Durant weekly news. (Durant, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 190?-1944, 1906-03-09
The Little Reporter
[orIeInall

the white car were to march to his
palace to present monster petition.
In the Office of the Fatherland the
managing editor sat alone. The night
force had not yet reported Tor work.
A footstep was heard climbing the
stairs. and presently a boy not more
than fourteen years old came into the
office.
"Are you the editorr he asked.
Eyes, sonny. What can 1 do for
your"
81 thought that since there's to be
trouble tomorrow you might need extra
help"
"You think that you'd like to march
at the head Of the petitioners and re
ceive the first fire Of the troopsr'
THE Little Father will not let his
soldiers fire on his people"
Sonny, the people are deceived. This
time tomorrow our streets viii be
drenched with blood"
well. my mother needs food, and
must make It for her any way can.
Shall march with the petitioners to-
morrow and send you copy 2"
You have worked In a newspaper Of
fice before"
"Yes."
''Come around in the morning, and
may find work for you to do in the Of
fee"
The next day the name Ivan Ivano-
vich was entered on the rolls of the
Fatherland. 1t was Sunday morning
and the excitement in the office was
intense. The managing editor was in
no good humor Every reporter on the
paper had sent In some excuse for not
appearing for service. Little Ivan.
while carrying copy upstairs to the
composing room. passing the sanctum
heard his chief threatening to discharge
every mothers son of them. The boy
went in.
why can't go out to report the
march of the petitioners?' he asked.
Get out Of herew snarled the editor
"Am reduced to sending children out
on assignments"
The boy went on his way, and the
editor went on growing at his re-
porters.
An hour later the children of the
little Father" commenced their
march. With priest as their leader
without the slightest show of force,
like a flock of sheep. they were going
as humble suppliants. Walking in the
throng was Ivan Ivanovlch. He had
taken pencil and paper and. leaving
the Office without permission, hurried
away to fill the gap left open by the
nonappearance of the reporters. On
marched the people. unopposed for a
'time, but presently row of bristling
bayonets appeared in the distance, and
an officer was sent to order the peti-
TONERS to halt.
1--WE are going to see the "Little Fa-
ther" to tell him of our wrongs. He
doesn't know how his subordinates
treat us. We are going to tell him."
The people, consisting of men. wom-
en- and children, kept right on in the
face OF death The little reporter, who
had fallen behind while writing his re-
port of the march, saw a boy about his
own age running toward the rear. Ivan
called to him and asked where he was
going.
I'm going to get out Of this. The
troops will fire with ball cartridges"
Hold ON bit" said Ivan, and he
wrote few more words. There IT
is" he added, "'with ball and car
tridges.' Since you are going please
take that to the Office of the Father
land"
The boy grasped the message and
sped away. Ivan crammed his pad and
pencil in his pocket and pushed through
the crowd to the front Just as he
wriggled between those facing the
troops there was sound of many ex
plosions. and moment later the crowd
where the boy stood looked like the
edge of field Of grass over which the
first sweep Of a scythe had passed
Half an hour later surgeon took
hold of the limp figure of boy and
holding him up, asked:
"Are you hurtr'
Eyes, am. fear shall not be abl,
to get my copy In to the Office.
haven't even written It out"
"Never mind your copy. II car
save you
"You can't and since you can't yoI
might save my copy for me-"
The surgeon looked at the boy II
amazement.
"I've sent an account of the marcl
and had just come up in time to be II
at the firing. I've written some note
for them to fill in at the Office II cal
only get them there. Can't you find
messenger for me, doetorT
Meanwhile the managing editor Of th
Fatherland had picked up hearsay re
ports as the petitioners began to marci
and was sending them through tn
presses. A boy came in and laid pa
per on his desk.
whats thisT he asked.
Ivan said it was copy" And he toll
how It had been given him by tn
young reporter. The editor listened
astonished, then sent the copy upstairs
with the order to 'lkil" what had gon
before. Later a man came In with al
I n. ~.