The Washington times., 1901-07-07
4 The ShipWreck

| Eliminating her dark eager face.
What is it? l wish ! could even guess.
Have you had right good news about
something? Are you going to be sent
abroad as Ambassador? You ought to
be"
"Oh, dear, dear it is nothing so per-
sonaI as that; but it is magnificent all the
same. That is. if it is true; and our men
are pretty reliable. 4 report has come
over the wire that the Blue Star Liner
/ Superbus has gone to pieces just off the
Irish coast in a thick snowstorm, and that
the few people saved-mostly women-are
climbing hand over hand up a perpendicu-
lar cliff in their night clothes
Miss Benham had sprung to her feet.
How awful she gasped How aw-
| full! Is there any one on board you know?
| No wonder you are excited. Oh, l wish
| i could do something. Delicate women
| climbing perpendicular cliff in storm
| and at this very moment. How strange
and terrible to know of things going on
at such a long way off. Do you suppose
some one has gone to their assistance
| is helping them now "
! He STROBE over to the door, lifted aside
! the portiere, and listened intently.
Il thought 1 heard the telephone" he
said.
| her DTOW. Ntllcn Idu Deen puCheTeu
with distress, cleared suddenly.
You said there was just a hope that it
might not be truei" she exclaimed.
Don't suggest such thingi" cried
Bridges. I'VE haven't had a story like
that for months. It's magnificent. What
a scene! Cannot you picture it? The
wild Irish coast. boats fighting their way
through the roaring breakers, those wo-
men in their night clothes in a driving
snOwstorm clinging to that steep brist-
ling cliff-why, there were half dozen
fashionable New York women on board,
and one woman of the English peerage
that know Of My God,-forgive me- but
it is one Of the most striking things we
have had for months and months
He caught her eye and paused Her
face was white She was staring al him.
and the customary generous measure OF
sympathy and approval had fled from her
expanded eyes.
DO you mean TO say she said-her
breath was iabored-''that you are glad,
that you exuIt in that terrible accident,
in the agony of those poor delicate wo-
men?"
of course not, of course not! 1 would
not step on a worm; but so long as it has
to be-!s actually happening-can't you
leaps straight to my news sense and grips
it I am an old warhorse, you know The
scent of big news makes my very nos
trils CULVER" He laughed, Il believe you
are really shocked, you exquisite little
Southern girl. You've been brought up on
daily editions Of weekly papers. Just try
to look at it from my point of view"
1 am shocked" she said. She turned
her back upon him, and walked over to
the fire. Ii have neither the ability nor
the desire to put myself at your point of
view. You seem to have imagination; do
you realize that those women are in ter
rible agony of mind and body. that they
are freezing in a snowstorm, and expect
ing every moment to be their last? You
are a heartIess bruter'
She brought out her last words with
such vehemence that he was at her side
in an instant, and the excitement having
quite left his face, it looked apprehensive
and careworn.
4 am not brute" he said. u swear
that 1 am not If I could hasten those
women into safety. 1 would; and make
them forget what they'd gone through, In
the bargain; but newspaper men have
sixth sense, which for the time being
You would hurry them to the end of
nate
TO hear that the whole story was a hoax.
and that the ship was safely out at sea.
Is not that true?"
We'll, yes" He laughed 81 believe #
IT. I am afraid / am quite demoralized;
exciting episodes. which mean big news.
are the very breath of life TO me- Re
member, we are all the result of our con-
ditions. Fate drove me into journalism
and the mere fact that I am the most
successful journalist in New York proves
that have developed my news sense
degree higher than any of my rivals. II
I were not on fire over this episode /
should be second-rate. This is the only
defence I can make. I did not anticipate
making any. You are so sympathetic
you understand a man by intuition.
have never, in all my forty years of my
lfe, seen anything Ike 1t. But of course |
this Is new world TO you. this world of |
journalism in its extreme modern phase, |
and you will have to study it out a little. |
When you have I am sure you will exon |
crate me- especially when l tell you that |
l hate it myself as much as love it; hate |
it because il is antagonistic TO every in |
herited instinct, and love IT, because it |
has become second nature And remem- |
Der that there is one thing better than be- |
ing supremely good, and that is to be |
supremely natural. 1 may not approach |
the ideal you have cherished in your old |
fashioned high-toned South. but at least |
am myself. I make no pretensions. Let !
that plead for me. Remember, also, that |
the true philosophy OF life is to take peo-
pie as you find them, and not 10 insist |
upon their being ike somebody else"
He had touched her in a Vulnerable |
spot and she looked at him with less of |
resentment. But she shook her hea
My sympathies may be quick" sha |
said Il think they are; and have had |
only admiration for you heretofore; but.
as you say, must study this out And /
cannot begin my course until l know |
that the poor creatures hanging 10 that
cliff are safe
I'm return to the Office at once. and |
telephone you as the news comes in. /
There is no use for me 10 say any more |
now. and-I shall not come here again |
until you send for me- I simply cannot /
face that change in your eyes. They |
look like flint, and usually Well. |
you have succeeded IN bunting my news |
sense for once; have practically forgot |
ten the office for the last ten minutes. 1 !
must go now Goodnight"
Goodnight" But she did not turn her
head again, nor hold out her hand.
IL
The messages which Travelled between
the editorial rooms Of the New York |
Eye" and Murray Hin that night were
very ,,rggtfgfy.t.r,-