Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1902-07-15


who is she?" asked Harry Mathews
as a woman came down the steps of
The Echo building and passed them.
with bright nod at Tom.
Tom watched the diminutive figure
out of sight and bestowed an envious
glance upon the young man who was
doing escort duty before be replied:
1.-THE Duke, with her arms full of
| flowers, as usual"
"The Dukey repeated Harry. as
she-ah-niceY
"See here. my young friend, If you
don't want all Newspaper row on your
ceryix don't put any question mark aft
er nice when you speak of the Duker'
replied Tom. his eyes flashing angriiy,
as if he were inclined to begin hostili-
ties without waiting for the rest of the
row.
Harry put The Times bulletin be-
tween them before he stammered: Il
didn't mean anything disagreeable,
Tom. | don't know her. but l wish |
did"
Groups of men came struggling out
of the offices of The Times, Herald and
Echo just then and, joining forces,
made their way to restaurant around
the corner.
When hunger had been satisfied and
cigars lighted. Tom motioned toward
Harry, saying. Boys. there's a fellow
who doesn't know the Duke and never
worked on The Echo!"
Just then Billy Holiday came in. and
some one shouted. Say. Billy, here's
fellow who doesn't know the Dukew
"'rell him. Billy" called another, and
every man settled into his customary
attitude for listening to a favorite sto-
ry. Billy sank into a chair with every
appearance Of extreme exhaustion. APP
propriaring whatever delicacies the 9TH
ers had not appreciated. be consumed
them while waiting for his own order
to be served
When the clamor for the story be-
came uproarious. BILLY began: Once a
society editor surprised the row by get
| ting married Then Bessie Wellington
appeared on The Echo She was such
little slip of thing and had such a
patLetically frightened look In the eyes
that the boys began to call her the Iron
Duke, and the Duke she's been ever
since
1T was her first job. and she was
eager for work. Land knows. she got
enough of it. The typewriter bothered
her. and punctuation was a pitfall She
did her work over and over again. try
| ing to please KNAPP. who wouldn't
heaven. 1t used to seem TO me he rang
| her bell every ten minutes. She would
| come flying down the hall to the local
room, her dimples turned inside out
and her mouth shut hard SO 1t wouldn't
| CULVER. Then she'd go back pink to
! the ears, and the boys would pound
their typewr:ters fit TO break. We used
10 sneak bits of copy to her all ready
! to 70 up | fell into the habit of col
lecting personals and club notes and
even a wedding now and then. and
Larry, there. was taken for society
reporter for quite awhile"
Larry SHE'D crust of bread at Billy
who deity caught it and returned the
compliment before lie continued.
Zone Friday night when she was get
! ting up her Sunday page, passed the
door just as KNAPP bounded into hel
room. Ills beard looked as If he had
been clawing out llfDdfuls See here!
| I'll ,1 II 4 tail 10 in
/ the Tubvilie social before midnight?
IT'S almost ready said the Duke and
bent over her typewriter In little
heap.
/ After the Tubville was in aud worl
Stacked up bit carried in sand
/ witch and made her eat it while
ground out some rewrite for her. While
was working the fire gong sounded al
alarm. but the presses We're going. ant
never tried TO count IT, Anyhow
Bobby always did Tres alone unless
they were very big ones.
AFTER awhile knap bolted into th,
room. His face was white as chalk
his mouth opened once or twice, bu
be couldn't speak At last he gasped
| We're cut off. The fires up to til,
third story ! jumped TO the window
and there the street YVES filled with en-
gines and trucks and we had neve
heard thing.
Miss Wellington turned pretf,
white, but her voice was steady as sh
asked, Are there many of us up here Z
Three i'm the telegraph room an,
four or five in the local.. said KNAPP
inoistening his lips. We didn't thinl
1t was serious. and forgot your bein,
here
I'VE all went down the hall to tn
local room. The fire was belching iron
the fourth story windows now, and th
smoke was getting thick. One of th
telegraph men kept his desk and wa
actually sending an account of the Cir
over the Associated Press wire. W
wandered from window to window TO
hours, 1t seemed to me. but 1t could no
really have been for many minutes
The smoke was coming in clouds. an
4 We could herr the ERE now.
AT last the crowd In the street saw
US | hope IN never hear that soun'
again. My God. wake up sometime
now with that moan in my ears. and J
nearly drives me mad 1t seemed m
essence OF human misery and made u
realize what was before u.s. we na'
beer stunned before. but then bedia 2
broke loose. Some moaned and criea
Some shrieked and swore. Ana SUI
the man at the key clicked out ms mes
sage. giving our names, we found q.
erward az had pistol lying beside
his hand. -,