The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-05-12

The howling darkness made the hustle and hustle of the big news paper seem doubly cheerful. Peo- pie stood about in the lobby talk ing. Elevators shot up and down the shafts. Messenger boys stalked back and forth, their rubber ponchos gleaming with melting sleet and from the lower floors of the paper came the rumbling of the presses. On the 18th floor the click of typewriters proclaimed the location of the editorial offices. At intervals the pounding of keys was punctuated by cries of "Copy!" as this reporter or that one hurried to make a deadline. The first edition was going to press in 10 minutes.
 Give me all the ad you've got on Janice French" Tom Ladd stuck his head out from the man. aging editors office and then drew 1t back just as suddenly.
 He could do more things at the same time than any juggler who'd ever spun plates at circus side show. Here was queer man with a singular career. It was inevita- ble that he would eventually land on newspaper. In his late sos with something of the hawk in his handsome face, he had been managing editor of the Gazette five years. Before that he'd been city editor and before that cable editor. He seldom talked about his early life, but it was known that he'd gone to Harvard and that he'd shipped as a sailor to the Orient the year he left college. He'd written for pubs, edited housewife's magazine Che never mentioned this) and once, when he was broke, composed menus for a physical culture restaurant. He'd also slept on park benches and stood in bread lines.
 Now he lived in bachelor apart ment on Lower Fifth avenue, drove a low-slung black roadster, and smoked a pipe. The newspaper game suited his adventurous phil osophy. He interested himself in it's functioning. He never tired of listen- ing to the fellows talk on the city desk. He admired their irresponsible SentimentaliSm and he condoned their gambling spirit. He liked their good humor, their generosity, and their sudden mania for causes. He knew by instinct exactly how to treat them. He had real tender ness for them. He could smell news. He also had a healthy temper and strong voice Good looking in a dramatic way, he could be hard-boiled one moment and Chesterf1eldian the next Every body in the office but himself knew he was in love with Mary, that is everybody except Mary.
 This evening, returning to his swivel chair, he pressed a tele- phone to his ear and mouth with his left hand, okayed copy with his right and showed a desk drawer shut with his right foot the while believing into the re- ceiver, What do these fool society girls mean by playing around with veneered hoodlums like Duke Martin? Understand this, Mary! Janice French's family have asked the police to make a secret search for her. Maybe the Duke knows where she is Maybe he doesn't. Somebody knows. Half the town may know, but the Gazette doesn't know. Get the Story!"
 Jamming up the receiver, Ladd began pounding the desk. Bring me the clips on Janice French, Pete," he yelled to a scurrying office boy, "and make it snappy." Then he settled back in his chair. Half an hour later, Ladd, still ex- citedly puffing his pipe, pressed g. buzzer marked City Editor"