The daily silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1903-1907, 1906-03-10
The Little Reporter


palace to present a monster petition
In the Office Of the Fatherland the
managing editor sat alone. The night
force had not yet reported for 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 editori" he asked.
Yes, sonny. What can | do foi
you"
II 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 troops?"
1.-The Little Father will not let his
soldiers fire ON his people"
Sonny, the people are deceived. This
time tomorrow our streets will be
drenched with blood"
"well. my mother needs food. and |
must make ii for her any way | al
Shall | march with the petitioners to
morrow and send you copy"
You have worked in a newspaper OF
fee before"
yes"
"Come around in the morning. and |
may find work for you to do In the of.
fee"
The next day the naine Ivan Ivano-
vich was entered OH 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 here.'' snarled the editor.
Am l 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 a 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 ~Ivanovich. He had
taken a pencil and paper and, leaving
the Office without permission. hurried
away to ill the gap left open by the
n-onappearance OF the reporters. On
marched the people. unopposed for a
time, but presently q row OF bristling
bayonets appeared In the distance. and
an officer was sent to order the petit
toners to halt.
I'VE are going to see the Little Fa-
Their" 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. WON
On 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 q boy about Lis
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 VIII fire with ball cartridges"
Hold on a bit" said Ivan, and he
wrote a few more words. There it
u.s." 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 a sound of many ex-
plosions, and a moment later the crowd
where the boy stood looked like the
edge of a field OF grass over which the
.1rst sweep of a scythe had passed.
Half nm hour later a surgeon took
hold OF the limp figure of a boy and,
holding him up, asked:
Are you hurt?"
"Yes, l am. l fear | shall not be able
to get my copy In to the office.
haven't even written 1t out"
Never mind your copy. II | can
save you
"You can't, and since you can't you
might save my copy for me-"
The surgeon looked at the boy In
amazement.
1--WE sen an account of the march