Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-01-27
CHAPTER I'LL
MR.. HECTOR PLANS A NEWSPAPER
TRUST


MR.. HECTOR PLANS A NEWSPAPER
TRUST.
The morning after the supper Hes
tor appeared at the Record office at
an early hour. He looked over his
mail, and then wrote note to Pal
mer j. Morton, the great fnancier
and railroad magnate, requesting an
early interview on matter of some
Importance. This off his mind, Hes
tor made the rounds of the office.
He chatted awhile with Mr.. Chalmers
and then drifted into the art depart
ment. He was in effervescent spirits, |
and seemed highly satisfied with all !
the world. Finally he returned to
his room and proceeded to work off
the eXuberance of his animal spirits
by performing clog step to live
ly tune, the words of which he sang
with more regard for speed and eX-
act time than for expressions:
"There was an old geezer, and he had a
wooden leg;
No tobacco could he borrow, no tobacco
could he beg;
| Another old geezer was as cunning as a
fox,
And he always had tobacco in his old to-
| bacco box
Spirited breakdown and repeat-)
Eyes, he always had tobacco in his old
| tobacco box
AS the versatile Mr.. Hestor paused
to contemplate with much salts
faction, the success which had been
attained in this terpsichorean di-
version Mr.. Chalmers, the managing
editor, entered the room.
by the way, Chalmers" said Hes
tor, as he paced up and down the
room, ''why wouldn't it be good
scheme to let the women of New York
assume entire charge of the Record
for a week. Get some well-lnown
society woman to act as editor-in-
| chief, and advertise for women,
writer's of all kinds. OF course you
will have to look after the mechani-
| cal and routine part of the paper,
i but let them collect and write all the
stuff. Select young women to report
the horse races, prize fights, the po-
lice news, the courts and to handle
all departments of the paper. They
could run Just as much or as little
foreign and out-of-town stuff as they
\ pleased They would write all of
the editorials and draw all of the
II pictures. Great scheme-don't you
think 500"
4 Mr.. Chalmers said it would prob
ably drive him into an insane asylum,
but that it was nothing short of an
Inspiration. He agreed to outline a
| plan and to confer with some pro-
gressive women he had in mind.
While they We're discussing this
, project, word was received from Mr..
: Palmer j. Morton that though very
busy he would be pleased to see Mr..
Hestor about four o'clock that after
noon. The fnancier was not unac-
quainted with the erratic correspond
ent of The Record, and while not in
r sympathy with the aims or methods
+ of that paper was not inclined to in
cur hostility by refusing the request
; made by Hestor.
!, At four o'clock the Hestor automo-
2 bile wheeled in front of Broadway
Office building, and a few minutes
!, later the famous correspondent was
, ushered into the magnate's private
Office. This apartment was severely
plain.
Mr.. Morton was large, broad
shouldered man, with close-cropped
beard which must have once been
black or dark brown. Shaggy grey
eyebrows stood guard over eyes OF
. steel blue-grey; eyes which looked
. you full in the face as if to bid you
. tell your innermost thoughts; and tic
tell them quickly Enormous hands
), were knotted with muscles of which
: the foreman of a railroad section
gang might be proud. A dark suit
, of blue; a scarf of the same color
:. without any pin; and a modest
: watch chain, were features of APP
? parel which distinguished Mr.. Nor
= ton from the we'll dressed attend
II ants who ushered Hestor into this
office.
81 am glad to see you again, Mr.
{ Hestor. Take chair. You will
u find that one more comfortable.
Z trust you do not intend to interview
u me. You know my rule" Mr.. Nor
Ton iookeu stormy az hesloI, WIZ
q smiled and replied that he had long
ago abandoned that enterprise as !;
vain pursuit.
81 have called on a matter of bus
mess" said Mr.. Hestor, briskly, az
/ he removed his gloves, and Leaned
$ slightly forward in his chair. "Yo,
u are busy man and l will attemp
Y to state my proposition as concisel
e as possible. According to popular
It report and to general knowledge yol
T have been Kept the moving spirit il
r those great financial undertaking
which have resulted in the reorgani
It cation of various industries. You
= standing is such that your name il
Q sufficient to guarantee the success
II of any undertaking of this character
Did it ever occur to you that ther,
Q is one great industry which neye