Charlevoix county herald., 1914-09-26
The Devouring
Element
slENN11IN1 E1rI1sGN;

had pictured to himself when he had
planned TO work his way into lrtera-
ture and the authorship of best seller
by the interesting route OF newspaper
reporting He had thought he was 10
prowl through busy streets and
gloomy haunts on the lookout for
news, pencil and pad ready, his re-
porters' badge the open sesame to all
closed doors. Now he knew that he
could work only when tasks were as
signed. He spent long hours in the
office wishing for a chance. and right
ly guessing that the end of the week
meant his dismissal. He wasn't get
ting the swing, and the harder he
tried the less he accomplished. He
had written a runaway, an interview
with would-be politician, and a
drowning accident None of his stuff
mad seen print.
Thursday the office was short OF
men. Some of the best were out on a
murder, two were on a train wreck,
others were doing diamond robbery,
and still others Peoples absconding
cashier and the run on the bank.
1t was l o'clock when the city
editor called him. Here, Curtis, lard
boiled over in restaurant. Tenement
fire. Get there quick and get some
thing out of it. We go to press at 3.
Be lively" He handed him a slip of
paper with an address, and Bob
started.
There was a growl and snarl from
hn Do oriI int
the office at 2.30. Get to work!
Two sticks will be enough"
Bob threw himself down at a desk
and ratified the typewriter feverishly,
"H'm!" shifted a fellow reporter,
brought the whole smell OF the fire
with him And he threw open a
window. Five minutes, ten, and the
city editor came over to the desk and
snatched the paper from Bobs
hands.
Heavens! man, you aren't writing
message to Congress. Give it here.r
His swift eye ran down the type
written sheets. He went little more
slowly. Good stuff" he said once
The description of the fire was GER
tainly more than a schoolboy's COM
position. The adjectives were red hot
and so few they fairly stung when
they met one. The gathering crowd
shifted in the glare so one could see
significant features, the cry that man
in the sixth story had been forgotten
startled even a reader. Then came
story. A young spectator worked
mis- way under the firmen's rope, ran
UP the ladder, the chief had too much
sense to expect any of his men to at
tempt it to the window through which
flames roared as through the open
door of furnace. A cloud OF smoke
had hidden him when he was on the
first rounds; when it had blown to
one side it was too late to in
terfere.
He flung himself into the furnace,
and with groan the crowd saw him
go to death. But he appeared again,
and in his arms was a mass aflame
from head to foot Down the ladder
he took his way, hugging the blazing
burden until his own clothes caught
the flame Once he swayed, and be-
low they spread the life net, lest res
cuer and rescued fall But he kept
on until score of hands lifted the
blazing man from his arms, and beat
the fire from his own cloth IS. An
ambulance was called to take them
both to the hospital, but when it ar
rived the rescuer was gone. The
story ended abruptly. The heroism,
the vivid style of it's telling had
ct ta Ia,
Crankiness Who was it?r he cried.
"Of course you found out his name,
address and occupation? Hurry up!r
He didn't say" faltered Bob He
got away"
Got away? Great heavens, man,
did you expect that sort of fellow TO
hand out his card or offer himself for
an interview? The story's no good
without names. Get out You'd have
gone Saturday. anyway All you're
good for IS pink teas and the News
is paper for men and by men,"
Two or three reporters turned curl
ously, but II was time to go to press.
The city editor went back to his desk.
The rumble of the presses began. Bob
did not move. "Get!" cried the editor
sharply, without turning. Bob groan-
ed 1t was not customary for a cub
reporter to groan when he was dis
charged and the city man whirled on
him. Bob had slidden in his chair
half to the floor. Before the men
could get to him Times" reporter
rushed in. They say he wore
News badge. But we know your
men. Heavens, it was great! Is that
the fellow"
Bob had tainted. but near view OF
the hands, the hair and clothes told
its own story.
And he worked a typewriter with
those hands" groaned the editor
Then he yelled an order 70 stop the
presses. A dashing word or two on
Bobs pages gave the lacking name
and address, and also added the in