Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-12-08
AND THEN HE WOKE UP

| gency Reporteft drowsily drew his chair
| close to one OF the gilded steam radiators
and idly began to draw geometrical figures
on the same while he figured on how much
Of hole it Should make In his wages to
send Her birthday gift consisting OF a
double AmericantBeauty rose for each year
of Her life. Thus he was engaged when
one of his friends a well-known official OF
the governmeNt Hrinting office, crept up be-
| shoulder.
Sh-sh! Missed the official. holding up
| warning finger. t'Are we alone?'
sure, replied the Emergency Reporter
The bunch have knocked off for the day.
IN only hanging around in case anything
| big enough happens to warrant an extra
NO danger OF anybody running In on US
here! SAID the well-known oflcial or the
government printing office, with an air OF
anxiety.
Nobody but the sweep-up woman's liable
| to cut in, answered the Emergency Re-
porter, looking the well-known oIticial over
and notlng his somewhat excited appear
ance. Say, what's doing? You look as II
| you had the goods on you"
Inc Well-known ofnclal took chair with
| an air of relief and smiled benignly upon
the Emergency Reporter.
Oh, nothing he said, afriiy, except
that I've at length found the chance to
give you that little push along l promised
about be able to spend the winter on the
Nile or the Riviera or take a protracted
cruise on the Mediterranean; that's all"
Inc emergency Reporter sat up stiff in
MS chalr and gazed at the well-known otfi-
cial or the government printing Office.
Great Scott, mani" he calculated
Come at me easier! What you got? Oh
but, and there was a shade of disappoint-
ment In his tone, some of you people
think you've got big stuff when it's really
not worth more than half a stick or So
The well-known official tucked his
thumbs In the afmholes of his waistcoat,
| cheWed on his unlighted cigar and regard
eo the Emergency Reporter blandly.
Ihat SOP he inquired. oh, l don't
Know Now, l suppose you'll be willing to
admit that the message of the President
OF the United States to the Congress Is
worth more than half a stick or So eh?"
Inc Emergency Reporter leaped right in
TO the air When he descended he ran to
the door and locked it. Then he turned
to the well-known official with pale coun-
tenance
The message. man." he gasped, in a
cnoKed tone. why, that's not to be re-
leased until next Monday, and this is only
Saturday"
so l had understood" said the we'll
known official of the government printing
Office striking a match and lighting his
cigar: Il believe there is popular i'm
preston abroad to that general effect"
Inc Well-known official blew smoke rings
at the ceiling and smiled dreamily. The
iIAAASi 6SiSJ 1tepOTleT CidppeQ MIN on the
shoulder.
Dye mean to say that you're going
to-that you're going to-
PRECISELY, my boy" said the we'll
known onclal of the governmental printing
plant. EXACTLY. Member my telling you
long ago. when you did me that little favor.
that I'd rid myself of the obligation some
old day! Well. I'm man of my word.
1ou get the message exclusively, for
any use that you may elect to put it to,
ana you get 1t tonight. Now in fact, son,
l don't want any part of the rake-off, un-
o derstand. Just want to give you a little
shoVe along, that's all
The Emergency Reporter wrung the we'll
known officials hahd in the excess of his
emotion. .
old man." he said, hoarsely. TN never
forget you for this, honest Injun cross my
heart, l won't And, say, you'll at least
let me send your little girl an automobile
out of the profits of the yank-down. won't
you: ,, Let me repay you to that extent, at
"Oh. WELL If you1insist upon it." REPLIED
the "eii,known official, amiably, picking
up the alligator satchel that he had brought
INTO the room with him and opening it
BY the way I only had chance to run
or fifteen complete copies of the message
without taking too many chances. They'll
| be enough for your
Fifteen exclaimed the Emergency Re-
porter. Why. man, you're just a bird,
that's what you area fan-tailed. pink.
t nssa W EreenIeambes trlple,x BRO FL
y,
| that III do with those fifteen'Il-E''
Wen. I'm mighty glad they'll be enough"
put IN the ellEknown official. pulling one
ot 'ne NE t IubDer packages of PROOF
| copies, son. finally corrected and proof read,
| just as it'll be handed out officially on Mon
| DAY next. There's about 10000 words of it,
judge"
| The Emergency Reporter grasped the
| copy hastily unfolded it. glanced up and
down the slips and gazed ecstatically at
| the well-known official.
| 'Dog-gone my hide!' he CALCULATED ''IIl
| send your little girl half a dozen automo-
| biles. whether you sta"d for it or not! Just
you see if l DON'T
Don't mention it. my boy replied the
well-known official, with pleased express
! sion III just be tOddling along now
| know that you'll have to get a hustle on in
order to make arrangements for the use
| or those fifteen copies of the message" and
| with parting shake of the hand he rapidly
| disappeared out of the door.
The Emergency Reporter dug his hands
into the contents of the satchel containing
| the fifteen copies of the Presidents mes
| sage as II they were struggled KOh-i-noors
"Oh. can just see myself doing any
more work after tonight. can't I?' he NUT
| tered, and then he put on his overcoat
| distributed the fifteen copies of the mes
| sage throughout the various pockets there
| Of and went to the telegraph office He
| hastily dashed off kilograms to the leading
! newspapers Of fifteen of the largest cities
| of the country, informing the editors there
| of that he had captured copies Of the mes
| sage. and offering it to each of them ex-
| cusively for $1,000 in cash. The clerk VINO
| took the kilograms at the window gazed
| admiringly at the Emergency Reporter as
| he handed them in.
That's just like finding $4,000, amt it?'
| said the clerk to the Emergency Reporter
| who smiled in superior way and replied,
We'll, / just guess yes'
Then. TO quiet his nerves. the Emergency
| Reporter went out and absorbed high sar-
saparilla while he waited for the replies OF
| the editors to come in. He played a game
Of pin pool and then he went back to the
| telegraph office. A response to every one
of the fifteen kilograms was in, and every
one Of them announced the editors ac-
! ceptance of the Emergency Reporters
| terms and urged him to get the message
on the wire at the earliest possible mo-
| ment. The Emergency Reporter pulled out
his fifteen copies of the message, marked
| them with the names of the leading papers
| to which they were to be sent, went out
| and bought him three perfectos for 80
cents and insisted on every man he knew
| that passed joining him in bottle Of pop
| The bartender opened one of these bottles
of pop with loud report-and the Emer-
gency Reporter woke up.
Tired again, eh?" the raucous voice OF
| the city editor was saying in his ear Say