The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1904-05-13
The Correspondent:
at Hampstead.
BY DENISON HALEY CLIFF,

WILLARD, correspondent of the.
Wl Tribune at Hampstead, realized
that the supreme movement in his
reportorial career had come. He was
fairly wild with excitement, as he
gazed at the brilliantly colored poster
of a circus performer in his hand. The
long coveted chance that comes sooner
or later in the life of every newspaper
man had finally come to Willard, hurl-
ing itself upon him in a manner that
completely bewildered him.
The poster was of juggler tossing
seven knives in the air at once, each
one caught as it fell in one hand,
thrown to the right, and then thrown
into the air again successfully. The
performers name was McDuif Mil
lard had read accounts of him in the
papers until he felt almost driven to
emulate him. But the world-renowned
McDuff had fallen at last. While per-
forming at the Midway Central he had
glanced for an instant at the front row
of spectators, while his magical knives
were in the air. A certain face in the
audience had caused him to falter, and
in that brief second one of the knives
had swerved and struck home
"That's him all right" exclaimed
Willard as he held the poster and a
photograph together. Hes grown a
beard, but it's him. Those are Swee-
ney's eyes, but why did he ever come
back to San Francisco again? Ny
goodness, what a chance!" He sat
down a moment to recover himself.
Picking up the evening paper he
learned that "the celebrated McDuff
had taken drop too much, he had
faltered for moment, when the knife
descended and made nasty wound
above his temple"
"a drop too much nothing" solilo-
quized the reporter. "He knew it was
me, and he'll come to the gallows after
all! l guess they will keep him at st.
Mary's hospital for awhile
Again Willard saw the brilliant op-
portunity for his master stroke. and as
he thought of the real identity of Nc
Duff it made him fairly gasp. With
his blood tingling within he seized the
telephone in the corner of the room,
and after few minutes he was con-
nected with the managing editor across
the bay.
IL have big sensation coming" he
said. Save three columns on the first
page. Hold the mail edition if neces-
sary, until two O'clock It's a big
SCOOP"
THAT Hampstead:" asked the man.
aging editor.
Eyes, this is Willard. Save three
columns"
On the last train Willard sent the
photographs by special messenger;
then, returning to his room, he opened
his note book and began to write
Even then it was getting late and Mil
lard counted his time. and set to work
in earnest on his story. His brain was
clear and his hand flew across the
pages. One by one they piled up be-
fore him, forming to his excited, vision
the majestic story he had been longing
for so many years. He wrote on in
fused with ecstacy, and when he fin
ished he gathered the many pages to-
gether and placed them in his coat
pocket with several old letters for
transmission to the Tribune office as
soon as he made sure of his facts.
He had written the confession of Nc
Duff just as he pictured it would hap
pen. and a description of his return
TO San Francisco and his capture. 1t
was a marvellous story and now he
hoped 1t would not have to be altered
1t was almost 1880 when, pulling on
his coat, he turned out his light and
set out for the hospital. The air was
chilly, and he walked briskly in an en-
deavor to keep warm. AS he reached
the large, dark building he entered
and knocked at the clerks Office. That
individual looked drowsily over his
spectacles. Willard closed the door be-
hind him.
"1s McDuh, the juggler who was
hurt. here?" he asked.
"McDuff?" responded the clerk.
Lets see. Faladin. Seymour, Nc
Duff-yes, there it is-No. 49,
I'm from the Tribune" said the re-
porter, as he leaned forward toward
the register, at the same time showing
his, badge. II came here to find out
about this fellows condition. He was
-"
"Hold on" interrupted the clerk.
there was Tribune man here a lit
tie while ago, and told him this circus
fellow was delirious. and"
II KNOW know put in the report
er, suavely, 'but I'm special writer.
This matter I'm getting is different.
It's for the Sunday supplement to-mor-
row." He spoke in such an assuring
manner that he half believed it him.
SELF Now, look at that. register and
kindly tell me how old he isl
The clerk eyed him angrily. why
don't you newspaper men get around
here earlier?" he asked 'This is no
time Of night to be bothering us this
way
Willard felt he was losing time.
He looked savagely at the man be-