Richmond Palladium (Daily), Volume 35, Number 326, 1 October 1910 — Page 3

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HERE wot iuo:j i.u:!i than hypocrisy la G. T.'s of t-rriieutcd description of the Evening Preaa'a staff as "a happy family acd consequently there was more than usual concern when at length a rift apper.rrd la the lute nud resin; discords ninrrcd tUo Ion; existent harmony. T!e trouble originated in tho "sasstng" of a sfereo.ypcr by a "devil" from the prefss room, fcut It wus taken up by the rcfpectlre foremen of those two depart ments and gradually spread until It involved O. T. and MeCube themselves. O. T., It should 1 7 explalued, wns cwt:er of the I'reaa nud SlcCabo was l.'.t nrbltrnry, quarrelwme, and utterly loyal managing !ltor. , It Is a lutnentable fact that the slightest dlsafTeo tlDii In a nespaier office iuvartably makes Itself felt J tit quality of the iaper turned out. In the present i::itnneo tho trouble showed Itself In the miserable I. tares that appeared la the Pica. McCabe had

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I I Evening Preaa' a staff as "a happy fam- Suburban Inn and was on his way home. If jPyHi 2

I Ir explalued, was owner of the Preaa nud McCabe was it, It docsn t seem to be of much importance, and I

y,:'' Ildcd himself ou the paper's cuts clear, clean, I 'vvll-eclocted, with fine contrast of light and dark ' r ::d now for three weeks tbey had shown forth in the ! vper consistently blurred. Indistinct and ugly. And !o htul doue his best to locate the trouble without i :i;t ens.

k, t. 0. T. himself led been highly nettled over the state J f nffatr. Ccmlus Into McCnbe'i offloo that morning

!:t had thrown down a copy of the last edition of t!:? duy before. ! "JIow Jons la thin tlilug going to keep op?" he r krd. angrily. "Yesterday the Bulletin printed thut ' r :ue front pose picture as ours, with Its cheap paper. '..cjt lu!:, and ihe.ip presses, and It made an 'also r .u' of ours. We'ro getting out a beautiful, article, ILl.;bcluss uagnsluo all right." q McCnbe's fare reddened. JuetlC ble crltlclsui of hU Vd per didn't come oftcu euough for him to be used lot It. "I'h trouble ls,H be esplu'lned, "ihere ore so tnony" t luvolved in tbo production cf a good cut that It's' i tiislt to locate the responsibility. In the first place, ft j photographer's got to make a good print) with I :o::ty cf sharp contrasts. Theu the engraver's got to :frko a good plate. If he etches it a fraction of an 1 i. !i tt.o dep or too shallow, the jig's up. Then the r' ivttyicr gets iuto the game. I'm suspicious of ,Y Jar. If he doesn't mount the cut lu the form rl.tht, or bakes hi tur.t too lous or too shorti or r:; ; la any ous of n dnten partlcylars, the thlug -"rs out wro:t.?. f'rtr.:!j wry with the press room. If t'.ey !.!:'t frn! tho lub r'.jt!:t ut tho particular spot, rr If t!i'fe' to; uiu'.-li iu:l-turo lu the air, or If the f.n.-'IHy i.f t!t v.-L::o rs'.'fr !ropo oT, you don't get r t'rr, c:'.ih ouc of these men Is blaming It c: t'.t 'thvr r.- Z': ct?char.le enough to tell ..' Ijl tt. 1V. irclly v.-:: cnilsflcd that Walters In :'.yj li.va who's tjtf.j .h? fulnj up, but I can't prove It I've watched cv:-ry fcr.u through the stereotyping rin for a week, but lie prcicuds to be doing his best, follows all the tuxgetiio:: I laake with suspicious alacrity, and the pictures come ou worse than before. - Yf I en n't get the goods on hlta." What's be got against you?" inquired G. T. "Oh. nothing agalust ute, but he's sore on Tiernaa c.d be wants to put It up to the press room." O. T. ruminated a moment. Theu bo said the meanert thing be had ever uttered to McCabe in the seven years of tbelr working together. "I guess you're a little off your feed, he observed, watching the other, man closely. "Why don't you take a vacation of a couple of weeks and let Goodrich try fa? band on the JobT McCabe rose up, grandly raging, and bis previous f nsb became In comparison llko water to wine. "It' ru're not satisfied with my work," be began, hotly, Kru can get Hut G. T. wouldn't even give him the satisfaction tf resigning. "Oh. to bell with that sort of talk," he said, shortly. Get busy. Do something. Fire somebody. I want to see an improvement" And he walked out of the room. , . , When Mr. Robert J. Walker was ushered Into McC'sbe's sanctum that same morning be carried himself M:npou8ly, as always, but there was an undercurrent of uneaslucss In his manner which McCabe promptly detected acd wondered at. Mr. Walker was senior member of the firm of Walker and Stockbridge, owners of the biggest department store In town, and, incident ally, the biggest advertisers He was short and tout and sweaty and his normal talk exploded from Jul Up like the clattering of a gasoline engine. "Want to ask a little favor of you, Mr. McCabe,' t began, mopping his fat. baldlsh head with his handkerchief. "There was a little accident on the river road last night A little automobile smash-up in wtieh my son was concerned. Undr tand your man Sogers has got wind of It It's a mtter of no public, importance and if you can see your way clear, wish yea wouldn't use it" . He looked at McCabe anxiously. De had heard tales of the managing editor of the Prtaa and his attitude toward the suppression of news. . "How did It happen r asked McCabe. I Uhy, barrier In the road where It was being reBob turned aside suddenly to avoid It and Into a lamp post Machine was wrecked ,cJ he was thrown out But Le wasn't hurt The atary Isn't worth anythlnc." fWas the chauffeur hurtr Inquired the latter. , "There was no chauffeur. Bob drove the car hlm-

"What time was it?" "After midalzht He had had .v:;;-, : ;;t the

Suburban lun and was on his way home. If you can consistently leave it out I shall be very much obliged and I'll reciprocate when opportunity offers." He remained silent for some seconds, then, "Where's your business manager?" he asketl, suddenly. "He's made a proposition to me to u?o a page In the Press, five days a week. I'd like to talk to hlin about it." The bribe was plain euoiljb, but McCabe iliun't seem to notice it "I'll have to see the story," he said, "before I decide about It As you have stated It, it doesn't Beein to be of much importance, and I don't know that we shall have to use It." "Thanks," popped the old man, and rose to go. ne appeared very much relieved, nnd very well satisfied with himself also. "By the way," Inquired McCabe, carelessly, "who was in the auto with your son?" The perspiration showed on Mr. Walker's brow again, but he was prepared for this question, and answered it promptly. "Xo one. Ho was aloue." Then, as McCabe said no more, be departed. But that last question of McCabe's made necessary a little more active work on bis part and on his way through the city room he signaled to Rosters, whom be knew, aud invited the latter to the hotel in the Mi 0 The woman turned to him appcaHngly. next block, an invitation which the reporter accepted promptly. Rogers was a new man on the Preta, though not unknown to journalism In the town, His reputation was not altogether unshadowed, but he was a good headquarters man, when sober, and that fact coupled with his piteous appeals, had landed him In his present berth. The wise Mr. Walker had had dealings with him before and therefore, when they were seated at an Isolated table in the hotel cafe, wasted no time In coming to the point "How much do you know of the smash-up last .aightr he asked. "I know," said Rogers, "that there was a lady in-olred."

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"What else?" "I know that the lady was a stenographer In your office." "Anything more?" "I know that your son is engaged to be married to the daughter of that most eminent swell. Van Bibber, said daughter being now traveling abroad." "Dauin you! Anything more?" "Oh, yes, a plenty. I know that be actually was married to the stenographer last night, at a little town just across the State line, and that the return trip, with the two hours' stop at the Suburban Inn, was, as you might say, in the nature of a honeymoon." Walker glared at him a moment while he sipped bis highball. Then he said, peremptorily: "This thing must be kept quiet." "You can't do It," affirmed Rogers. "The accident must go on the police docket and every headquarters man in town will get it." "So, It won't. I've fixed the man on the beat." "Won't the girl leak?" asked the reporter. "No, she's stuck ou Bob and will do what he says. They were to have kept the marriage secret. The patrolmau said he talked with you and you alone. It's up to jou. What do you want?" Rogers laughed. "There's a little bill my wife has o fflL O "l "fin in trouble, Mr. UcCaoe,- the taii. run up at your store which will soon be due, he observed. . -. "It's, not little, and it's long overdue," exploded Walker. "Well, it's a bargain. Keep your mouth shut" . i ' ' But as It happened, the stenographer did leak, though not with malice. For no woman can be married without confiding the fact to at least one other member of her sex, and, besides, the stenographer bad to account In some way for her return home at three o'clock in the morning from an ostensible evening call on a friend. Wherefore, under pledge of sacred secrecy, she told an to the married sister with whom she lived. Later In the morning, and yet quite early, after a visit from young Walker, she contra

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dicted her own story. The result of it all was that about noon McCabe received another visitor, a pale, determined little woman, dressed cheaply in black, who forced her way into his office against the protest of his guardian office boy. "I simply had to see you personally, Mr. McCabe," said this young woman. "I've heard of you, and It's a very important matter." "What is it?" asked McCabe, curtly. "Newspapers are always anxious to get first news of the marriage of people of prominence, aren't they?" "Surely." "And, if necessary, they will go to trouble and expense to get the facts, won't they?" "What we pay you." growled McCabe, "depends on what you give us. Tell me your story, please, promptly. I'm a busy man." The woman's face grew crimson. She was small and delicate and shabby, but there was a quiet dignity about her that shamed McCabe for the moment. "I'm not asking for pay," she went on, quietly, "but I do want you to confirm what I tell you. I have reason to believe that my sister ran off last night and was married " "Is she the prominent person?" "No." she answered, "but the man she married is." "Who is your sister?" "Her name is Florence Stevens." "Where does she live?" "At 712 Reservoir Street." "And what is your name?" "I'd rather not tell you I think, perhaps, my husband might be offended at my coming here." "I'm not likely to tell him," said McCabe. "Who is the man she married?" "Robert J. Walker, Jr." McCabe thought himself trained to wonder at nothing, but he gave a little Jump at that. "How do you know?" he asked. "Tell me the circumstances." The woman turned to him appealingly. "I'm in trouble, Mr. McCabe," she said. "Florence is a good girl, but she is young and very affectionate. She's a stenographer In Mr. Walker's office. Last night she stayed out until three o'clock and when I questioned her she told me she had been married to that young man. She said it was to be kept a secret for the present, In order that the elder Mr. Walker might not be offended. . ErfHy this morning she got a note ' and went out for a half hour. When she came back -she denied the story she had. told me and said she bad manufactured it on the spur of the moment to escape a scolding. I then asked her where she had been last night She said she hp" been out riding 'in Mr. Walker's motor car and they bad an accident and that accounted for the late return." Tears came into the woman's eyes. "Mr. McCabe," she continued, tremulously, "something underhand is being done. Florence made me promise last night to say nothing of the marriage, but I can't sit still and see her compromised without doing what I can. Since mother and father died. I am all she has." "Where did this marriage take place?" "She would not tell me, but she said that they went across the State line in the automobile." "One moment" said McCabe. He called to the composing room for a proof of the auto accident story and It came down Immediately through the pneumatic tube. It was a stick in length, and said simply that young Walker had accidentally smashed Into a lamppost and wrecked his car. Then McCabe rang for Sogers. "Was no one In the car with Walker last night when the smash-up occurred?" he asked that gentleman. If Rogers felt any uneasiness ne did not betray it "No," he said, "at least there was nothing said of anyone else In the police report X "Iked with John son, who made the report end he also said that Wal- , ker was alone." "That's alL" said McCabe. "But she was with him," cried the woman, when Rogers had left "Til look into " began McCabe, when the telephone on his desk buzzed assertively. . G. T. was at the other end of the line. "Mr. Walker has Just been In to see me," he said, ' "and told me of the accident last night , and why he wants It kept out of the paper, There doesn't seem to be much, in the story, and I'd like to oblige him. Ton 1mow, Mr. McCabe"- McCabe grunted at the "Mr."; It was an indication that' their conversation of the morning was still remembered "I have never Interfered in matters of this sort I stood by you In your lights with the city ' and State machines and lost all the political ads in consequence. I stood by ' you In your patent medicine tight and lost that business. But you know we're la a devilishly ticklish

situation just now. If we want to do anytniax at all,. we've got to keep the paper going. And the story doesn't seem to bo worth anything. The other paper have promised to keep it out" McCabe hung up the receiver and turned to th women. "Your story doesn't sound Try plaosifcle," he said to her. "but I'll look tnti It" . t But when the door was closed behind her he suddenly energetic. "Tell Goodrich to come la here,", he shouted to his boy, and then jumped to a big map of the State that hung on the wall. There was the,' river road, there was the State line, and there, Just beyond it, the trifling little town of Meadvllle. That must be the place, surely. "What county Is Meadvllle lu?" he asked Goodrich, as that Individual cam in.. Goodrich told him. ' ' : "Wire the courthouse there at once and find tf R. J. Walker, Jr., got a marriage license recently.' Call up some one in Meadvllle the postmaster, anyone and get the names of all the preacher In town. T!ien 'phone 'em, if they've got 'phones, or wire them immediately if they haveu't, nnd see if any of them married Walker last night. Hustle a man In a taxicab at once to the Suburban Inn and find out who was with Walker when he was there last night And rush a man to 712 Reservoir Street rod a photograph of Miss Florence Stevens. We've got one of young Walker, haven't we? Speed 'em up, all of 'em. Mark the story 'Hold for release' by m?." Goodrich hurried out "At least well grf the facts." McCabe said to himself, and then, although it was his busy part of the day, he spent half an hour musing over what G. T. had said to him. "I roppoar G. T.'s right," he observed inwardly at t .e end of that time. "We must keep the paper going." And yet again, two bour.s later as he mounted the steps to the composing room, to take a last look. at the forms, be related to himself: "I suppose we've got to keep the paper going." Nevertheless, when the last edition of the Preaa appeared on the streets, there on the first page, under a scare-head and comprehensively illustrated, was a -glowing account of the elopement of Miss Stevens and young Walker, and a quite extended Interview with the preacher who irformed the ceremouy., McCabe. as usual, waited in the press room for the first copy off the big double sextuple. TIernan, the boss pressman, banded it to him, with his eye on the pictures. "Rotten again," be-said, "though they'll come up a little better when we've run off a few copies" "I tell you," be went on angrily, "the fault's In the stereotyping. Walters can do better than that if h wants to. Tou know I'm no knocker, Mr. McCabe, but that's the God's truth." McCabe went straight to his room and sent for Walters. But when the door opened, two or three minutes later, lwas to admit not the foreman of tho steceotypers, but the little woman who bad visiting hiai that morning. "Oh," she cried, "I couldn't go away without thanking you. If you've a sister of your own, you know how I feel and bow grateful I am to you. You see, I know something of the newspaper business. I know what I big advertiser Mr Walker is. I know how Interested he was in keeping that news oat I know how difficult it must have been for you to print It But you won't regret It Good-by and God bless yrm." ' She turned to go, stopping abruptly at the sight of Walters, who had entered. "Mary," he cried, "why didn't you tell me of thter The woman looked from Walter to McCabe. "My husband," she gasped. "Ob," she answered, "I didn't And out what was doing until after you left this morning and I didn't know what you'd think of my appealing to Mr. McCabe, but you've told me so much about htm I knew he would be the man to help as. So I came to him. And it has turned out all right" McCabe looked curiously at the stereotyper. "Toa'd better go home with your wife," he said, gently for him. , "I'll talk to you In the morning'" On the threshold of the door Walter hesitated, turned, balanced himself awkwardly for a awmesvt "I suppose it's about those cuts," he said, shame-' facedly, "I think I've found out where the troubfe Be, and they'll be all right hereafter." And they were The Preaa the next day, so radiantly did its pictures show forth, looked like one of -the Illustrated London weeklies. G. T. got hi copy at the City Club and called up McCabe at one. "How did you do itr.be asked, delightedly. "Those cuts are the best ever." "Oh," said McCabe, genially, "t took your adrfc. Tou told me to fire somebody, and I have. ; fro Crcl Rogers." " Ccy;-rtffSf, 1)!, by Stetropclitan Xeteapeper

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