The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1913-12-13
Daily Short Story
An Amazing Rescue

The rattle and drone OF the COM
planning typewriter ceased. II was a
sorry machine. OF type long since
obsolete. Mueller had been able TO get
II for mere song because the top OF
the n and the bottom OF the "g''
We're missing. But despite its dis
crepancies as to type and It's vagaries
as TO alignment and spacing, il was
the pride OF tbs owners simple heart.
he layished Upon IL a care that was
almost ridiculous: he oiled its wab-
Oily bearings and cleaned its cracked
case. his work for the day was I'm
ished, he drew over IL a faded denim
cover, tucking II up with a much ten
oerness as mother would have
SHOWN In putting child 10 bed
Mueller rose from his chair.
stretched MS stiffsned limbs. and
mopped his wrinkled German face
with a handkerchief OF ample propor.
lions. He gathered up and carefully
put IN numerical order the score OF
badly typewriter pages on the table.
Then he adjusted his green eyeshade
and glanced at the title The Last
Adventure OF Harwood Hicks" lie
folded the manuscript and heaved a
mighty sigh; To all intents HARDWOOD
mise had lot actually been chron-
icled; but the manuscript had left
MN hanging on trapeze beneath an
exploded balloon 5000 feet above the
earth. OF course. Harwood Hicks
was smiling sardonically. He always
smiled sardonically in the face OF
oanger; but II seemed glaringly evil
smile.
Mueller had intended TO put IL all
down graphically in blac kand white,
even 10 the terrible. sickening
crunching thud. when the body OF the
erStWhlle nero struck the unyielding
ron OF the rocky moore. Mueller
was distinctively prodigal with adj
jectives). Then il had seemed a most
excellent ending TO the diverse mis-
adventures OF Harwood Hicks TO
ledNe MN IN the predicament already
described. Surely. Mueller reasoned
even the dullest reader could imagine
what had subsequently happened
for nve weary years Mueller had
Deeh patiently waiting for the time 10
come when he could give this hero OF
romance his coup de grace Hidden
away on the top shelf OF Mueller's
cIoSet was the uncompleted manu-
script or his "Compedium OF the Ger
man man Poets. A publisher-not the
puoIlsher or Mueller's strenuous fic-
ton. you may be sure-had assured
MN mat the work. N COMPLETED
would De a success and since that hap
py day his one aim in life had been
the publication of his compendium.
In the meantime. however. he must
I'VE, and to live meant to invent sur
prislng adventures and marvellous es-
capes for Harwood Hicks at two cents
per agate line. II was only by the
most systematic economy. which saw
yored OF martyrdom-the foregoing OF
his daily glass OF beer. the substitution
or the cheaper tobacco for his favorite
I brand and the frequent patronizIng
o. neishboring soup kitchen-that
Mueller had at last saved $40 thai
would enable him 20 turn his thoughts
from his lurid fiction TO the compile
ton OF the manuscript on the top
shelf OF his closet
The early winter twilight was fall.
Ing when he donned his shabby over.
coat. and with the Last Adventure
In MS pocket went out into the frosty
air or the street. Reaching the office
Of his publisher he climber four flights
OF dingy stairs 10 the top floor. IL was
q dismal place he entered lltterine
with proof sheets and smelling OF
printer's ink and bezine The gas lets
in their wire cages fared a sickly vel
low. \ stout man, in his shirt sleeves.
rose fro mhis desk and took Nueller's
pronered manuscript lie ran ii over