Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1910-02-17

in his true light was inter
rupted once more-this time by the Ell
trance of the greenish hued face of the
poet reporter. Powell.
You sent for me. sirY' asked the
new scribe.
$50 you've covered a suicide?' said
Brand.
"Powows" eyes rolled wildly. He
clasped his hands and his knees shook
in his horror at what he had learned.
"Oh. yessir-a terrible sight! | shall
dre-e-e-a-m of it. sir! 1t would take
Dante to write Of it. oh, p
What was this girls name?" asked
Brand in matter of fact tones.
Madeline"
Madeline whatY'
Her last name" the poet asked
dazedly. 81 guess don't remember.
Oh, yes, it was jerks Madeline
jerks" He spoke feverishly.
Brand picked up the poets first
newspaper story and began to read it.
in spite Of the high pressure of events
that night i'm the Advance office. in
spite Of his ever present fear that Bar
telmy and Dupuy might in some way
persuade Nolan to order the sensational
bribery story killed. this many sided
young man found the time 20 bother
with the fantastic young poet reporter
ard his fantastic first article.
Madeline jerks, eh?" commented
Brand, turning over the pages We'll,
the first place you mention her name
Is on page 3"
He plucked off the first two pages
and threw them on the door. Powell
WINGED painfully at the massacre of
his first reportorial offspring. Begin
there" said Brand. Powell lunged
pages, but Brand kicked them away
from him. "Whered she live?' he
next asked.
Powell clasped his hands and gazed
plaintively at the ceiling.
over a chop suey cafe, sir"
Number and street,
1.-TWO forty-three and a half West
Pearl street"
Brand threw away two more pages,
Powell watching him anxiously the
while.
Put that next. Here. Madeline
jerks" Brand began to write, IAN in
mate of 2431a West Pearl street. What
did she do?"
"She destroyed herself utterlyw the
new reporter walled.
Brand went on writing.
us she dead?"
Eyes, sir"
"Shot and killed herself-whenT
Tonight at 8 o'clock"
Brand wrote on.
Last night at o o'clock. Why"
Powell answered very intensely:
"Oh. she could no longer face the
ghastliness Of her existence. She knew
She
"She was weary of life in the
streets"
IL don't blame her." Brand COM
mented to himself. He turned to
Powell. There's your story. Thirty
words-you had 1900. And remember
the story Of the creation was told in
600 words
Powell picked up the pages of his
story which Brand had discarded and
walked dejectedly away.
Mac" Brand ordered, here's a
dance hall suicide. Put it with local
brevities, will you?"
Had Brand at this moment been able
to see through the wall that separated
the composing room from the hall he
would have witnessed sight that
would have deprived him of some OF
the self possession that marked his
present demeanor. A figure clad In an
elaborate evening gown crept softly
up the stairway. stood irresolutely at
the landing and then turned into the
managing EDITORS office. Judith Bar
telmy probably never looked more
beautiful In her life than she did that
night. A flush of excitement enhanced
the soft allurement Of her exquisite
features, and the low cut neck Of her
sleeveless gown completed picture
Of feminine loneliness that. innocently
enough on her part, was admirably
adapted to the purpose Judge Bartelmy
had in his unprincipled mind when he
sent her to the Advance Office. You
are my only hope" he had told her
after Dupuy had at first faIoed to To-
cate Nolan. You must go and plead
with Wheeler Brand or else I am
ruined Your father will be ruined alb
solutely." At the sight Of her fathers
emotion and yielding to the fervent
pleadings Of her only living parent
she had willingly consented to under
take the mission. Unpleasant though
she knew 1t would be. she believed 1t