New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-12-26

Smith was the ablest night city editor on ain
Row. This is what every one said, ana the ui
versal verdict pleasing to him as ne TO- ,1,
downtown last night at S45 O'Clock to tackle ms
regular night duties. He an hour Iate' ou ' -.
didn't matter on Christmas night 1t was a sla0N
night II always is a "slack' night along an
Row Christmas night unless there Is d p,e =
And besides Smith had dined with the MlAlkens'
Milliken and Smith used TO go to school losl.e
and Smith dined with the Millikens every christ
night
That was particularly good dinner to-alght.
thought Smith, as he walked from the elevator 70
his private Office and flung open his desk ana 'i'N
he added aloud:
And Bill NIiIIken knows what good wine is, too
Bill must have made a mint of money on copper
to afford MADEIRA at twelve plunks' bottle'
Lighting cigar, he looked the mail. called
in several of the department men and gave ORDERS
about the nights work called up the Mlllkens on
the telephone TO make theatre engagement ana
then began thinking more about the dinner
the wine and the fact that it his hfeth birth
day.
It was such slack night that he almost blamed
himself fer working at all He settled down IN his
big chair, relighted his cigar and got thinking
once more about the dinner and his ffteth birth
day His Office unusually quiet. he thought
Suddenly through the smoke his eye caught sight
Of new calendar that the office boy must have
hung up that very day. In red figures over the
top were the numerals 1856
Mistake OF the printer unused Smith
The telephone rang softly, and he reached for
the receiver
'HelIoi Yes-yes-this is the night city editor.
Who did you say? on1p-Tompkins-oh, yes
Tompkins in charge Of the Christmas story. Yes
yes. understand
Smith listened. and then he didn't to IN
derstand- He interrupted and repeated the mes
sage to the the other end:
YOU say" said Smith, that you have the
Christmas story and that you've got a big beat?
And you've got the gall to tell that your
| beat consists in the discovery Of the only poor
| family in the city? And you want two columns
with pictures and interviews with prominent cit
liens story like that? Listen. Mr.. Tompkns.
I'm quite satisfied you're drunk. I stand for
| that. as you know. You're discharged
81 guess" said Smith, he showed the receiver
| back his desk, that Tompkns won't try to
! josh this Office again right away. Some day.
rnayhap, the poor and needy man in this city viii
! be a sort of rare bird-a find. but not this even
| ing"
The telephone rang once more Smith soon had
| the receiver at his
| ''Yes-yes-Ive got your naIne-McCorrnack As
signed TO see Mark Twain Andrew Carnegie, Presl-
| dent Roosevelt and Miss Gould Tes-yes-what-
what's that you say7 Greetings for year 1867
Nineteen ffty-sixT' Smith yelled 1t in the
| telephone. When he listened 10 McCormack's reply
! he looked startled.
''You Internal idiotl' he shouted back at NTcCor-
| mack IF this the close of the year 1855 how
| could Mark Twain, Andrew Carnegie, President
| Roosevelt and Miss Gould possibly be alive?
| Hey? What's that-special what? Special dis
| pensation Of Providence. you sayP Special dis
| pensation nothngi I wish to say to you, MI. Nc
! Cormack. that probably you have been dining toe
| well. It is quite necessary Christmas Day tc
| abstain from heavy eating and drtnking-particu
| larry the latter Never mind The greetings. Jus
| cut them out and go home and go to bed
| Smith seemed to be pretty well satisfied with
| himself by this time He INDUCED in some quiet
| sarcasm at the expense Of Mccormack and Temp
kns. and then reached again for the telephone
| which was ringing furiousy.
'eHelIoI Tes-yes. this Is Smith Yes, go ahead
| what's the story2 Talk slow. You're excited
| wh-whats that2 You say you're in Washington
| Oh. you're the Washington correspondent Pardon
me. I never heard OF you before-didn't recognize