Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1918-02-22

"Any mail?" asked. picking up the
Sentinel beside my plate.
II present note of writing given by
boy In buttons" responded the Jap,
passing me an envelope. It was from
the Sentinels city editor. ! swore as
! tore 1t open and read:
Dear Gilly:
Give us another week or ten days
on st. Dunstan murder. II looks like
q big story. Come out OF your trance.
Edwards"
found the story on the front page
Of the Sentinel, brief because of its
late discovery. but conspicuous with
black-face type. my own name fea-
ture. After breakfast left word by
telephone for Edwards that under no
conditions would undertake the mys-
terry, and I was through with news
paper work forever, then put the mat
ter out of my mind and went about
my business of finding q meaLticket
substitute for the office.
Although I had resigned suddenly,
my reason for 1t was ten years old. /
was forty. and thirty IL the old-age
limit for newsgetters. ! had improved
not bit professionally In a decade,
and l wasn't fool enough to think
had. The natural gain in faculty was
Offset by lack Of interest, enthusiasm,
and energy, vital necessities In the
game, and the ardent desire of my ear
Her years to shoulder difficulties, had
been succeeded by q tendency to
shirk.
Boys whom had started In the race
were passing me. for my race had
been run. was old Father Time,
gray-whiskered and baldheaded, in the
young mans game Of gathering news,
and there was no other part of news
paper-making that interested me.
Although had no definite prospect
of employment, had an idea of what
wanted to do, an inheritance from
my first years as a reporter. The
waterfront detail, as they call the long
news-beat from Fisherman's wharf
on North Beach to the Islais Creek in
let, in San Francisco, had been one OF
earliest assignments, and it's romance,
its salt breexes and tarred doors had
persisted.
presume have q Viking ancestor
somewhere in the roots of my family
tree, for l never recovered from my
desire for sea-faring life. intended
to try for employment that would ne
cessitate occasional sea voyages;
something connected with shipping.
knew Thurston, of the Thurston
Line. running fleet of coasters to
Mexican and South American ports,
having met him frequently in pro
fessional way. and l made him my
first objective in the search for Job.
They let me into his private Office
without difficulties, and he greeted me
cheerfully.
you're breaking into the news col
umns yourself, Gilmore" he cried, af.
ter his Hello"
THAT st. Dunstan affair? Yes;
found the body. / came to ask you
about"
Excuse me. Have they identified
her YETI" $1,000 .---.-.. /.
II don't know. have quit the Sen
tinel and newspaper work. so am not
interested. called, Mr.. Thurston-"
Quit the Sentinel? And story like
this murder right under your very
nose! What you mean, Gilmore|
was annoyed. had not come
tbara IN d;ec,,ss The O. D,,oat.c oo,o
but as was in the way of asking fav-
ors. could not be peevish. explain
ed my reasons for resigning, and gave
him details SO far as / had them of
the mystery, answering his keen Ques-
tons. Then ! stated the reason for
my visit.
"Mr. Thurston," began, IL am look
ing for position with some shipping
concern giving me opportunity for
travel"
ANY experiencer
1--WE journeyed as far as Los An.
geles-once," smiled. Il have also
crossed the bay frequently on the fer
riesp
"Old Salt!" chuckled Thurston.
-"Deep-water sailor!"
Il have what is valuable in any
business. the efficiency Of newspaper
training where results are all that
counts, where close observation and
trained deduction are essentials; al
SO know the names and tonnage OF
almost every ship that comes through
the heads. II has been my pet hob
by, ships and shipping, and my spare
time has been spent on the docks and
in the engine rooms and forcastles of
boats. I probably know more about
the mechanism Of ship than most
seamen."
Thurston drew his gray brows into
a frown of concentration.
why don't you become an efficiency
expert p he said finally. SHOW US old
boys how to run a steamship line eco
nomically. Every other business has
the pests-why not ours?"
do you need one?" asked quickly.
mot on your life! Not mel"
Il laughed. Il suppose there are
others in the business with the same