Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1906-01-04

Kansas City Journal; One day I got
q great news beat for my paper about
q big row in an important corporation.
All the papers had been after 1t. and
in vain. The officers of the company
kept their mouths disgustingly Well
shut. / was late. and arrived at the
offices after the other reporters had
gone. sent in my card. and. to my
surprise, the secretary himself came
out, took me into private office, hand
ed out cigar, and said to me: You're
late"
YES" replied somewhat bewilder-
ed, II was delayed
WELL" said he. I'm glad you're
here at last. l want to tell you some
things before you see the Others. And
with that he launched into a talk that
gave me just what everybody had been
trying to- get. l didn't have to ask a
question. simply bent my whole
mind on remembering it all, for 1 fear
notes.
Now" said he, when he had finish
ed, I've arranged for the rest TO meet
you here tomorrow at IL"
thanked him and got out. In the
Office they nearly Rugged me, and
everybody wanted to know how 1 man
aged to do 1t.
all could do.
Next morning found out how l
had become such clever reporter.
The secretary had been waiting for Il
western representative OF the majority
stockholders. His last name happened
10 be the same as mine, and when
my card was brought in the secretary
made {, very natural mistake.
Mad as he was, he retained his in
tellect sufficiently to realize that the
joke was on him, and he saw to it
THAT l got a good story for the second
day ON condition that kept the true
story OF his mistake to myself. ! was
only too glad to do that, YOU may be
sure.
my story except that 1t was the first
link in a chain of wonderful luck.
l found myself so respected a MEM
Der of the staff that l seized the op-
portunitS 10 get ten days off to go
trout f1Shlng, and Went 10 one OIL thoSe
queer little places in Connecticut with
Il Biblical name. Lets call ii kedron
That's pretty close.
l fished for about Il week With only
fair success. one evening one oil the
villagers suggested to ME that ought
to arrange With Hiram Burt to take
me out, because he knew every trout
by name. Hi, said the villager, he
a week ever sence he was a boy. Some
of the best holes is right by his farm. y
Armed With a lantern ! started to
Hiram Burts farm reached the
place all right, and saw :: light in a
window; but before could get 10 the
house 1 ran against fence.
couldn't find the door till had
.earched good while. and when !
finally reached it, ! saw man look out
for a moment and then disappear. The
next instant the light in the house
went out. / Knocked. but there was no
answer Kicked the door but 1t didn't
do any good looked i'm through u
window and was sure that ] could see
a man in the dark room. So made up
my mind that Hiram Burt was either
crazy or afraid of robbers, and start
ed back, getting lost again among the
outbu1ldings of the farm, which was
Il big one.
Next day fislled mp the brook, in
tending to work up TO the farm and
try Hiram again There was lots of
tough underbruSh and had to- go quite
distance along the edge of the farm
before ] found am opening. Then l
asked hired man for the owner, and
he siouched to the house, only To re-
appear with The message that The boss
was sick.
tished all the WAY up the brook hen
! and got a fair lot of trout. IL Was
late when l worked back again. and
thought it most convenient 70 81
through the gap and pass through tbs
farm to get back TO the village. Il
was bright moonlight. and again saw
I, light IN the house; and again IL went
out as ! passed. Looking back, was
sure tHat a man WAS peerlng out ot
an upper window at me. But was
too hungry 70 waste much Tune Won
derinS over MI Hlram Burts ldlosNn-
CRASHES.
Next morning got telesram order