The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1907-05-03
His Best Two Years.
BY JOHN L MATHEWS.

BYJoHN L MATHEWS.
1t was carnival time. The streets of
New Orleans were thronged with sight
seers seeking places of vantage from
which to view the parade of the Knights
of Menus.
Canal street, the central thoroughfare,
was brilliant with a myriad of electric
lights. Brightly illuminated troley-cars
filled the four tracks of the neutral strip,
and the grand stands which covered the
| sidewalk sheds were festooned with In
candescent lights. Laughter and song
were everywhere outdoors and every
moment the happy throng was increasd
J by new arrivals.
| But in the office of the World-Demo-
crat was neither gaiety nor brilliancy
At his desk the city editor ruefully con-
templated his assignment book, and tried
to imagine how, without hiring extra
help, he was to carry his paper through
the next few days to the elimination of
Mardi Gras without being badly
'scooped."
| Yet hiring more men was out of the
question, for the managing editor had
fatty refused his latest request to In
| crease the staff. He was alone in his
office, save for two copy readers, and on
his list were at least three assignments
that should be covered.
The door opened and slender youth
of nineteen, with valise in his hand,
entered, and stepped up to the desk.
Excuse me, are you the city editor?"
He spoke as quickly and as nervously as
he walked, but his voice had note of
unconquerable cheerfulness that made it
pleasant to hear. He sat down and leaned
| forward.
MY name is Thompson, Wilbur Henry
Thompson. Here is my card, sir. Let
me see-what did you say your name
was? Duncan? Thank you. Now, Mr.
Duncan, I've come down here to work
| for you. I've just come to town. You
give me an assignment right now, and
I'll leave my bag here and look up a
bunk after get through tonight"
Work for me?" exclaimed the amazed
editor. "Why, my boy, haven't any
work for you! L"
mo work for me?" interrupted the
visitor. "Why, Mr. Duncan, there's
always work for me to do! I'm one of
the best newspaper men you ever saw.
The fact Is, came down here especially
to work for you. No work for me?
Look on that assignment book and tell
me there's no work! Now come, give me
an assignment and let me start"
The city editor had fairly lost his
breath. Never in his career had he thus
been besought, nor had he ever before de-
clined a man whom he so much desired
at first sight to employ. But he had his
chiefs refusal fresh in mind.
I'm sorry, Mr.. Thompson" he said,
but have orders not to increase my
staff. l cannot take you"
rs that ALP" exclaimed the visitor.
see here Mr.. Duncan, l come from Leake
county, Mississippi. Ever been in Leake?
It's got more water. sir, than any other
county in the state. Yes, sir. You're
going to laugh. But it doesn't. Never
drop leaks out, sir. Now, Mr. Duncan
I've got consumption. I've got it bad.
The doctor up at Jackson says I've two
years to live if l take care of myself, but
can't be cured. When he told me that,
said to myself, Two years! What can
not man do in two years? Those shall
be the best two years of my life
I'm going to make them the best two
years, Mr.. Duncan. I'm a newspaper
man. Trained on Joe Carrots paper up
in Leake Hooked all over our exchanges
for the best Southern paper. That was
yours, sir. All right said. 1'll go
right down to New Orleans and work
for that paper That's why Pm here.
The best two years of my life, Mr..
Duncan. Do you realize what that
means? And I'm going to give them to
you. Now-now do you say you have
no work for me? Why, you can't drive
me away. I've got two years to give
you, and you must take them"
He spoke with eager impetuosity. His
rapid sentences moved the city editor.
He knew not what to say in reply, but
at last he answered.
"Well, Mr.. Thompson, haven't any
thing for you, but if you want to hang
on, you'd better go out and get room
somewhere and look in again.
Room? In New Orleans in carnival?
I'm not so rich, Mr. Duncan No, sir!
I'll just step down to the levee and en-
gage a berth on one of the excursion
boats for the night and leave my grip.
I'll be back"
Long after he was gone the city editor
leaned back in his chair and stared at the
door out of which the slender figure had
| vanished. In his ears still sounded the
cheerful voice, and he caught himself re-
peating, THE best two years of his
life"
| With newspaper an'squick instinct