The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-10-01

patch W." IW
In the part of
the country where the Dispatch wat
printed silence could discount truth
| as a virtue It made no difference
what man might know-it was what
he said that got him into trouble. But
how was it possible to print the news
without saying something, and was 1,
likely that one could keep on saying
something without treading upon the
corns Of an occasional truth? So, up.
on taking charge Of the paper she
could not help but feel a certain re-
sponsibility not to say anxiety. She
| could not herself slop around In all
sorts of weather and get the news OF
/ course she could edit the paper-any
| one could do that. as nine-tenths of
the politicians in the district were
ready to swear; but any one would
not dare to gather the news. While sit.
ting at her desk, the first morning
after taking active control she heard
cough. and looking up saw standing
near her thing that looked like a
yellow ghost She stared at it, not
over frightened, having taken a whirl
at the medical course at school and
asked what was wanted. The man
it was a man bowed and said that
he had come to offer his services as
city editor And the idea that it would
be well to employ him occurred to
her. No one could have the heart to
murder that skeleton So, she hired
him.
Miss I.elane opened an envelope and
took out communication. 1t told Of
desperate fight that had just oc-
Cured in the hills A young man
named Ralph Hicks had killed. in a
fair fight, six ruffians who had pro.
voked quarrel with him The deed
was full of valor that it was good
thing to print and she printed it. A
few days later she received another
communication from a fellow named
Holt Smith, giving another account Of
the valiant Ralph Hicks. This time q
desperate known as the Swamp An.
gel had met him at country store,
In neighborhood where the Angel
was owner Of all he surveyed and he
was pretty active surveyor Hicks
was affable and inclined to be con.
cliatory. but the Angel said that he
wasn't feeling very we'll having Just
got up from shake down OF chills
and fever, and he thought that little
fresh blood was about what he need
ed. Hicks asked him if doctor had
given him that sort Of prescription,
and the Angel lowed that he had,
and Hicks shot the Angel between the
eyes and the coroner declared that 1t
was good shot This was also print.
ed.
The skeleton would, once in a while
bring in a piece of news No one
thought of killing him, yet they made
1t inconvenient. One man hit him
with mallet and dislocated his hip.
and laid him up for day or two, and
another fellow knocked him down,
Just to hear him rattle, but otherwise
no damage was done. Still his posi-
ton was often embarrassing. So he
said that he believed he would re-
sign. Lelane urged him to remain
day or two longer. till she could find
another skeleton, or some other phys.
ical unfortunate, immuned against at.
tack. He said that he was willing
Two days later the skeleton came in,
limping. and said that his other hip
had been dislocated and that It was
now time for him to 60 She paid
him of and he went out. At this mo-
ment there entered tall. handsome
fellow with black. ripping hair. She
smiled and asked him to be seated
Was 1t possible that so fine a man
had come to look for death. He
smiled at her Il understand YOUR
situation. said he, "and | am deter.
mined to help YOU. have had con.
siderable experience in this sort of
work My name is Ralph Hicks"
She seized his hand He was the
one mar who could dare to print the
news And she engaged him.
The people We're astonished to read
that Ralph Hicks had taken the news
end of the Dispatch He printed a
card In which he said: 81 want II un.
derstood that | am going to print the
news"
And he did There were mutterip
and scowlings, but nothing serior
happened.
Lelane was happy in her work, for
her paper was prosperous. One night
they were sitting alone in the editor.
ial room, Ralph had ceased to write
and was musing Suddenly he got I'D.
walked over to Lelane's desk. ard
without embarrassing prellminaries,
said, 81 love you and beg of you to be
my wife"
"Oh," was all she answered at that
time, but sweet understanding come
to them.