The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-09-12
In the Quest of News,

1t happened to young and compare
lively new reporter on Chicago paper.
The time was early one Sunday after
noon, and he was the only man imme-
diately available.
want you TO go to Oshkosh, Wis. .
said the city editor. ''and you have bare
~ time TO jump into a cab and make
the train. Here's some expense money
and dispatch from our local CORE
spondent that will explain what you e
after. Send in a good story Then as
| the reporter rushed for the elevator he
called after him: You'll probably find
the telegraph office closed Sunday night
Hunt Up the operator the first thing
or you may never get him.
On the train the young man had an
opportunity to find out what ne was GO
Ing after. and it certainly looked like
| q good story from a news point of view
| Three girls belonging to prominent fam
| HES had mysteriously disappeared from
a college located at Oshkosh, and two
! possible explanations were given. One
was that they had eloped. They were
| inseparabie companions, had rooms In
| the same boarding house. and a rumor
of triple love affair had been current
for some time. If this should prove not
to be the case, the college authorities
| were satisfied that they had been drown
| ed. Lake Winnebago was frozen over
| at the time, and one boy reported that
| he had seen them far out on the ice,
which was known to be literally sprink-
| led with air-holes.
A triple elopement or a triple tragedy,
Three beautiful gir1s-for all girls are
beautiful in these circumstances belong
ing to prominent families, speeding away
from home and classmates, with angry
fathers in pursuit, or lying cold in death
at the bottom of the icy lakei It GER
tainly was a fine Monday morning
story
AS the city editor had predicted, the
telegraph office was closed when the
young man reached it, 50 he hired a
hack and started after the operator. He
was wise enough to know that the best
story that ever happened is of no use
to the man who cannot get it to his
office, and operators are easier to find
at o'clock than they are at II or y
This one was found at the home Of his
best girl. and it required some little fl
nancial persuasion to induce him to
leave her and open the office However,
he promised to be on hand when the
Chicago man got back from the college
which was mile or two away; so the
latter started after his story.
It was what might be termed a rush
job" Time was everything, and it was
getting late. The new reporter felt thai
his reputation and, in a MEASURE, his
future rested upon his getting full erld
graphic tale to the home office at The
earliest possible moment and the Judi
cious investment of a few dollars with
the "cabby'' resulted In putting the
horses in a gallop.
The boarding house of the girls was To-
Gated with some difficulty, and only af-
ter numerous inquiries; but he finally
reached it, rushed up the steps, and rang
the bell vigorously.
i came to inquire about Miss Jones'"
he said when the door was finally opened
That wasn't her name, but for the
purposes of this narrative it will have
to do.
"Step in said the woman at the door
"Ill call her"
''You'll-you'n what?" he cried.
"Tll call her" she repeated "You
said you'd like to see her, didn't your"
He hadn't said so, but he thought 1t
advisable to answer yes; and then as
he stepped into the hall, he asked rather |
doubtfuly:
rs Miss Smith here, too?''
Yes" was the reply. an call them !
both"
''And-and Miss Brown"
ooh, yes"
The young man was actually quite |
weak when three pretty young women |
entered the room and looked at him in |
quiringly. 1t was a nice predicament |
for an enterprising journalist to be
placed in. What was he to say to
them? None of the questions he had |
to ask the clearinghouse keep
or and their classmates would suit the
present emergency. However, there
might still be a story back of 1t all, so
he suggested as delicately as he could
that word had been received in Chicago |
that they had left town without getting
permission of the college authorities, as
was required by the rules, and were last
seen on Lake Winnebago. They admit
ted that this was correct, but they did
not see why 1t should interest the people
Of Chicago. They had not asked per-
mission TO go because they did not care
TO explain their reasons for wanting to |
absent themselves.
This admission looked promising, and
ne promptly intimated that he would
ike to know where they went
across the lake" they said.
"Why?"
They blushed ana said It was nca~a
natter that would interest newspaper
readers. He persisted in presenting the
question. and told them It was rumored
hey had eloped. They blushed again,
out denied that there was any truth In
he story. He urged that, as the paper
lie represented had gone to the expense
# sending him to Oshkosh to get the
acts. he would very much like to learn
he true inwardness of the AFFAIR. If on
Y to satisfy the managing editor They
lemurred. and he argued. Finally they
became desperate.
I'VE live across the lake" explained
me Of them at last.
ON" said the reporter
And our washing is done az home"
obi he said again.
And they failed to send 1t over to US |
asst week, and we wanted some clean ! ?
lothes for Sunday. So there, nowl
lope your prying old paper Is salts
iedt' !
And they all blushed more furiously
han ever
The young mans curiosity was salts
much satisfied. But it was
lot until he got back 10 Chicago that }
he full meaning of his dispatch. NO 7
tory; girls went after their wash" was I
Understood in the home offics.-Chicago r
Evening Post. !
A smart Boy.