Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-28
"CoRRY. but there's nothing doingr'

Dut tnere nOtHink uoinBs
~ The city editors tone was final But
the young man who had just applied for
work 'as reporter stl!l fingered.
Il understand Mr. Grimshaw Is In Eu-
rope" he said "or else should have Sp-
piled TO him."
See here, young man." said the city
editor. Young Mr.. Grimshaw is a young
cub who knows about as much OF running
newspaper as that desk does He's in
Europe, squanderlng his fathers money
money that we're making for him. ] am
the News Sentinel and what say goes.
There's no job for you here"
The young man smiled That's the sort
OF talk every editor puts up" he said. Il
want to be reporter, and want to learn
the business. Let me come in and sit
around and wait for an assignment"
All right, you can come in every day
and sit around till you're blue in the face"
replied the city editor. Come right in
| now"
The young man followed him into the big
| room and took his place on a chair. At IL
| o'clock he went out for his lunch At I
| In the afternoon he was back. He stayed
| TIL and then went away. Nobody took
the least notice of him.
For nearly a month he repeated this pro-
| cedure. but he never got an assignment, nor
| did the city editor seem TO recognize his
! presence. Wistfully he watched other re-
| porters get assignments. and once. when
| there was nobody in the room to go after
| piece of news. Mr. Lakes eyes fell upon
| him thoughtfully, but he did not call on
| nm During his month the young man
| had learned many things. He had learned
that Mr., Lake was the best city editor in
| town; also that he was possessed of a ma
| lgnant and diabolical humor, which had
| led MIN to encourage the young applicant
| deliberately. in order to triumph in his
eventual discontinue
Lake was also a brute The young man
had seen q reporter fired without mo-
! ments notice for a mistake on Lakes part
| lie saw little Miss Norris, the telephone
girl hauled over the Goals daily. Miss Nor
ris stood in fear of Lake and. oddly enough
she and the young man used to exchange
pathetic glances whenever any uproar oc-
Cured in the office. Although they had
| not spoken there was established regular
telepathic communication between them.
one day they met in the lunchroom. and
he was emboldened to speak to her. They
drifted into conversation.
| I'D leave in a minute she said "only
I've got my sister to take care Of. and one
! can't get ahead in this game. Besides, the
newspaper work gets into ones blood some-
| how"
why don't you speak back to the
brute?' he asked.
She shrugged her shoulders. They're
all as bad" she answered "and I dom
want to have to hustle round the newspaper
| offices for another position now Elsa hac
an operation last month and | have to pay
five a week TO the doctor"
The young man left her at the office doo
with the impression that he had met a gir
in the world in whom he could take al
| interest They met often in the DAYS tina
followed. Under her levity he discovered
good deal of seriousness. She
mask with which to look upon the world!
battlefield and when the day was over sh'
became herself again. He called at the lit
Tie nat and saw the sister. Eist recovering
from her serious illness. He was fast drift
! ing into love for her, and he believed tina
his feeling was returned.
Az the Office he was learning many things
Having become accepted as a part of tn
establishment, he used his opportunity Z
discover the workings of the newspaper bust
ness. He made friends with the printer,
, , and went into the shop. All the while LAX
seemed unconscious of his presence secretl.
he was wondering how long the young maj
would hold out and whether he could affort
TO spend his days there forever.
The young man made acquaintance will
, two or three of the reporters.
You're on the wrong tack" they tolt
, him. Anybody but Lake would have givei
you an assignment weeks ago But it,
his way; he'll never give in He wants (,
show you that you can't rush him. Give up
boy"
He didn't give up He came in regularl,
until three months had passed. Lake wa
beginning to be annoyed. He had not reck
onod OF this He was on the point of order
ing him out of the Office: but to do tina
would be confession of defeat. And thei
something happened that put an end to tn,
situation.
The young man entered the Office on,
morning to find everything in an uproar
| rival daily had beaten the News Sen
tine! with a big story and two men had
been dismissed in consequence. II was no
their fault but Lakes discipline was mercl
less.
And he had jumped on Miss Norris mer.
cilessly over a telephone message which
he declared her to have delivered wrong
Now, as 1t happened, the young man had
heard Lake give the message.
fprxy rd Jicu LaI;,