passed from under the jurisdiction of the
city editor, but he was ever conscious
that trouble lay in the future between
the two men, and he had in vain sought
to gain the others cool will
1t was the night of the annual ball of
| the Entire Nous Coterie. The Academy of
Music was brilliant with the sparkle Of
Hhumerable gas jets, and in the nshs
"hIch mashed from the ieWeled Threats
/ and hair Of fair women Gilmore with
head erect and baton poised In mid air,
surveyed the scattered groups of flair
women and brave men, with an easy
uheoncern which besneaks the close af-
unity between the GalIfc4 and the NtIesian
| Ceft With sharp click the laneuorous
strains of Strauss broke forth, the soft
rustic of silks WAS heard but for a mo-
Iient' ana then the sight which present
"a itsel1 10 the OCCUPANTS Of the boxes
was indeed one which proves the ability
or humanity here below. If it will to re-
! construct its earthly paradise
Inc Toor WaS crowded The bells oP
| the CITY mad short time before peaIed
out the hour after midnight. The ranks
Vi Journalism, as well as of the other
PROFESSIONS, had their renresenta tivas
there. Suddenly there was a baIr a1d
TuIliihotlon In far off corner of the vast
nan. 1T was more than ordinary SET
Gus collision between dancers.
ColIound you for a stupid lout A." vera
me words which one dancer addressed to
another' younger than himself. and nj
once the retort came in a low tome.
oech. you are boor and blackg,lard
ladtes-'' -
1t was BeresfJrd who spoke. There
was moments hesitation. and as tbA
othef companion approached him an
peallngiy, he allowed the sentence tn. ra.
main unfinished. The vision of (ffstresse
IoVeIlness which met the gaze of the irata
.Neu soothso MS troubled spirit, and turn
ing TO his own companion he resumed tho
dance. ''9
Inc young person who had thus s1lc
eessfuIy played the role of peacemaker
was beautiful. to look upon. Glad com.
pieCely IN white tuHe, her blonde hair
cropped IN a loose coil upon her shaueIv
neck The natural bloom of her cheek
.lValeu the blush roses which she wore
t IL heF corsage. She was OF medium
nelght, plump and shapeIy But for an
expression of softness and frresolutior,
conveyed through the lines at the corners
oI her mouth her face bore cut the favor
able impression which her form and cor.
rage conveyed. She was vexed and dis
concerted, and. attended but unassfsted
oE seek she returned to her seat.
4
me episode at the ball had ma visible
erect on the relations of the two news
paper men. Tt had the effect. however
OF rendering Ned Beresford profonndIJ
interested In the young lady whose in.
reference had averted consequences
mllch were certain to be of the most I'M
pieasant character. It had not taken him
tons 20 discover mat she was the daugh-
ter or West side congressman one oP
the Few men In the METROPOLIS who had
succeeded In playing successfully the diff
l4cale double, role of. politician ard ie11r
nallst' 1t would Tot have been difficult
70 nave secured the necessary intreduc
lions, and Ned was one of these who an.
preelated the wealth of philosophy en-
I'm lIA al -
ne er Won fair lady
There was an obstacle however to The
pursuit OF a purpose which had now
taken complete possession of him. Beck
nao unreserVed entire to the households oP
congressman Clark. and he appeared To-
he applying him self assidtfo,sly to TIE
task OF cultiVating his opportunities Oc-
caslonaLly, through the blessed Influence
or religion, Ned was able to see his
EeFpsfchorean goddess, as she emerged
from church on Sunday mornings de-
fnure and stately, and he was fully con-
Vlnced that only the proprieties and con-
+ sehttonaltles OF social intercourse pre-
vented bis open recognition Her de-
meanor on such occasions was charming
and the sublime vanity of robust young
manhood. had enabled him to ina CINE
that the roses on her cheeks took on an
addttlonal glow at sight of him His
seeming devotion to religious duty be-
came more absorbing as the weeks
passed, and he was geneI ally spoken of
III certain pfou5 households as q most ex
eInpiary young man. But the fates vera
not propitiors. Congress was soon tn
convene, when Mr.. Melville preached
one evening and said:
Mr.. Beresford, we have decided to ask
yon to act as Washington correspondent
again during the coming session.
There was naught TO do but submit:
and the opening Of the two houses beheld
NED once more an occupant of the nress
gallerfea The session was an exciting
one The war of parties was bitter. and
each successive day witnessed q gfadfa-
torlal scene on the floor of either house
Ihere was little time given to the cor
respondent of the Telegraph for tndulg-
ence in the thoughts which in the spring
| time, the poet says, lightly turn to
love. Indeed, If the truth must be
known. the vision of distressed beauty
| which had haunted his waking hours for
months before had grown dim and the
realities of life had brought him to the
confession chat he had barely ESCAPED
making a fool Of himself The really de-
serving are rarely the favorftes of for
tune, and by this time it was plain that
Beck occupied vantage ground from
! which all hope Of dislodgfng him had
escaped the soul Of the disconsolate
Beresford.
Kings were in this altogether uninter-
| esttng situation when millionaire sana-
| tor from one of the silver states sent out
cards for a reception to be given In honor
| Of the representatives Of the press. Both
| houses had adjourned over to promote
the success of the occasion. It was near