The daily morning Alaskan. (Skagway, Alaska) 1899-1904, 1902-08-08


Tom watched the diminutive figure
out OF sight and bestowed an enyioui
glance upon the young man who wal
doing escort duty before be replied;
"The Duke. with her arms full Of
flowers. as usual"
"The DukeY repeated Harry. "i
shc--ah-nlccT
"Seo here. my young friend, II yor
don't want all Newspaper row on YOU
cervix don't put any question mark aft
er nice when you speak OF the Duke!
replied Tom, his eyes flashing angrily
as II ne were inclined 10 begin hosuli
ties without waiting for The rest Of the
row.
Harry put The Times bulletin be
tween them before he stammercd: u
didn't mean anything disagrceable
Tom. I don't know her, but l wish J
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 a restaurant around
the corner.
When hunger had been satisfied and
cigars lighted, Tom motoned 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
a fellow who doesn't know the Duke"
'sTell him, Billy" called another. and
every man settled into his customary
attitude for listening to a fayorite sto'
~. Billy sank into chair With every
appearance OF extreme exhaustion Ap'
proprlating whatever delicacies the 9th
ors had not appreciated, he consumed
them while waiting Tor bis own order
10 be served.
When the clamor FOR the story be
came uproarlous. Billy began: once a
society editor surprised the row by get.
ting married. Then Bessie Wellington
appeared on The Echo. She was such
a little slip OF a thing and had such
pathetically frightened look In the eyes
that the boys,began to call her the Iron
Duke, and the Duke she's been ever
since.
"It was her arst Job. and she was
eager for work. Land knows, she got
enough OF a. The typewriter bothered
her. and punctuation was a pitfalL She
did be- work over and over again. try
ing 70 please KNAPP, who wouldn't
have been satisfied with an angel from
heaven. II used 70 seem 20 me he rang
her bell every ten minutes. She would
come flying down the hall 20 the local
room. her dlmplcs turned inside out
and her mouth shut hard so Il wouldn't
culver. Then she'd 80 back pink to
the ears. and the boys would pound
their typewriters tlt to break We used
to sneak bits OF copy TO her all ready
TO go Up. fell into the habit OF col
lecting personals and club notes and
even a wedding now and then, ana
Larry, there, was taken for a society
reporter Tor quite awhile"
Larry SHE'D a crust Of bread at BLY,
who deftly caught Il and returned the
compliment before he continued.
zone Friday night, when she was get
ting up her Sunday page, ! passed the
door Just as KNAPP bounded into her
room. His beard looked as II be had
been clawlnr out handouts. See here"
he yelled Didn't I tell you 70 get IN
the Tubvllle social before mldnightr
It's almost ready said the Duke and
bent over her typewriter In a little
heap
After the Tubville was en- and work
Stacked up a bit carried 10 a sand.
wich and made her eat It while ]
ground out some rewrite for her. While
was working the fire gong sounded an
alarm. but the presses were going and
never tried TO count H. Anyhow.
Bobby always did Ores alone unless
they were very big ones
After awhile KNAPP bolted into the
room. His face was white as chalk
His mouth opened once or twice but
be couldn't speak. At last be gaspcd'
We're cut Oh! The fre's up TO the
third story jumped to the window,
and there the street was oiled with en-.
giues and trucks, and we had never
heard a thing.
Miss Wellington turned pretty
white. but her voice was steady as she
asked. Are there many Of us up heref
Three 10 the telegraph room and
four or Eve in the local.. said knap.
molstenlng bis lips we didn't think
Il was serious aud forgot your being
here
ave all went down the ball TO the
local room. The Gre was belching from
the fourth story windows now. and the
smoke was getting thick One Of the
telegraph mep kept his desk and was
actually sending an account or the fire
over the Associated Press wire. We
wandered from window TO window for
hours. Il seemed to me. but Il could not
really have been for many minutes.
Tho smoke was coming in clouds, and
wo could hear the Gre now
at last the crowd IN the street saw
US hope IN never hear that sound
again. Ny God! ! wake up sometimes
now with that moan In my ears, and II
nearly drives me mad II seemed the
essence OF human misery and made us
..,u,o y-hof xvoa hafore IA We had