Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-02-17
DAILY SHORT STORY
A JOURNALISTIC LESSON.
(Original.l

had a great deal to learn. 1 thought
that the most desirable accomplish
ment for me as local editor of a news
paper was a facility in writing face
tious news articles about people to
whom something unusual had happen
ed-in other words, to give an item in
spicy language. l had been in the bust
ness three months when L learned that
there are many happenings that it is
safer to pass unnOticed.
In the town where l worked was a
couple notorious for their many and
violent quarrels. Mike and Rachel Gal
lagher would make more noise in their
disputes than is to be heard i'll the en-
CINE yard of great railroad. What
surprised every one was that, while
their alterations were so bitter, when
not disputing they appeared to be a
devoted couple. One night about the
hour that the inhabitants of the little
village We're turning In Mr.. and Mrs.
Gallagher had an unusually severe
wrangle that kept the town awake till
the gray OF the morning. j reached the
Office the next afternoon to find scarce
ly thing on the spindle on which to
make up the usual Quantum of local
news. To help myself ont l gave hui
morous description of the racket he
tween the Gallaghers the night before,
mentioning no names, but it was per-
fectly plain to whom / referred.
The next day / looked over the pa
per on my way to the office, and now
that the article on the GallagherS was
in print it had decided flavor about
it that made me feel uncomfortable.
Mike Gallagher might not like it; Mrs.
Gallagher might not like it. On the
whole, / wished had left it out.
When 1 reached the office the first
person 1 saw sitting in the only chair
except the one at my table was Mrs.
Gallagher.
Are you the editor?" she asked, with
n scowl.
Il am the local editor"
ME husband went out o town early
the mornin', so OF KEN over to see We
about the foine artickle We wrote
about US"
why do you assume that I have
written an article about you?" / asked,
more to gain time than TO set up
defense.
rs it the likes o We to invade the
homes of people as doesn't concern We?
Dye think We kin set here scratchin'
the reputation o. yer neighbors wild
yer dirty pen widout payin' the cost"
Madam, you mistake
Young felley, 1 just KEN over to
pervent trouble. Dim a peaceahie
woman meself an a lovin' wife. Oh
don't want me husband to gitiragin'. as
he will when he comes home tits evenin'
an reads the invashern Of ouridomeStic
peace. Mike comes in at 6:1o. There's
n train leavin' at 5:25. / recommend
we to go out ont an save yer, life"
Mrs. Gallagher" 1 replied, my life
is not very valuable. In fact,tI doubt
if it's worth the price of ticket out
of town."
VERY WELL" said the lady, rising,
"Ofll just sthop at the undektaker's
an tell 'em to git ready for n corpse
o. yer ZENITH" And she walked off
muttering at newspaper that gave
publicly to 1.-The spats o. lOvin' couples"
1 was far from feeling the confidence
denoted by my words. If 1 were killed
my fellow townsmen would agree, that
l had but paid just penalty for con-
What could / do to avert the calamity?
1t occurred to me to- make an amende
honorable to the woman and thus
avert the ire of the man. During the
afternoon 1 penned an article, writing
rs Il headline in large letters the word
Gallagher placed il on my table and
removed everything else in order to
make it the more conspicuous. At
6:45 l heard Il vigorous tread on the
stairs below and, stepping into an all
joining roOm, listened to Gala CHER on
his way to murder me. Judging from
his stumbling, he was impatient to do
so. Through n crack in the door / saw
him enter the room and look wildly
about; then, catching sight of his name
on my desk, he sprang toward 1t and
read:
BY singular error an apology is due
to our esteemed fellow citizen Mrs
Michael Gallager. During the small hours
of the night a couple of wildcats invaded
the wood in rear of our editorial sane
tum. The visit was locally mentioned in
yesterdays issue in terms which led the
estimable lady to suspect we referred to
a fight that occurred-between two bull
dogs, we believe-near her quiet premises
gave Mr.. Gallagher ten minutes to
make up his mind whether or not to
accept this explanation, watching him
the while, and, seeing that he was con-
siderably Modified, left my hiding
place, went into the hall, then entered
the sanctum.
"Ah. Mr.. Gallagher" L said, with
feigned surprise
II KEN, SCR, to git an explanashun"-
"Your good wife has been here before |
you. Tomorrow the explanation will |
be read by the whole town. Here it is |
now. Would you like to read it?''
IL read it. Just add the words that |
n man who would write up his neigh
bors in that way is dirty
1 convinced Mr.. Gallagher that the
of the article would best ex-
onerate him and his wife from the dis