The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1915-07-08
AREPORTER'S HEART

"Have a snap for you tonight. Joe:
they got the sheriff's son around at the
city lookup for booze-fghting. Carter
will be tickled to death to put you next.
It'll be so easy that it'll look like SIN TO
take money for it. " 49,,
In the free and-easy vernacular of the
Daily Bullseye, City Editor Alertte thus
directed Joe Garvln, reporter, anent his
last assignment for the night. 1t was
only matter of four blocks over to the
station, where Night Sergeant Carter
was waiting to be interviewed about his
latest subject, having just telephoned
the Bullseye skeleton outline, and sug-
gested the sending of reporter.
There was the same high regard be-
tween the sheriff of Cantabury county
and the police authorities of the town as
exists between two South American re-
putlics in the fighting season. There
had been a number of controversies Of
late over the jurisdiction of certain I'M
portant prisoners, the police claiming
them by virtue of having caught them,
and the sheriff insisting they were his
because he had worked up the location.
In the contest over the reward the sheriff
had won, and the police were waiting to
play even. They knew the weakness of
the sheriff son, and with patience await
ed the hour. Tonight they caught him
staggering on the streets, and the patrol
wagon did the rest.
Sheriff Buck Edwards political faith
differed from that of the Bullseye, SO he
and his were legitimate prey. :.
"We'll want about column, Joe, -"
said the editor, "and dress him up in cap
and bells. 'Sheriff's Boy in Jail ought
to make fair headline, eh?'
''Or Bucks Billy Behind the Bars, y
suggested the reporter with grin.
Good! l like yours better. Now
scoot."
AS the "old man. said, it looked like
easy money. All he had to do would be
to appear in the police station and the
sergeant would furnish the story JOY
fully. The other daiies IN Cantabury
were evening papers, and as they We're
friendly to the sheriff they would likely
pass over the fall of his soc lightly. So
Garvin had clear right-o and the
subject was one that promised to attract
attention, the supreme element sought
by the ambitious newsman. He knew
they'd even throw out telegraph to make
room for story OF this KIND, II the
eXigency demanded.
Garvin looked upon his profession IN
much the same spirit soldier regarded
his. To fail in securing what you went
after was a crime. In his school he had
been taught there was no such thing as
good excuse Hence he rarely fell
down, and in the Bullseye Office he was
called "The Messenger to Garcia. -
Having lost his parents in early life, and
having had scant time for church or
education, Garvin sought by iron discl-
pline to acquire such information as was
essential to mis- business, and to employ
his every talent along that line alone.
He was seldom embarrassed by any
moral code when 1t ran counter to or
ders, or duty to the paper. Yet his hab-
its were as pure and simple as those OF a
Carmelite nun. But here again was sell
fishness-they were so that he might
rise the surer on the stern path he had
planned out ahead.
Personally, Garvin was not wonder.
Nc man would have given him job on
his looks, unless his sight were defec-
tive. He was long, attenuated and I'M
calmly. Besides he had a mouth which
threatened famine in the land where
he lived, and his ears seemed construct
ed to retard motion unless the wind were
going his way. But the eyes were sharp
and bright, as if nature having relented
did kindly turn at the last, and made a
solitary attractive feature.
Carter extended the glad hand. and
began to tell how it happened. The
watch had run afoul of "little Billy, "
the sherlff's son, as he was leaving the
Crystal Palace" blind, staggering
drunk. in the sight of hundreds. The
sheriff was out of town and the prisoner
would have to spend the night in the
lookup; ought to make a good story
yes?
Joe thought so, and he asked to be
shown the "malefactor. The sergeant
promptly reached for a hand lantern and
led the way through the black corridor.
At the far end he noisily threw lock
back and opened an iron door. Then
holding the light up he said, exultingly
Its him, all right
On the iron cot was dark-eyed boy,
with a deathly pale face, the result of
his debauch. The features were small
and regular, almost like woman's. 1t
seemed strangely homogeneous that such
fair face should rest amid the gloomy
lattice work of rusty bars and ponderous
bolts. The breathing of the sleeper was
quiet and regular, as though he were in
the sanctuary OF MS own Well-kepC room.
"Motherv"
The one word, whispered with loving
tenderness, escaped his lips, as if she
might be bending over him. Joe shud.
dered, he knew not why, but 1t was be-
cause he mad never heard the word ut
tered in that way. In his system of
philosophy no element Of love had ever
figured, save as matter of ridicula fol
use in an elopement, breach of promise
action or a divorce case. 1t was {
mockery-a jest. But this. All! This
was different.
Does she know" he asked the ser
geant.
mot much" replied the officer, grim
ly; think | want her cavorting aroune
here? The first she'll know about it il
when she reads the Bullseye in the
morning"
Then she won't know at ALL, sale
Garvin, and his long lips came together
and frightened out. "Look here, Garter
let me take that lad home"
"W hiatt"
"You heard me-" said the tall news
man, suddenly aroused to action. What
the good of warning on women and kids?'
"You talk like wild man, Joe," sail
the sergeant, angrily; you've forgotten
the dirty mean trick Edwards played u
on that reward"
"No haven't - said the renorter