Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1915-11-04

Horace B~lagden's wonderful gift to the
City to write up" That, in itself,
enough to bring out all that was
in him for n day. ust as he waa
comfortably well under way on the
Job-and long before his first drink OF
the day-came those staggering de-
velopments at the court house. Before
he could turn round. it seemed to him.
the cry went up hat Adam Carr, the
celebrated detective, had been foully
assassinated. From that time on
Joseph did nothing but urn around;
he fairly whirled. The cub reporter
ran up and down stairs so often that
y got to be a habit with him, and he
couldn't stop. Two amiable n re-
sourceful tramp printers. loafing in
the composing room, came to the res
cue. They went out and gathered up
the stray ends Of the news, put them
together, and set type so rapidly and
at such length that Joseph never
quite recovered from his surprise and
qualification. They lifted" ads with
out discrimination and substituted live
reading natter" they chopped OUT
gality that cost Joseph as much as $40
in trade" they got the news and
they printed the news; they trans
formed the Courier into a sickening
mass of typographical errors-for no
one was there to read proof on them
bul lfiey turned out a SCarenead'
journal that Corinth never quite got
over talking about.
After it was all over, they drew
their pay-a staggering lot of ems
they had set, by the way-and proceed
ed to get luXuriously tight" landing
in gaol before midnight, Which pro-
duced another sensation for the cub
reported the next day. 1t was the
cub reporters practice to make long
visits in the town hall daily, between
trains. because it was cool there in
the summer time and warm in the
winter. Generally O could catch
him mapping there.
on this memorable day was not writ
ten by Mr.. Cooper. 1t was in the
shape of a proclamation, and it was
written and signed by Horace Blag-
den in his private room at the bank.
1t crowded out the magnificent edi-
Cooper to reflect, in an anticipatory
sort OF way, the %boundless gratitude
Of the people who were to be benefited
by the princely gift Of Mr.. Blagden,
exclusive mention Of which may b.
found In another column of his
issue"
This signed statement of Horace
Blagden was more remarkable than
anything that had ever appeared In
the Courier. 1t may be set forth here
in few words, although it covered
more than an entire column of the
newspaper.
The father of Chetwynd Blagden
too this means of announcing to the
world that he held Eric Midthorne alb
solutely blameless!
Moreover, he went on to say that he
considered the taking off of his son TIC
be the act of a just, all-wise Provi-
dence, whose ways, though strange
and inScr11tah1o hrirO poir or1x, r.,
him who seeks to dispute them" He
declared, in no half-hearted terms,
that he would stand at his unhappy
nephew's side during the trial tina
was to come, not as prosecutor but
as defender, and thai through him. the
father, the spirit of Chetwynd Blag-
den would rise to proclaim the inno-
cence of the self-accused. 1t was his
prayer that the case might be brought
to trial without delay, and that JUS
tice might be appeased in the speedy
acquittal of my beloved nephew,
Eric Midthorne."
The name of Adam Carr was not
mentioned.
In another column, however, APP
peared the news of Mr.. Cars illness.
The one great feature of the story was
missing, however. for the simple season
that 1t did not come to light.
Mary Midthorne prevailed. She was
at the Payson cottage when the polite
printer appeared, in eager pursuit Of
the news. If he was disappointed to
learn that there had been no assassina-
ton, he was careful to conceal the
fact. In truth, he admitted cheerfully
that he was blamed glad of it," they
were SO hard pressed for time and room
up at the Courier office. Mary kept
John Payson from revealing more of
the truth than was necessary concern
ing Adam Carr. The perspiring printer
went away directly, in possession Of
everything except the sensation in
| volved.
why should you tell it to the
world?" argued Mary, confronting Pay
son and his foster mother in the kitchen,
whittier they had fled leaving the un-
suspecting doctor to tell what he knew
70 the interviewer. He doesn't ack-
nowledge you as his son, why should
you a he is your father? Just four
people know the truth, John. 1t has
been a secret held by two people for
more than 80 years. Why can't we
keep it to the very end? Just you and
l and Mrs. Payson. He will never
| speak,"
Payson agreed to this, with the
single provision that in due time Eric
should be told.
(COntinued next weekly