New-York tribune., 1899-07-30
SOME N7ERV VIEWS.
THREE REPORTERS AND THEIR EXPERI-
ENCES-STORY OF THE OBITUARY
ASSIGNMENT AND THE
WHISKEY GLASSES
WHIsKEY GLASSES.


table in a large airy drawing room uptown
were congratuatilg themselves upon their COM
Portable quarters Il don't If he doesn't
show UP for hour" remarked one Of them
lazly. referring to the prominent railroad official
who had made ar appointment to talk with
them here. this is the coolest place I've struck
and I'm net in my hurry to move cut of it,"
Rather better than going around and chasing
people up al all hours Cf the night, anyway
observed ono Of the others. 1t seems 30 mo I've
had the lions share Of those assignments in our
office lately. BY Joye, aren't people cross when
you rouse them out Of bed to ask them some
fool question or other in which they'ra not espe-
caly interested, I've been sworn at ul felt
like an Italian lab0rer taking orders from his
foreman. and I've had Fitcaers Of water. boot
jacks and such things thrown at me. if
were a dog or a cat l tell you. you never know
what's in store for you when you rirg a door
bell after midnight and venture to say You are d
reporter
But l had enc experience the other night
when think came ont on top. The announce
ment came to the office OF the death Of man
whose name was almost exactly the same as
that OF B. the millionaire. The night city
editor said III better go up TO B-'s house ard
make sure whether or not it was h. II was
about o'clock when | got there and of course
| rang the tell long time before got an an
swcr. Finally, a nice locking old gentlemen
stuck his he AZ out Of a second story windo" and
inquired who was there ard what was wanted
IN an instant l jumped 10 the conclusion that
this Was The man himself. very much alive.
Arc you Mr. B. was all / said.
Yes h. replied.
..GcoI night" said l. and lifting my hat l
walked hrisky cn doNn the street
We'll. the cid gentleman mus have been
paralyzed with dst0n.shment. tor b. never said
A word. but M was still looking out # the win
dow after me when l glanced back, q block
away.
The others laughed. ard the speaker smiled
reminiscently. "Oh. and there another
time be- continued. when I certainly didn't
have the worst Of it. But l made things rather
hot for another reporter. \ young man had
committed suicide and was sent UP late that
night To his parents home, to try To get some
particulars about it, A. / got near the house
saw there were lights in he windows and
thought that. a. the people We've evidently up. l
was going to have an easy job. al least as iar
as getting an immediate answer 10 the bell.
Iut was mistaken there. ! rang ard rang for
ten or fifteen minutes and every one IN the
house might have been dead for all the response
il brought forth. Then | made VI my nind
that the best thing for me 10 90 was 90 go 10 the
shop Il a certain undertaken near 10y, "Aere IL
was sail that the body had been taken. Bus
Just for luck. and 50 the people IN the mouse
wouldn't feel neglected while l was gone
stuck a match in the electric bell, So tndt ll
would keep on ringing all the time. Well got
the whole story of the suicide from the uhurr-
taker. but. Of course 1 went back 90 have an
other look al the house and see how things were
going there. They had uyened up a good dea'.
The bell was still ringing away 10 beat iAe band
three or four heads were stuck out ~ dIiieIeht
windows in the house and the owner of each Of
them was calling down all kln-s OF "ia-h 'H th-
head Of a reporter from The -. "no Was
standing on the steps Of the house looking as
beNildered as a man in a maze. ! SAYS .t Mas
no place for me. and I sdled off around The
corner. ! never heard how the other Cello" got
ont of it. suppose BE- had 10 run away finally.
The. iazy reporter VINO had express lis
ratisfaction with the room and his Discrimination
To move. w@s at last stirred to relate AN eN'e-
rience Of his own. 4 haven't had to make
many night calls Of that kind" h. sail. but
had one last winter that ! shant forget v-ry
soon. 1t was on one Of the coolest nights So
had. with the thermometer about down o. zero.
vas sent UP after midnight TO get an interview
with MIR S.. and YOU know IT'S about lmIos-
sible 10 get h.m 20 talk for the papers al any
tune" The other two nodded. After ] had
rung the bell few minutes. down b" came u
the door himself in his pajamas- H. had %
step out into the vestibule 10 unfasten the storm
door and while he was doing that. the inside
door slammed shut behind him. Hy George
| wasn't he mad at first, think he started in 10
/ give me an awful calling down for coming but
/ Ia -,oda an Effort restrained himself and mere
ly begged me to keep ON ringing the bell, 50 that