Page:Newspaper writing and editing.djvu/56

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Blair Studio, and the conversation over the telephone between the reporter and the clerk is as follows:


Reporter.—An old man who was hurt in the subway this noon had in his pocket one of your cards with "Oliver" written on the back. Do you know who he is?

Clerk.—That must be the old man who came in this morning to see Mr. Williams, one of our retouchers, but Mr. Williams went to Ithaca last week.

R.—Was Mr. Williams' first name Oliver?

C.—Yes; his initials were O. R., and the old man said he was his uncle.

R.—Where did Mr. Williams live here?

C.—I don't know. But hold the line; I'll ask Mr. Baxter.

C.—Mr. Baxter says that Mr. Williams' address was 3116 Easton Street, near Brown.

R.—All right. Thank you. Good-bye.


From the hospital the reporter hurries to the place where Mr. Williams lived before he left for Ithaca. The conversation between the landlady of the rooming house at 3116 Easton Street and the reporter follows:


Reporter.—Did Oliver R. Williams live here?

Landlady.—He ain't here now. He moved away last week.

R.—Did a well-dressed old man ever come to see him when he was here?

L.—What do you want to know for?

R.—Oh, the old man fell in the subway this noon and was badly hurt. He said Mr. Williams was his nephew.

L.—I always said something would happen to him. He fainted on the steps here one day just after he rung the bell, and when I got to the door he was all in a heap right here. I knew he wanted Mr. Williams, because he came to see him a week before, so I called him, and Mr. Williams came and got him some whiskey, and after a little he came to. Mr. Williams told me after he went away that his uncle had heart trouble. Did he get hurt bad?

R.—Yes, he died at the hospital an hour ago.