The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1910-08-03
BY A. r. Groh

lJ0IllN y aSG ao I'LL 1N1ADs
BY A. r. Groh
John Geary whistled as he came
back to his case in the rear of the
Evening Clarion office with fresh
sheet of copy. A patch of after
noon sunshine came through the
dirty window and lay on the dusty
floor of the composing room. But
John Geary saw neither the dirt
on the window nor the dust on the
floor. He saw only the sunshine.
This was typical of his state of
mind at the time.
"Has she named the day YETI"
1t was Jeffries, the big red-head-
ed pressman who put the question
in mock seriousness but untire
good humor as John passed, John
smiled indulgently.
mot yet, Billy" he said.
When John Geary's eyes had
rested on Sally Morton, clerk at
the Bon Ton store, soon after his
arrival in the town, they fingered
upon her pretty face longer than
they had ever fingered on a
woman's face before. His first visit
to her home convinced him that he
had found the one of whom he had
dreamed. He began saving his
money. He had an object In life.
And he never felt anything but
pride when his companions
"jollied" him bit about Sally.
John was still smiling as he
mounted his high stool and laid
the copy down at the top of his
case with a slug for weight. He
took his stick and looked at the
first words. They were written
in the odd, cramped hand of old
Boggs, veteran reporter of the
Clarion, who knew every man,
woman, child and dog in town.
The smile faded from Johns face
as he read:
Cupid has been busy again
and this time he has shot one
of his arrows through the
heart of Miss Sallie Morton,
the well known and popular
saleslady in the Bon Ton
store. The lucky man Is Mr..
Caleb Squires, our prosperous
and gentlemanly grocer. The
young folks are trying to keep
the engagement a secret, but
the news leaked out, and now
congratulations will be in
order"
John found himself stupidity
holding the stick in his hand. The
first stunning blow had passed.
His mind was made up quickly.
He could never set up that fatal
paragraph. With an excuse that
he was sick, he went home. He
packed up his baggage.
1T was mid-afternoon when he
returned, heavy-footed and heavy
hearted, to the office to resign. Be-
fore him stretched only the old,
|object1ess life of wandering over
the face of the earth with no one
to care for him and no one for
him to care for.
I'm quitting, Mr.. Glover" he
said to the proprietor in the Of
flee.
The proprietor was loath to let
him go, for he had proven himself
Ia most competent man.
Quitting, Geary?" he asked in
surprise. why. what's wrong? 1
might give you raise. You're due
for it anyway. Stay with u.s."
mo, must be going. Guess
I've got the wanderlust."
John tried to put some cheer in
his voice, but it wasn't a great
success. Just then the door burst
open, and Boggs. putting and red
faced, rushed in.
Stop the press," he shouted.
THAT shrimp of Tompkins put
up job on me this morning. Gave
me story about Miss Morton
going to marry Caleb Squires.
Nothing in IT. All lie. Stop the
press!"
The office was all hustle and
confusion in a moment. Noise OF
loosening up the form mingled
with dire threats against
Tompkins. When the space occu-
pied by the item had been replaced
by a patent medicine ad, the pro-
|prietor returned to his desk.
I'm very sorry you're leaving,
Geary-" he began.
"Give me a piece of copy" said
John Geary as he pulled OFF his
coat. i've, decided to stay
SfaQRers SI<eDfies