The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1909-07-24

marched out through the erOoked han
into the composing-room. without
further remarks. The telegraph man.
who went shesd, felt the cold wind
blowing out Of that revolver on the
back Of his neck every step, and be
wasn't in the mood for frivolous con-
versation. The only remark made by
the stranger was to the effect that he
was damned If he didn't believe he'd
shoot him anyway; which the tele-
graph man was prsysrfully pleased to
consider a selfish and Improbable
jest.
The procession passed into the
stale tobacco smoke of the jet-black
and deserted eomposing-room. and
halted while the telegraph man turned
on the electric light. It then passed
on again to the speaking-tube TO the
pressroom. where the telegraph man
carefully explained that he was free
from guile in calling up the people
downstairs, because the press always
had to be stopped when a correction
was made. The stranger said nothing,
but poked the end OF the tunnel into
the cerebellum Of the telegraph man
with great eloquence. Then the tels-
graph man rang the electric bell.
Hello" he said to the head stereo-
typer, you'll have to have them stop
the press aud put on another page"
II was AIS o'clock. The language
Of the head stersotyper was unparlia-
mentary In the extreme. What was
the use, he argued, at this time Of
morning.
IT'S a correction. I've Just got to
make it," said the telegraph editor,
feeling the ring of the revolver barrel
crowded into the back OF his head.
Really I've got to, it's very impor.
tant."
The head ~stereotyper appreciated
the necessity of a very important cor.
r%ection, though his tone of voice didn't
indicate it.
We'll, get a gait on you" he said,
among other things, "it'll only be in
the city anyway"
Downstairs the rafting OF the big
press diminished and stopped.
The procession in the composing
room formed again and marched to
the switch that turned on the current
to the dynamo, and the gearing Of the
type-setting machines started up. The
performance occupied some eras for
the telegraph man, bat at last it was
done.
Then the procession formed again
and went over and took a proof on the
proof machine. II wasn't a very artis.
tic piece Of printing that appeared,
but, as the telegraph man reminded
his chief pro TEN, It was his 1rat at.
tempt and you couldn't expect too
much. His chief finally passed it. But
he was particular about its position,
Il want that where everybody's
goin' to see It," he said. Nov,
where's the place your boss puts what
he writss?"
The telegraph man murmured 1t was
the editorial page, and the stranger
said that was what he wanted.
So the editorial form was hauled
out, and the correction went in at the
head of the first column In double
leads. The telegraph man jabbed out
a small editorial on the foreign ques
ton to make a place for 1t, hammered
down the page as level as he could.
screwed II up and sent 1t down the
form elevator.
When they heard the press starting
up again, the telegraph man ex-
planned that the correction was made.
But the stranger intimated that he
did his business in a more thorough
manner.
when do l see the paperf" he
asked.
why II you want to, you can see II
right now. Just let me go down after
it. I'd be very glad to get it for YOU
said the telegraph man, starting fol
the stairway Immediately, in his
anxious effort to obligs.
ooh, no you don't" said the stranger
The telegraph man didn't.
Amt there any other way TO gel
that paper up heref" asked the former
with a meaning flourish Of his re
volver.
"Well-yss-thers Is. They car
send II up by the pneumatic tube IL
the news room, l guess" admitted thu
editor.
This idea being satisfactory, an ad
iournment was made to Vie news room
and the paper was called for down th'
speaking.tube. 1t came up immediate
ly. fresh and warm from the press.
Surprising" said the telegraph mai
to himself, with horror, that eorrec
ton doesn't satisfy him now"
But, fortunately, the contributor wa
very much satisfied with his appear
ance In print. He read Il over himsel
|, first, and then invited the TELEGRAPH
man to read It aloud in order that h
might get the general effect. Tn
telegraph mans ~slocution wasn't yer,
artistic; in fact, he found some dif
Guilty in reading at all, but apparentl,
It delighted the stranger, for he en-
cored continually. Indeed, the tells
graph man had houndered througI