The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-06-25
BAXTER: JOURNALIST
IV.-The Search for the Girl.
Copyright. 1899. by the Author.l

Jennie Baxter reached her hotel as quick
" as a fast pair of horses could take her.
She had succeeded, yet a few rebellious
tears Of disappointment trickled down her
cheeks now that she was alone in the semi
darkness of the carriage. She thought of
the eager young man left standing dis
consOlately on the curb. with her glove
dangling in his hand, and she bitterly re-
GREETED that unkind fortune had made IL
possible for her 10 meet him only under
false pretenses. One consolation was tina,
he had no ciew to her Identity. and she was
resolved never, never 10 see him again. vet
such is the contrariness of human nature.
no sooner was she refreshed by this deter
mination than her tears flowed more freely
than ever.
She felt that she was as capable Of en-
5oying scenes like the function she had Just
left as any who were there; as fitted for
them by education, by personal appearance
or by natural gifts of the mind as the most
welcome Of the duchess's guests; yet She
was barred out from them as efectuaIv
IS was the lost peri at the closed gate. WHY
had capricious fate selected two girls of
probably equal merit and made one a prin-
cess while the other had TO work hard night
and day for the mere fight to live? Nothing
IS so Intellectual as the little word why
Il asks, but never answers.
With a deep sigh Jennie dried her tears
as the carriage pulled up at the portal OF
the hotel. The sigh dismissed all frivolities.
all futile why's" The girl was now face
10 face with the realities Of life, and the
events she had so recently taken part in
would soon blend themselves into a dream.
Diminishing the carriage and walking
briskIy through the hall. she said to the
night porter:
Have a hanson at the door for me in
fifteen minutes"
"A hanson. my lady?" gasped the aston
ished man.
Yes" She slipped a sovereign into his
hand and ran lightly up the stairs. The
porter was well accustomed to the vagaries
OF great ladies', although = hanson at mid
night was rather beyond his experience. But
If all womankind tipped so generously they
might order an omnibus and welcome, so
the hanson was speedily at the door.
Jennie reused the drowsy maid who was
sitting up for her.
Come" she said. ''you must get every
thing packed at once. Lay out my ordinary
dress and help me off with this"
Where IS your other glove. my lady?'
asked the maid. busily unlocking and UNITY
ing.
lDSI. Don troupe ABOUT 1t. Wnel
everything is packed get some sleep and
leave word to be called in time for the s
o'clock express for Paris. Here is money
10 pay the bill and for your fare. 1t is
likely I shall join you at the station. but.
If 1 do not. go to our hotel in Paris and
wait for me there. Say nothing OF our desti-
nation TO any one and answer no questions
regarding me should any one ask. Are you
sure you understand
Eyes,, my lady"
A few moment later Jennie was IN the
cab. driving through the nearly deserted
streets. She dismissed her vehicle at Char
ing Cross. walked down the Strand until
she. got another. then proceeded direct to
the Office OF the Daily Bugle. whose upper
windows formed a row of lights. all the more
brilliant because OF the intense darkness
below.
She found her shorthand writer's waiting
for her. The editor met her at the door oil
the room reserved for her and said, with
visible anxiety on his brow, well. what
SUGGEST"
Complete success" she answered shortly
"Good!" he replied emphatically. Nov
I propose to read the typewriter sheets as
they come from the machine. correct them
for obvious clerical errors and send them
right away to the compositors. You car
perhaps glance over the final proofs. which
will be ready almost as soon as you have
finished"
Very well. Look closely to the spelling
of proper names and verify titles. There
won't be much time for me to go carefully
over the last proofs"
"An right You furnish the material and
III see that it's used to the best ad-
vantage"
Jennie entered the room, and there at a
desk sat the waiting stenographer. Over his
head hung the bulb OF the electric light, its
green circular shade throwing the white
rays directly down on his open notebook
The girl was once more in the working
world. and its bracing air acted as a tonic
to her overwrought nerves. All longings
and regrets had been put of with the Paris
made gown which the maid at that moment
was carefully packing away. The order OF
nature seemed reversed. The butterfly had
abandoned it's gorgeous wings of gauze and
was habited in the somber working garb OF
the grub. With her hands clasped behind
her the girl paced up and down the room,
pouring forth words. 200 to the minute and
something more. Silently one stenographer
tiptoeing in, replaced another, who as silent
" departed. and from the adjoining room
the subdued, nervous. rapid click, click
click Of the ~type-writing machine invaded
without disturbing her consciousness
Toward 3 o'clock the low drone OF the
rotaries in the cellar made itself felt rather
than heard. The early edition OF the coun,
try was being run of. Time was flying
danced away by nimble feet in the West
End, worked away by nimble fingers In
Fleet street DWELL named thoroughfare.
Play and work, work and play. each sup
pIementing the other. the acts of the friv-
olous recorded by the industrious.
When a little more than three hours die
tating was finished, the voice Of the girl
now as hoarse as IL had formerly been mu'
steal. ceased. She dropped into a chair and
rested her tired head on the deserted desk
closing her wearied eyes. She knew she
had spoken between 1900 and 2O.@0 words. a
number almost equal in quantity 10 thai
contained in mary a book which had made
an authors fame and fortune, and all FOL
the ephemeral reading of a day-of a fore
noon more likely-to be forgotten when the
evening journals came out,
Shortly after the typewriter gave Its
final click the editor came in.