The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-09-19
EVENING STORY
Accepting Assignments.

thru their usual thoro discussion
of the temperature as compared with
October evenings of former years.
Jeans brother Jack, who stood by the
| library table putting a cigarette.
picked up the Evening Argus and
/ looked carelessly over its four pages.
Gee, A deaf and dumb and blind
man could get up more news than this
paper prints was his sweeping criti-
| cism.
Well, isn't news a record of things
that happen?'' asked Jean.
Search me- laughed Jack. What
is news, anyway, Uncle At?''
| Il should say that news is record
of anything that has recently hap
pened," said Judge Atwood seriously,
'or of anything not before known, tho
it may have happened some time pre-
viously.'
Then I call it farce to try to
have newspaper in Marshton,' said
Jean.
| why, Jean" her mother mildly re-
| buked, Il consider that Mr.. Edwards
| gives us a very good paper with all
the leading events faithfully chroni-
cled."
| m not blaming Mr.. Edwards
mother; but if news is a record of
what happens. nobody could run
| good newspaper in a town where
nothing ever happens"
1
Jack, teasingly, lis to supply a bit of
| news yourself, SO that Marshton folks
might read at high noon TODAY two
prominent families were united when
Mr. Hiram Peabody led to Hymen's
altar Miss Jean Olivia CRANKY, the
| beautiful and accomplished"
| Jean Interrupted him with a con-
temptuous sniff, and he broke off with
this retort: Talk about the, incon-
slstency of woman, will you? You
srowl because the, Argus has no news
and then scorn the idea of supplying
1t. Jack dropped his head and shield
it. with his hands to ward off imag-
mary missiles as he passed Jean on
his way to the hall.
The thoughtless brother had given
lJean a suggestion which she thought
loYer all during the evening. The next
ktnsrnHg. she astonished Mr.. Archi-
bad Edwards by appearing in his
sanctum and asking for a Job as re-
porter on the Argus
why, Miss CRANKY, nothing would
please me more if it were practica BILE,
or even possible" stammered the sur.
prised editor. as he rose from his
roomy swivel chair and wiped his
steel trimmed spectacles.
Now, Mr.. Edwards, first let me
tell you what practical and possible
IN earnest. and she made a charming
picture in a trim blue cheviot suit and
la Highland cap with a bit of plaid
ribbon dangling from it. Her dark
eyes flashed and her color deepened
as she unfolded her plan, which was
to arouse the social and the civic
spirit of Marshton by persistent ap-
peal thru the Argus. There was to
be a column Headed, Its Up to You"
lanother headed How the Women
Can Help" and another, "Marshton's
Many Merits" There were to be fire.
quent articles to interest the children,
occasional reminiscent interviews
with older citizens and a general
write-up of the towns business en-
terprises.
Truly a promising plan,'' said Mr..
Edwards ''but it would be a gigantic
task to carry it out, and my office
force is small
But I'm asking you to increase 1t
by taking me on, said Jean, with a
winning smile, and an hour later Mr..
Edwards was unable to tell whether
1t was the bonnie smiles of the appli-
cant or the plauSibility of her plan
that had induced him to take her
en-
The plan worked so we'll that a
few weeks after Jean began her work
on the paper there were many evil
dences that Marshton was beginning
to shake off it's social and civic stag
nation. In the Argus office rushing
activity became the daily program in
all departments. The advertising col
CT new life, and the boiler-plate col
unns became only memory
On the same morning that the fore
mans wife telephoned the office OF
: | her husbands illness with the grip NJ Z.
Edwards had violent seizure of lum-
bago Jean faced the crisis bravely,
but she realized the impossibility OF
getting the paper out in any sort OF
shape with the two mainsprings of the
machinery missing. She remembered
| I'd
his nephew, now a reporter on city
daily, had been most promising all
? around newspaper worker when he
left the Argus office a few years be-
: fore Something had to be done quick
} ly, and Jean decided to telegraph fol
the nephew for there wasn't avail
able man in Marshton- She didn't
f even ask Mr.. Edwards advice. not
' wanting to add to his discomfort by
I letting him know that the foreman hat
2 ing the following message to Bert Ed
+ wards, in care of the Record-News:
1 Down with 1um bago. Foreman has
grip. Important issues delayed. Car
/ you help out a few days? Uncle
= George"
An hour later this reply to the mes.
s sage reached the office:
e ''Will arrive at p. m. and go direct
7 to Office Bert
edition should be out by 1, so JeaI
: rolled up the sleeves of her soft white
, shirt waist and for the next three
hours fluttered back and forth from
L editorial desk to composing and print
ing rooms. 1t was $50 when the frs
:: edition was out and there was not
| minute to be spared in getting it or
1.-THE outgoing trains to nearby towns
When Jean sat down at the desk tt
snatch a bit of lunch her cheeks were
| flushed and her hair was rum pied. bu
= she was fairly Satisfied with the day.
achievements so far. She was turning