CHAPTER IX
TROUBLE
Of course the girls exhausted their store of "effusions" on the firsttwo or three papers. A daily eats up "copy" very fast and the need tosupply so much material began to bewilder the budding journalists. Therewas not sufficient local news to keep them going, but fortunately theNew York news service supplied more general news than they couldpossibly use, and, besides, Mr. Marvin, foreseeing this dilemma, hadsent on several long, stout boxes filled with "plate matter," whichmeant that a variety of stories, poems, special articles and paragraphsof every sort had been made into stereotyped plates of column widthwhich could be placed anywhere in the paper where a space needed to befilled. This material, having been prepared by skilled writers, was ofexcellent character, so that the paper gained in its class of contentsas the girlish contributions began to be replaced by "plates." Thenieces did not abandon writing, however, and all three worked sedulouslyto prepare copy so that at least one column of the Tribune each day wasfilled with notes from their pens.
Subscriptions came in freely during those first days, for farmers andvillagers alike were proud of their local daily and the price was so lowthat no one begrudged the investment. But Uncle John well knew that ifevery individual in the county subscribed, and the advertising patronagedoubled, the income would fall far short of running expenses.
Saturday night, when the pay roll had to be met, the girls consultedtogether seriously. In spite of the new subscriptions received, adeficiency must be supplied, and they quietly advanced the money fromtheir private purses. This was no great hardship, for each had an ampleallowance from Uncle John, as well as an income from property owned inher own name.
"It's only about thirty dollars apiece," said Patsy. "I guess we canstand that until--until more money begins coming in."
On Saturday evening there was an invasion of workmen from Royal, many ofwhom we're rough foreigners who came to Millville in search ofexcitement, as a relief from their week's confinement at the pine woodssettlement at the mill. Skeelty, who thought he knew how to manage thesepeople, allowed every man, at the close of work on Saturday, to purchasea pint of whiskey from the company store, charging an exorbitant pricethat netted a huge profit. There was no strong drink to be had atMillville, so the workmen brought their bottles to town, carousing onthe way, and thought it amusing to frighten the simple inhabitants ofthe village by their rude shouts and ribald songs.
This annoyance had occurred several times since the establishment of themill, and Bob West had protested vigorously to Mr. Skeelty for givinghis men whiskey and turning them loose in a respectable community; butthe manager merely grinned and said he must keep "the boys" satisfied atall hazards, and it was the business of the Millville people to protectthemselves if the workmen became too boisterous.
On this Saturday evening the girls were standing on the sidewalk outsidethe printing office, awaiting the arrival of Arthur with the surrey,when a group of the Royal workmen appeared in the dim light, swaggeringthree abreast and indulging in offensive language. Uncle John's nieceswithdrew to the protection of the doorway, but a big bearded fellow in ared shirt discovered them, and, lurching forward, pushed his evilcountenance in Patsy's face, calling to his fellows in harsh tones thathe had "found a partner for a dance."
An instant later he received a swinging blow above the ear that sent himsprawling at full length upon the sidewalk, and a quiet voice said:
"Pardon me, ladies; it seemed necessary."
All three at once recognized the supposed tramp whom they had seen themorning of their arrival, but whom Uncle John had reported to be one ofthe bookkeepers at the paper mill. The young fellow had no time to saymore, for the downfall of their comrade brought a shout of rage fromthe group of workmen, numbering nearly a dozen, and with one accord theyrushed upon the man who had dared champion the defenseless girls.
Beth managed to open the door of the office, through which Patsy andLouise slipped instantly, but the younger girl, always cool inemergencies, held the door ajar while she cried to the young man:
"Quick, sir--come inside!"
Really, he had no time to obey, just then. With his back to the door hedrove his fists at his assailants in a dogged, persistent way thatfelled three more of them before the others drew away from his stalwartbows. By that time Larry and Fitzgerald, who had been summoned byLouise, rushed from the office armed with iron bars caught up at random,both eager for a fight. The workmen, seeing the reinforcements, beat aretreat, carrying their sadly pommeled comrades with them, but theirinsulting language was not restricted until they had passed out ofhearing.
Then the young man turned, bowed gravely to the girls, who had nowventured forth again, and without waiting to receive their thanksmarched calmly down the street.
When Arthur reached home with the girls, Mr. Merrick was very indignantat his report of the adventure. He denounced Skeelty in unmeasured termsand declared he would find a way to protect Millville from furtherinvasion by these rough and drunken workmen.
There was no Sunday paper, so the girlish editors found the morrow averitable day of rest. They all drove to Hooker's Falls to church andreturned to find that old Nora had prepared a fine chicken dinner forthem. Patsy had invited Hetty Hewitt, in whom she was now greatlyinterested, to dine with them, and to the astonishment of all the artistwalked over to the farm arrayed in a new gown, having discarded thedisreputable costume in which she had formerly appeared. The new dresswas not in the best of taste and its loud checks made dainty Louiseshudder, but somehow Hetty seemed far more feminine than before, and shehad, moreover, washed herself carefully and tried to arrange herrebellious hair.
"This place is doing me good," she confided to her girl employers,after dinner, when they were seated in a group upon the lawn. "I'mgetting over my nervousness, and although I haven't drank a dropstronger than water since I arrived. I feel a new sort of energycoursing through my veins. Also I eat like a trooper--not at night, as Iused to, but at regular mealtime. And I'm behaving quite like a lady. Doyou know, I wouldn't be surprised to find it just as amusing to berespectable as to--to be--the other thing?"
"You will find it far more satisfactory, I'm sure," replied Patsyencouragingly. "What most surprises me is that with your talent andeducation you ever got into such bad ways."
"Environment," said Hetty. "That's what did it. When I first went to NewYork I was very young. A newspaper man took me out to dinner and askedme to have a cocktail. I looked around the tables and saw other girlsdrinking cocktails, so I took one. That was where I turned into therocky road. People get careless around the newspaper offices. They workunder a constant nervous strain and find that drink steadies them--fora time. By and by they disappear; others take their places, and they arenever heard of again except in the police courts. I knew a girl, societyeditor of a big paper, who drew her five thousand a year, at one time.She got the cocktail habit and a week or so ago I paid her fine forgetting pinched while intoxicated. She was in rags and hadn't a redcent. That set me thinking, and when Tommy fired me from his paper andsaid the best he could do was to get me a job in the country, it seemedas if my chance to turn over a new leaf had arrived. I've turned it,"she added, with a pathetic sigh; "but whether it'll stay turned, or not,is a question for the puzzle page."
"Haven't you a family to look after you--or for you to look after?"asked Beth.
"No. Brother and I were left orphans in a Connecticut town, and he wentout West, to Chicago, and promised to send for me. Must have forgot thatpromise, I guess, for I've never heard of Dan since. I could drawpictures, so I went to New York and found a job. Guess that's mybiography, and it isn't as interesting as one of Hearst's editorials,either."
Hetty seemed pleased and grateful to note the frank friendliness of hergirlish employers, in whom she recognized the admirable qualities shehad personally sacrificed for a life of dissipation. In the privacy ofher room at the hotel she had read the first copy of the MillvilleTribune and shrieked with laughter at the ingenuou
s editorials andschoolgirl essays. Then she grew sober and thoughtful, envying in herheart the sweetness and simplicity so apparent in every line. Here weregirls who possessed something infinitely higher than journalisticacumen; they were true women, with genuine womanly qualities and naturesthat betrayed their worth at a glance, as do ingots of refined gold.What would not this waif from the grim underworld of New York have givenfor such clear eyes, pure mind and unsullied heart? "I don't know as Ican ever swim in their pond," Hetty reflected, with honest regret, "butthere's a chance I can look folks square in the eye again--and thatwouldn't be so bad."
Monday morning, when Patsy, Louise and Beth drove to their office, MissBriggs said nonchalantly:
"McGaffey's gone."
"Gone! Gone where?" asked Patsy.
"Back to New York. Caught a freight from the Junction Saturday night."
"Isn't he coming back?" inquired Beth.
"Here's a letter he left," said Miss Briggs.
They read it together. It was very brief; "Climate don't suit me. Noexcitement. I've quit. McGaffey."
"I suppose," said Patsy, with indignation, "he intended to go, all thewhile, and only waited for his Saturday pay."
Miss Briggs nodded. She was at the telegraph instrument.
"What shall we do?" asked Louise. "Can anyone else work the press?"
"I'll find out," said Patsy, marching into the workroom.
Neither Fitz nor Larry would undertake to run the press. They said themachine was so complicated it required an expert, and unless anexperienced pressman could be secured the paper must suspendpublication.
Here was an unexpected dilemma; one that for a time dazed them.
"These things always happen in the newspaper business," remarked MissBriggs, when appealed to. "Can't you telegraph to New York for anotherpressman?"
"Yes; but he can't get here in time," said Patsy. "There's no Mondaytrain to Chazy Junction, at all, and it would be Wednesday morningbefore a man could possibly arrive. To shut down the paper would ruinit, for everyone would think we had failed in our attempt and it mighttake us weeks to regain public confidence."
"I know," said Miss Briggs, composedly. "A paper never stops. Somehow orother it always keeps going--even if the world turns somersaults andstands on its head. You'll find a way, I'm sure."
But the bewildered girls had no such confidence. They drove back to thefarm to consult with Uncle John and Arthur.
"Let's take a look at that press, my dears," said Mr. Merrick. "I'msomething of a mechanic myself, or was in my young days, and I may beable to work this thing until we can get a new pressman."
"I'll help you," said Arthur. "Anyone who can run an automobile ought tobe able to manage a printing press."
So they went to the office, took off their coats and examined the press;but the big machine defied their combined intelligence. Uncle Johnturned on the power. The cylinder groaned, swung half around, and thenthe huge wooden "nippers" came down upon the table with a force thatshattered them to kindlings. At the crash Mr. Merrick involuntarily shutdown the machine, and then they all stood around and looked gloomily atthe smash-up and wondered if the damage was irreparable.
"Couldn't we print the paper on the job press?" asked the littlemillionaire, turning to Fitzgerald.
"In sections, sir," replied Fitz, grinning. "Half a page at a time isall we can manage, but we might be able to match margins so the thingcould be read."
"We'll try it," said Uncle John. "Do your best, my man, and if you canhelp us out of this bog you shall be amply rewarded."
Fitz looked grave.
"Never knew of such a thing being done, sir," he remarked; "but that'sno reason it's impossible."
"'Twill be a horror of a make-up," added Larry, who did not relish hispart in the experiment.
Uncle John put on his coat and went into the front office, followed byArthur and the girls in dismal procession.
"A man to see the manager," announced Miss Briggs, nodding toward aquiet figure seated on the "waiting bench."
The man stood up and bowed. It was the young bookkeeper from the papermill, who had so bravely defended the girls on Saturday night. UncleJohn regarded him with a frown.
"I suppose Skeelty has sent you to apologize," he said.
"No, sir; Skeelty is not in an apologetic mood," replied the man,smiling. "He has fired me."
"What for?"
"Interfering with his workmen. The boys didn't like what I did the othernight and threatened to strike unless I was put in the discard."
"And now? asked Uncle John, looking curiously at the man.
"I'm out of work and would like a job, sir."
"What can you do?"
"Anything."
"That means nothing at all."
"I beg your pardon. Let me say that I'm not afraid to tackle anything."
"Can you run a power printing press?"
"Yes, sir."
"Ever had any experience?"
The young man hesitated.
"I'm not sure," he replied slowly; "but I think I have."
This statement would not have been encouraging under ordinarycircumstances, but in this emergency Uncle John accepted it.
"What is your name?" he asked.
Another moment's hesitation.
"Call me Smith, please."
"First name?"
The man smiled.
"Thursday," he said.
All his hearers seemed astonished at this peculiar name, but Mr. Merricksaid abruptly: "Follow me, Thursday Smith."
The man obeyed, and the girls and Arthur trotted after them back to thepressroom.
"Our pressman has deserted us without warning," explained Mr. Merrick."None of our other employees is able to run the thing. If you can masterit so as to run off the paper tonight, the job is yours."
Thursday Smith took off his jacket--a cheap khaki affair--and rolled uphis sleeves. Then he carefully looked over the press and found thedamaged nippers. Without a word he picked up a wrench, released the stubends of the broken fingers, gathered the pieces in his hand and asked:"Where is there a carpenter shop?"
"Can you operate this press?" asked Mr. Merrick.
"Yes, sir."
"The carpenter shop is a little shanty back of the hotel. You'll findLon Taft there."
Smith walked away, and Mr. Merrick drew a long breath of relief.
"That's good luck," he said. "You may quit worrying, now, my dears."
"Are you sure he's a good pressman, Uncle?"
"No; but _he_ is sure. I've an idea he wouldn't attempt the thing,otherwise."
Mr. Merrick returned to the farm, while Arthur drove Louise over toHuntingdon to gather items for the paper, and Patsy and Beth sat in theoffice arranging copy.
In an hour Smith came back with new nippers, which he fitted to thesteel frame. Then he oiled the press, started it going a fewrevolutions, to test its condition, and handled the machinery sodexterously and with such evident confidence that Larry nodded to Fitzand muttered, "He'll do."
McGaffey, knowing he was about to decamp, had not kept the press veryclean; but Thursday Smith put in the afternoon and evening removinggrease, polishing and rubbing, until the huge machine shone resplendent.The girls went home at dinner time, but they sent Arthur to the officeat midnight to see if the new pressman was proving capable. The Tuesdaymorning _Tribune_ greeted them at the breakfast table, and the pressworkwas remarkably clean and distinct.