Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1916-02-24
CHAPTER |.

of sleep to which man clings after
a wearying day before.
l dug my head into the pillow half
consciously and sought escope from
the annoyance, but l didn't escape.
Instead / became aware that the
shrill Sound was of very material
origin, and emanated from that mod
ern rest-disturber, the telephone.
1t was, in fact, broad daylight, and
the noisy bell was filling all my room
with it's shrieking clamor. l sat up
and reached for the thing.
Even as l did so l wondered what
could have happened that was be-
ing reused thus early. wasn't due
at the office for at least a couple of
hours, and l hadn't left until two
this same morning.
smothered an imprecation as the
bell took another spasm, and lifted
the receiver to my ear.
"Hello!" l yelled, none too cor
daily. Then l forgot the crouch.
| NSttllltlSOU NOlCe CiillG W ONSl
the wire.
"Glace Grab taxi and get out
to the residence of Anthony Conrad
as quick as you can. There's a muir
der and suicide story breaking there.
Davidson just called me from the CEN
tral station, and / told him I'd have
you cover the story Beat it, SOM"
His receiver clicked up without Civ
ing me chance to ask a question.
l slammed the phone back on its
stand, jiggled the hook, and called
taXi-stand for cab; then / reached
for my clothes.
My sleepiness had left me, driven
clear from my eyes by that peculiar
something which makes newspaper
men resemble the trained hound.
Give us a fresh scent and we'll fol-
low the lead till we drop; the desire
to be in at the death" to clear up the
mystery if there is one, to win a good
story, and score a scoop if possible,
finally becomes almost an obsession.
i The voice of my city editor, de-
claring that a story was breaking"
made me forget that / was weary,
sleepy, and angry at being walked.
Instead | FASTENED my dressing in
every possible way, and was outside
on the curb when the taxi drew up.
went aboard before the driver
stopped and flung him the address,
with an admonition for speed.
Then | settled down and lighted n
cigarette in lieu of breakfast, and
thought over what | knew about An
, thony Conrad.
He was retired broker, reputcdiy
very wealthy, and lived on park Drive
; our most fashionable residence street,
in great mansion set in beautiful
grounds. A popularity of this house
was that it was spread over an i'm
mense ground area, and was only one
: story in height.
| | had heard that this was owing
to the fact that in her last years
Conrad's wife had been practically an
: invalid, and that he had built all on
one floor for her greater convience.
: Now, however, she was dead, and
: her husband dwelt alone in the place
save for his man and his mans wife,
| who acted as house keeper, and the
servants; and also the son of broth
er, who acted in the capacity of sec
E retary to his uncle, and looked out
for such business interests as he still
kept up.
/ This nephews name was, as | re-
member, Gustave, and so far as was
reputed, he was very decent sort OF
9 young fellow, popular in the younger
e society set, and recently engaged to
/, the daughter of one of our promi-
nent bankers.
D Such, in brief, was all could recall
e as / smoked out my cigarette and
= waited for the cab to get me to my
destination.
The cab turned at right angles into
Park Drive. Glancing out of the win
n dow the tall pile of the Urania Build
a ing swept into my range of vision.
S thought of Semi Dual, and l smil-
/ ed.
t Here was l once more in my re,
e portorial capacity, rushing toward the
a scene of human passions let loose.
n No doubt my strange friend was
S even now rising from his rest an6
y donning his loose robes of purple anC
S white, perhaps breakfasting in his
:. frugal style of cakes and fruit an6
: milk, oddly simple fare for one who
t dwelt in the midst of luxury.
: For Dult dwelt on the roof of the
: Urania, where he had arranged quar-,