The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-10-07
He Is Sent on All Sorts of Err
rands at All Hours,
A SUPPOSED DEAD MAN
How to Arouse Obdurate Sleepars at
the Dead OF Nlght-One Victim of
the Interviewer Proved
Too Hospitable.

themselves upon their comfortable
II don't care if he doesn't
show up for an hour" remarked one
of them lazily. referring to the promi-
nent railroad official who had made
here; this is the coolest place I've
struck and I'm not in any hurry to
move out of it,"
Rather better than going around and
chasing people at all hours of the night,
observed one of the others.
"It seems to me I've had the lions
share of those assignments in our office
lately. BY Jove! aren't people cross
when you rouse them out of bed to
ask them some fool question or other
in which they are not especially inter-
ested! I've been sworn at till I felt
like an Italian laborer taking orders
from his foreman, and I've had pitchers
of water, bootjacks and such things
thrown at me as if I We're dog or a
cat. l tell you, you never know what's
in store for you when you ring a door
bell after midnight and venture to say
you are reporter.
But I had one experience the other
The announcement 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 I'd better go up to BIS house and
make sure whether or not it was he.
1t was about 1 o'clock when 1 got there
and of course I rang the bell a long
time before got an answer. Finally
nice-looking old gentleman stuck his
head out of second-story window and
inquired who was there and what was
wanted. In an instant 1 jumped at the
conclusion that this was the man /
wanted, very much alive.
Are you Mr.. B-?' was all that l
said.
Yes he replied.
Good night said I, and lifting my
hat walked briskly off down the
street.
"Well, the old gentleman must have
been paralyzed with establishment. for
he never said word, but he was still
looking out of the window after me.
when I glanced back. about a block
away"
The others laughed and the speaker
smiled reminiscently. "Oh. and there
was another time" he continued,
when I certainly didn't have the worst,
of it. But / made things rather hot
for another reporter. young man
had committed suicide, and I was sent
up late that night to his parents home
to try to get some particulars about it.
As ] got near the house / saw there
were lights in the windows and thought
that, as the people We're evidently up.
I was going to have an easy job, at
least as far as getting an immediate
answer to the bell But I was mistaken
there l rang and rang for 10 or Is
minutes and every one in the house
might have been dead for all the re-
Spouse it brought forth.
Then / made up my mind that the
best thing for me to do was to go to
the shop of a certain undertaken near
by, where it was said that the body had
been taken. But, just for luck and so
the people in the house wouldn't feel
neglected while I was gone, / stuck a
match in the electric bell, so that 1t
would keep on ringing all the time.
Well, ] got the whole story of the sui
eide from the undertaken. but, of
course, I went back to have another
look at the house and see how things
were going there They had liVened
up a good deal. The bell was still ring
ing away to beat the band, three or
four heads We're stuck out of different
windows in the house and the owner
of each of them was calling down all
kinds of wrath on the head of re-
porter from the -, who was standing
on the steps of the house looking as be-
wildered as man in maze. ] saw 1t
was no place for me and sided Oft
around the corner. I never heard how
the other fellow got out of 1t; I suppose
he had to run away finally
The lazy reporter, who had expressed
his satisfaction with the room and his
Discrimination to move, was at last
stirred to relate an experience of his
own. "I haven't had to make many
night calls of that kind he said. "but
I had one last winter that shan't for
get soon. 1t was on one OF the coolest
nights we had. with the thermometer
about down to zero. ] was sent ur
after midnight to set an interview witt
Mr., s. and you know it's about i'm
possible to get him to talk for the pa
ners at any time" The other two
nodded
AFTER had rung the bell few min
utes down he came to the door hlmsei
in his paiamas. He had to step ou'
door and, while he was doing that. the
inside door slammed shut behind him
nv George, Wasn't he mad at first!
| think he started in to give me an aWfu
| calling down for coming but he made
| an effort, restrained himself, and mere
| " begged me to keep on ringing tn
| bell, so that some one might be walked
| I'D to let MIN ILL., lueli HC No"iN' het
! had TO stand outside on the steps in hi
paiamas with the temperature at zero
and ring that bell. I guess he realized
| that himself, and Gained down on &C
| count of it. AS it was, we stood IN IN
vestibule where it was comparativel
sheltered, and, though his teeth Wer
| chattering, he told me all / wanted t
| know. Every few minutes or so I'd stel
outside and punch the bell. At last
! servant came down and opened tn
| door Mr.. s. gave me a rather grin
| Good night and dived inside ! ha'
never got an interview with him before
| and 1 have never been able to 40 !
since, but had him at clear dhsad
| vantage that night and he yielded Z
the circumstances as gracefully as II
could
Up to this point the third reporte
hadn't said anything. His companion
almost jumped in fact, when he hnali
| opened his mouth.
You fellows" he said, don't seem t
have been welcome swhere you've gon
at night Now, listen to the way wa
| treated when I was on the same KIN