Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-07-06
CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.
Fun Ting had been i'll New York
four wears. The day that he walked
off the Portland boat and wandered
into the city lie found himself very
tired and hungry, standing on Park
Row looking up at the dome of City
Hall and dimly wondering whether his
mother had ever stood in just that
place.
He was hungry and had only lit
tie money. 1t WAS just like him to
have started off without any money
and without any definite idea of what
he was to 10. In after years this
hopeful and trustful way of his got
him into many scrapcS, but it also got
him out of them and pushed him on
to success.
He got Il breakfast at ten-cent
lunch counter and then set out to find
something to do lie wandered around
all day. AS night came down he found
himself far up in the maze of Central
Park. A rich man, the president OF a
great bank, sat on seat in shady
corner with his head in his hands
ana a great misery i'll his heart. Fun
Ting. crouching on seat little DIS
lance away looked at him and VOL
dered what allied him. At last the man
stood up. took Il letter from his pocket
and placed it on the seat beside him.
Then he deliberately blew out his
brains with Il revolver.
Fun Ting saw it. He also saw the
letter blow away int" the bushes. He
was rooted to the spot with horror. y
policeman ran UP and flashed his Ian
tern in the dead mans face.
Fun Ting approached. The officer
looked at him and exclaimed anSrily.
"A reporter. Ell? Well, you fellows
get around about as soon as anyone
does Now | suppose that you Will
have a big story about him. All about
the suicide of Hasty Blamford presi-
dent of the Rock Bottom Bank. y
And the policeman laughed CareleSsly.
"But [ am not a reporter, said Fun
Ting.
"Oh. go on wild yez-I know your
kind.
And at that minute, in spite of the
horror of tine affair. i'll spite of the
pitiful white upturned face. in spite of
the heart in him that cried out against
such an advantage of another's woes.
resistible force. Why should he not be
a reporter? He had read fascinating
stories about the work of city report
erS. II was a life that appealed to
him. And here was the opportunity
to begin. Taking out his pencil and
account book he rapidly jottcd down
the notes as the policeman gave them
over to him. lIasty Elamford was a
well-knoWn man. Everyone knew
him. The policeman gave him all the
points. As the park ambulance dashed
up Fun Ting took the opportunity to
pick up the letter that had blown
away into the bushes and slip it into
his pocket. An hour later he stood at
the desk of the city editor of one OF
the great morning papers.
"WeI. what is it? What do you
want? Speak quick for we haven't
time to fool. around here.
Il want a situation
"Show this man out said the editor
to the office boy.
"But | am going to work for you!
said Fun Ting stoutly.
ooh. you are. are you? What can
YOU do? 5tay-the president of bank
uptown has shot himself in Central
Park. His name is Hasty Blamford.
Go up and find out what he did it for
and ] will hire you at once.
The editor turned away. He was
not fooling with the boy. He had
taken him in in Il rapid glance and
liked his appearance. Such stunts as
this were not uncommon in hiring new
men, The man at police headquarters
Had telephoned the bare facts of the
suicide 1t was n mystery. There was
no apparent reason. The paper that
got the cause of it the next morning
would score q great beat. run ling
turned away with an ''All right. SIT.
AMI went down the elevator. lie
walked down to Il lamp post at Brook
Iyn bridge and took the dead mans
letter frof. his pocket. 1t was open
and addressed to ''Whocvcr finds my
body" The boy scanned the pages. 1t
was long story of his life. his hopes,
his DISSEMINATING hts 1t told of an ex-
trayacant method of living. and money
taken from tie bank. run ing
walked across the bridge to Brooklyn
to cool his brow. Already 1t seemed 10
him that he lad been in New YORK
for weeks. lie was sure that he was
one of the old reporters. An hour
from the time tic editor had hlred
him. he walked into the office. 1t was
q scene Of wild uproar. The city edi-
for was angry becausc the twenty or
thirty men he had sent out on the
story of the suicide had failed. lie |