Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-02-22
DAILY SHORT STORY
A Big Storm.

Dorsey was Il reporter lie mad been
Oh the ArgOsy several months, but had
not given satisfaction. There was lit
tie local news except i'll the line of
crime, and Dorsey's reports of criminal
cases were confined to Il mere outline
of each case He had been warned
without effect to make them more at
tractive." The truth is Dorsey shrank
from the work. The details of muir
ders. rObberies and such things had a
very distressing effect upon him.
Then came Il telegraphic dispatch
from the West Indies that HURRICANE
was raging there and was making
straight for the region where the Ag
COSY was published. Dorsey had never
seen Il hurricane and lOnged TO view it
at its most interesting point of Obser
yation--the shore. So without asking
leave at the office he took train and
i'll few hours was standing on hill
top looking out on the harbOr. The
wind was blowing steadily and the
ocean was covered with whitecapS,
looking from where Dorsey saw them
like pack of wolves. charging and
tumbling over one another. while q
low moaning seemed to come from
those trodden under. Directly beneath,
sailors on the ships in the harbor were
busy taking in yards. making every
thing taut on deck and looking to the
anchor chains. Dorsey went to a
house, borrowed Il spade and dug Il
hole just large enough to hold his
body and give him room in his front
below the surface to hold pad for
making copy. Then, getting into it. he
began TO write.
Fortunately he was stenOgrapher
and could write very rapidly. AS the
storm grew in intensity it brought with
it an intensity of feeling in Dorsey.
As one page after another was cram
med into his pocket he grew inspired
to depict what he saw. making n series
of pictures of the sea. the sky. the
storm birds on the wing. objects fly
ing through the air, people fleeing for
safety, men rushing about on the decks
of the ships, the roar of the tempest,
the curling of roofs. the fail of houses.
the uprOOting of trees. and. lastly. one
ship after another breaking its cable.
driven Iandward. lifted OH the crest
of wave and hurled as by some in
visible l llan on me SnOfe-
Dorsey stayed in his hole till most OF
the scattered houses on shore and all
the ships in the harbor We're destroyed
indeed. till night had closed over the
wrecks. Then. crawling out. he was
blown down the hill, picked himself up
at its base and made his way 10 a rail
way station. 1t was several hours be-
fore he got transportation. and then
on all engine sent out with Il man TO
make Il preliminary inspection of the
damage done to the road. At mid
night Dorsey went into the office of the
ArSoSy. When the city editor saw him
coming he pointed to the door.
I've BEEN began Dorsey.
Get out, Come back tomorrow and
get your pay
I've got report of the Storm" per-
sisted Dorsey.
so have |. Get OUT
Dorsey turned and went to the office
Of the Banner
Want coast description of the
Storm" he asked the managing editor
'Of course we do. Got one? We
sent Il man. but he didn't get through"
Dorsey pulled out his crumpled notes |
Go i'll there" said the editor, point
ing. land send your copy up as fast as
you write it l can give you column.
Hurry UP. It's getting late"
Up went the first installneut. and /
when ;he proof came down and the |
editor glanced it over he sang out To |
Dorsey, You can have two columns" |
When the next proof came down. the |
Ii 70, /
INNS. if you like" Then it was Five |
Columns" and ut last You can fill the |
whole paper"
The next morning the city editor of /
lie ArGosy sat in his Office with his /
reels on his desk looking over his ri |
'al's paper.
Il had no idea that was such a big
Storm" he remarked as he read the
article on the hurricane. That was
he biggest storm l ever heard Of he
vent on after finishing the third col
INN. He closed the description just
is the proprietor of the ArgOsy walked
n.
Did you ever hear of such fright
III storm" asked the city editor
You've been reading the Banners
NppAA- hCAc HI = btt-n plenty Oh
forms as big or bigger. but none has
Yer had such a big deScriber.''
At that moment Dorsey walked in
or his pay
All right" said the city editor Go
o the cashier. You've got n week due
ou"
What are you going to dog asked
he proprietor.
Going with the Banner"
How much:"
Fifty dollars a week"
What" exclaimed both men. How
o You get that:"
They We're pleased with the story
( the hurricane l sold them-that you
idn't want
DO you mean TO tell me you wrote
be Banners story of the storm = ask
d the city editor.
Il did