The Minneapolis journal., 1902-08-19

Ll1N IN ANI114aSI~l9 5cOO lOAN
fair hair was like a light in the room. To |
the minds of her two companie1 this lustre !
was gentle but unbearable accusation; and
each dreaded the moment when her work |
should be fnished, with great dread. There |
was a small "store-room'' adjoining the Of
fee, and presently Mr.. Parker, sweating at |
the brow, walked in there. The old man
gave him look of despairing reproach, but
in a moment the foreman's voice was heard:
"Oh. Mr.. Fsbee can you step here a sec
ond?" ~a.'' FsSss = So a.
eyes, indeed!" was Fisbee's reply; and he
fled guiltily into the "store-room, and
Parker closed the door. They stood knee
deep in the clutter and lumber. facing each
other abject1y' ~ et.3 Ss&,'.', 50 4, i
"Well, we're both done, anyway, Mr.. Fis-:
bee," remarked the foreman.
*Indubitably, Mr.. Parker the old man
answered: cit Is too true E-... IL.
Never to think q blame thing about dinner
for her!' Parker continued, remorsefully.
And her lady that can turn off copy like
rotary snowplow in. Dakota blizzard! Did
you see the sheets she's piled up on that
desk?' "@.2-. 49, ~. Fl. Il a.-
There is no cafe-nothing-in Plattville,
that could prepare food worthy of her"
groaned Fisbee. tNothing!' '~t"
And we never thought of It. Never made
a single arrangement. ); Never struck us she
guess" a*'"s '..'-. -
'How can go in there and tell her that?"
"Lord!' ---'
''She cannot go to the hotel" s'"
well, I guess not! 1t amt fit for her
Lum's table is hard enough on strong man
Lands doesn't know a good cake from a Fiji
missionary pudding. I don't expect pie is
much her style, and. besides, the Palace Ho-
tel pies-well!-the boss was mighty sun-
complaining man. but I used to notice his
| articles on field drainage got kind of sour and
low spirited when they'd been having more
than the regular allowance of pie for din
ner. She can't go there anyway; it's no use;
it's after 2 o'clock, and the dining groom shuts
off at one. I wonder what kind of cake she
| likes best" .'~. e. q
II don't know said the perplexed Fisbee.
IF we ask her,
"If we could sort of get it out of her
automatically, could telegraph to Rouen
for a good one" ':'N
"Ha!'' said the other, Frightening up.
"You try it, Mr.. Parker. I fear I have
not much skill in diplomacy, but if you--'
| The compositor's mouth drooped at the
corners, and he interrupted gloomily: 'But
it wouldn't get here till tomorrow" ~.
"True: 1t would not -. q
They fell into respondent reverie, with
their chins in their bosoms. There came a
cheerful voice from the next room, but to
them it brought no cheer; in their ears 1t
sounded weak from the need of food and faint
with piteous reproach. -.
Father. aren't you coming to have lunch
con with me?'' -
| "Mr. Parker, what are we to do?' Whis-
pered the old man, hoarseiy.
| '1s 1t too far to take her to Briscoe's?'
'In the rain?' =.
"Take her with you to Tibbs'.''
"Ther noon meal Is long since over; and
their larder-is nOt-extensive'
Sk:~
ring; they could hear her moving about the
room.
you've got to go in and tell her, said
the foreman, desperately, and together, they
stumbled into the room. A small table at
one end of it was laid with a snowy cloth and
there was fragrance of tea, and, amidst
various dainties, one caught a glimpse of cold
chicken and lettuce leaves. Fisbee stopped,
dumfounded, but the foreman, after STAN
meringly declining an invitation to partake
alleging that his own meal awaited, sped
down to the printing-room. and seized upon
Bud Tipworthy with heavy hand ~.
Where did all that come from up there?"
Leave go me-! What ;'all that'?'
call that tea and chicken and salad and
wafers-all kinds of things; sardipess for all
I know!'
. '.They came in Briscoes' blackboard while
you gone. Brise6e sent 5'em in a bas
ket; I took EN- up and she set the baske
|
looked Quit that" And 1t was unjust tt
, cuff the perfectly innocent and mystifed Bud
and worse not to telr him what the punish
ment for. va ''''
Before the day was over system had beer
introduced, and the Herald was running OF
, it.; and all that warm, rainy afternoon tn
editor and ~Flsbee worked in the editoria
rooms, Parker. and 3Bud and Mr.. Schofel,
latter his return with the items and court
. eous message from Ephrafnn Watts) bent owe
the forms downstairs, and Uncle Keno
phon was cleaning the storeroom and scrub
o bing the floor 81: -
. An extraordinary number of errands tool
the various members of the print
-. ing force up to see the editor-in
chief, literally to See the editor
I in-chief; it was hard to believe that tn
+ presence had not flown-hard to keep believ
t ing, without the repeated testimony of sight
n that the dingy room upstairs was actually tn
: setting for their Jewell, and a jewel the
4 swore she was. The printers came dow
: chuckling and gurgling after each interview
I it was partly the thought that she belonged t.
the Herald, their paper. Once Ross, as h
> cut down one Of the temporarily distended ad
Z vertisements, looked UP and caught the fore
4 man giggling to himself.
, What In the name Of common sense yo
- laughin' at, Cale?" he asked.
- What are you laughing at?" rejoined tn
, other.
81 dunno!
:. The day wore on, wet and dreary outside
- but all within the Herald's bosom was snu
~ and busy and murmurous with the health
=. thrum of life and prosperity renewed. To
!, ward o'clock, system accomplished, the ne'
IL guiding spirit was deliberating a policy a
), Harkless would conceive policy, were b
= there, when Minnie Briscoe ran joyously u
~ the stairs, plunged into the room, water
~ proofed and radiant, and caught her fren
:. in her eager arms and put an end to polio
: l.fnr that dax