The Jennings daily record., 1902-09-02
Following ORDERS.
BY HAROLD HUME.


Copyright, 1902. Daily Story Pub. Co)
Dick had finally all the sentiment
knocked out of him so far as the busi-
ness was concerned. He had come 10
the great city and taken position as
reporter on the Screamer full OF en-
thusiasm in the work and determine
ton to succeed, and he had spared
neither time or energy to make good.
He had been the first man down TO
report and last to go home, staying
about long after he could have gone
in the hope of catching late emer-
gency assignment. He had sOught
hard assignments which the older re-
porters lodged.
He had not minded the sneers OF
his colleagues, but it had jolted his
faith when the powers that were cutter
ly ignored his faithfulness and placed.
1t not to his credit at all.
Dick felt the injustice OF 1t Keen
ly, but the first real blow came when
he had spent four days and nights on
an elopement story and had fallen
down while the Thunderer had all
the details on the first page-secured,
he afterward ascertained, by wire
from the Kansas City correspondent
and rewritten in the Office to make 1t
appear local story. He attempted
to explain to the city editor, but was
cut short.
81 don't care rap why you didn't
get it. The fact remains that you
! didn't. You fell down and that's all
there is to it. Results are what
count. and what l want is stories, not
explanations"
This made Dick blind with fury. In
asmuch as he would have Willingly
given up his day off to work on the
story. The final crash came when
he was sent out on Dig
financial story and found a
lead which seriously reHecteu
upon a concern in which the chlel
packer of the paper was the dominant
personality. He worked out his story
on another theory and ingeniously
. covered the connection. When the
storm broke loose the next day, and he
attempted to justify upon he was toic
with more emphasis than courtesy
that he was not responsible Tor the
editorial policy Of the paper.
what dye suppose we have copy
readers and city editors and night edi
tors and managing editors here for?
shouted the city editor. What yo'
are hired for is to so out and sc
facts. Then if we want EN- SUP
dressed well let you know. An
when we get so we are not competen
to run the sheet We'll turn it over I
a batch of cub reporters. ! ought I
fire you-that's what | ought to &c
end I've a blamed good mind to do Il
too. But I'll just lay you Oft Tor
week SO you can have a chance t
study over the question of your dutie
and limitations, and then III give yo
one more chance" Then the othe
fellows guyed him numerically as th
man who had appointed himself tn
cersor of the paper.
So it was that Dick became har
! ened like the others and worked Il
> his salary, and not for glory, and toe
az little responsibility as possible ar
did as little work as was compa
BILE with the holding OF his JOB Al
he became blase and lost most OF n
old-time enthusiasm and interest. +
never lost his pride in getting scot
nor in turning in good story
corn reporter does that, but ne
came as the others. stolid, indlfere
and more or less hopeless.
. This was the frame of mind
which he found himself one fine afte
noon when, as he sat chewing Gig