Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-10-13

Yes, I'll 20 right away. You'd better
call papa up and tell him to como,
too"
az will, but you run along. Being the
minister's daughter, they'll let you
right up. They'll tell you all about 1t,
of course. Don't talk to anyone on the
way back. Come right to the once.
Don't stay any longer than you~ can
help, but get everything they will say
about It. and-er-comfort them as
much as you can"
"Yes-yes." Lark's face was
frightened. but arm. live never
gone to the houses much when-there
was trouble, Prudence and Fairy
have always done that. But OF course
it's. right, and I'm going. oh, do
wish l had been fonder of Maisie. I'll
go right away"
And she hurried away. still CULVER
ing, cold chill upon her. Three hours
later she returned to the ONCE, her
eyes dark circled, and red with weep
Ing. Mr.. Raider met Ter at the door.
did you see them?" l.
"Yes,' she said in low voice.
"They-they took me upstairs. and
She paused pitifully, the memory
strong upon her, for the woman, the
mother Of five children, two Of whom
had been struck down, had lain in
Lark's strong tender arms, and sobbed
out the ugly story.
did they tell you all about it?'
\, Eyes, they told me. They told me-. =
"Come on into my ONCE he said.
"You must write it up while it is fresh
in your mind. You'll do 1t better
while the feeling is on YOU"
Lark gazed at him stupidity. not
compromising.
write it up?" she repeated confus.
eddy.
Eyes, for the paper. How they look
ed. what they said, how 1t happened
everything. We want to scoop on 1t. .
But don't think they-would want
it told" Lark gasped.
ooh, probably not, but people want
to know about it. Don't you remember
what told you? The Press is pow
erful task master. He asks hard
duties of us, but we must obey. We've
got to give the people what they want.
There's a reporter down from Bur.
lington already, but he couldn't get
anything out of them. We've got q
clear scoop on it."
Lark glanced fearfully over her
shoulder. A huge menacing shadow
lowered black behind her. The
Press! She shuddered again
II can't write it up she faltered.
MRS. Daly-she- Oh, | held her in
my arms, Mr.. Raider, and kissed her,
and we cried all morning, and ! can't
write it up. IL am the minister
daughter, you know. l cant"
Nonsense, now, Lark" he said
'.be sensible. you needn't give all
the sob part. I'll touch it up for you.
Just write out what you saw, and
what they said, and Ill do the rest.
Run along now. Be sensible"
Lark glanced over her shoulder
again. The Press seemed tremen'
donsly big, leering at her, threatening
her, Lark gasped, sobbingly.
Then she sat down at Mr.. Raiders
desk, and drew a pad Of paper to-
ward her. For Ave minutes she sat
immovable, body tense, face stern
breathless. rigid. Mr.. Raider after
one curious, satisfied glance, slipped
out and closed the door softly after
him. He felt he could trust to the
newspaper instinct to get that story
out of her.
Finally Lark. despairingly, clutched
a pencil and wrote
Terrible Tragedy Of the Early Morn
ing.
DAILY Family Crushed With Sorrow.
Her mind passed rapidly back over
the story she had heard, the fathers
occasional wild outbursts of temper
the pitiful efforts of the family to
keep his weakness hidden, the insig
nificant alteration at the breakfast
table. the cry of the startled baby, and
then the sudden ungovernable fury
that dashed him. the two children!
Lark shuddered! She glanced over her
shoulder again. The fearful darn
shadow was very close, very terrible
ready to envelope her In It's smoth
ering depths. She sprang to her feet
and rushed out Of the ONCE. Mr.. Raid
er was in the doorway. She flung her
self upon him, crushing the paper In
his hand.
81 can't she cried, looking in ter
ror over her shoulder as she spoke. y
can't. l don't want to be newspaper
woman. l don't want any literary
career. am minister's daughter
Mr.. Raider, can't talk about peoples
troubles. l want to go home"
Mr.. Raider looked searchingly into
the white face, and noted the fright
ened eyes. There now" he sale
soothingly, never mind the DAILY
story. I'll cover it myself. l guess II
was too hard an assignment to begin
with. and you friend of the family
and all. Let it go. You stay at home
this afternoon. Come back tomor
row and I'll start you again. Maybe
was too hard on you today
II don't want to-" she cried, looking
back at the shadow. which seemed
somehow to have receded little q
don't want to be newspaper woman
/ think I'll be the other kind OF writ