_Success Attends_
Later that night the _Queen_ caught fire and burned to the water's edge.
Some said that Captain Billy, saddened by the tragedy which had almost
befallen the majestic old craft, had set the fire himself but none ever
knew definitely.
Helen telephoned the story of Captain Billy and the burning of the
_Queen_ to the _Associated Press_ at Cranston and found the night editor
there anxious for the story.
"Great human interest stuff," he said as he hung up.
The Blairs and Stevens watched the burning of the _Queen_ from the knoll
on which the Blair home was situated and later they saw the shower of
fireworks set off at Crescent Beach, far down the lake. It was well after
midnight when they finally called it a day, one which would long be
remembered by Tom and Helen Blair and Margaret Stevens.
The second day of the celebration, Sunday, they rested quietly at home
and planned for the coming week.
With the Monday morning mail came the papers from Cranston, a letter from
McClintock of the _Associated Press_ and new thrills for Helen.
The Cranston papers blazoned her story of "Speed" Rand's plans to circle
the globe in a nonstop refueling flight on the front page and the big
surprise was the first line which read: "By Helen Blair, Special
Correspondent of the Associated Press, Copyright 1932 (All Rights
Reserved)."
Helen gazed at the story in frank awe and amazement. She knew it was a
highly important story, but to get a by-line with the Associated Press
was an honor she scarcely had dared dream about.
The letter from McClintock commended her further for her work, promised
that her monthly check would be a liberal one and added that when she
finished high school he would be glad to consider her for a job with the
Associated Press.
Helen sat down and wrote a long letter to her father, telling in detail
the events of the Fourth and enclosing the Associated Press story and her
letter from McClintock. That done, she turned to the task of writing her
stories for the _Weekly Herald_. Tom was out soliciting ads, Margaret had
gone down the lake to check up at both summer resorts about possible
accidents and she had the office to herself that morning.
Which story should Helen write first, "Speed" Rand's world flight, the
celebration at Sandy Point or the story of Captain Billy and the _Queen_?
She threaded a sheet of copy paper into her typewriter and sought
inspiration in a blank gaze at the ceiling. Inspiration failed to come
from that source and she scrawled aimlessly with pencil and paper, her
mind mulling over the myriad facts of her stories. Then she started
typing. Her first story concerned Captain Billy and the _Queen_, for
Captain Billy and his ancient craft were known to every reader of the
_Herald_. They were home news. "Speed" Rand and his plans concerned the
outside world.
The events of the night of the Fourth were indelibly printed in Helen's
mind and the copy rolled from her typewriter, two, four, six, ten pages.
She stopped long enough to delve into the files and find the story which
the _Herald_ had printed 23 years before when the _Queen_ made her maiden
trip on Lake Dubar. Two more pages of copy rolled from her machine.
Helen picked up the typed pages, 12 altogether. She hadn't intended to
make the story that long but it had written itself, it was one of those
stories in which danger and heroism combine to make the human-interest
that all newspaper readers enjoy.
With the story of Captain Billy and the _Queen_ out of the way, Helen
wrote a short lead about "Speed" Rand and then clipped the rest of the
story for the _Herald_ from the one she had telephoned the Associated
Press. Even then it would run more than a column and with a long story on
the general Fourth of July celebration she felt that the _Herald_ would
indeed give its subscribers their money's worth of news that week.
There was a slight let-down in advertising the week following the Fourth
but they crammed the six home-printed pages of the _Herald_ full of news
and went to press early Thursday, for it was election day and the fate of
the paved road program was at stake. For the last month Helen had written
editorials urging the improvement of the roads and they went directly
from the office Thursday afternoon to the polling place to remain there
until the last ballot had been counted. The vote was heavy and Rolfe
favored the good roads 452 to 73.
Doctor Stevens, who announced the vote to the anxious crowd, added, "And
I think we can thank Helen Blair, our young editor of the _Herald_, for
showing us the value of better roads."
There was hearty applause and calls for speech, but Helen refused to
talk, hurrying away to telephone the Rolfe vote to the Associated Press.
The morning papers announced that the program had carried in the state as
a whole and that paving would start at once with Rolfe assured of being
on the scenic highway not later than the next summer.
News from their father in Arizona continued cheering and as their own
bank account increased steadily and circulation mounted, Tom and Helen
felt that they were making a success of their management of the _Herald_.
The remainder of July passed rapidly and the hot blasts of August winds
seared the valley of Lake Dubar. The only refreshing thing was the night
breeze from the lake which cooled the heat-baked town and afforded some
relief. Then came the cooler days of September and the return to school.
Superintendent Fowler arrived a week before the opening of the fall term
and Tom and Helen arranged to attend part time, yet carry full work.
Helen also worked out plans for a school page, news of every grade to be
written by some student especially designated as a reporter for the
"_School Herald_."
Tom and Helen had so systematized their work that the task of getting out
the paper was reduced to a minimum. With Margaret willing to help
whenever needed, they felt sure they could continue the successful
operation of the _Herald_.
Every spare hour Helen devoted to building up the circulation list and by
early October they had added 400 new subscribers, which gave the _Herald_
a total of 1,272 in the county and every one paid up.
"Gosh, I never thought we could get that many," said Tom as he checked
over the circulation records. "Now I'm sure we'll be named one of the
official county papers. What a surprise that will be for Dad."
"I thought you said we'd have a lot of trouble with Burr Atwell, editor
of the _Advocate_ at Auburn," chided Helen as she recalled her brother's
dire statements of what the fiery editor of the Auburn paper would do
when he found the _Herald_ was trying to take the county printing away
from him.
"We've just been lucky so far," replied Tom. "Atwell will wake up one of
these days and then we'll have plenty of trouble. He won't fight fair."
"Let's not borrow trouble until it arrives," Helen smiled.
Organization of the high school classes and election of officers followed
the opening of school and Helen found herself president of the juniors
while Tom was named secretary and treasurer of the seniors.
"I'm mighty proud of both of you," said Mrs. Blair when they told her the
news that night at dinner. "It is no more than you deserve but I hope it
won't be too much of a burden added to your work on the paper."
"It won't take much time," Tom assured her, "and since Marg Stevens is
vice president of the juniors Helen can turn a lot of the work over to
her."
They were still at the dinner table when a heavy knock at the front door
startled them. Tom answered the summons and they heard him talking with
someone with an exceedingly harsh voice. When Tom returned he was
accompanied by a stranger.
"Mother," he said, "this is Mr. Atwell, editor of the _Auburn Advocate_."
Mrs. Blair acknowledged the introduction and Tom introduced the visiting
editor to Helen. Mr. Atwell sat down heavily in a chair Tom offered.
"I suppose you know why I'm here?" he asked.
"I'm afraid not," replied Mrs. Blair.
"It's about the _Herald_ and the circulation tactics of these young
whipper-snappers of yours. I hear they're trying to take the county
printing away from me and become one of the official papers of the
county."
"Who informed you of that?" asked Helen, who had taken an instant dislike
to the pudgy visitor whose flabby cheeks were covered with a heavy
stubble of whiskers.
"Folks have been talking," he replied.
"When you want information like that you'd better come to those
concerned," retorted the energetic young editor of the _Herald_.
"That's just what I'm a-doing," he replied. "Are you?"
"Are we what?" interposed Tom.
"Are you trying to be a county paper?" snorted Atwell.
"Yes," replied Helen, "we are. This section of the county doesn't have an
official weekly and the people here want one."
"You're trying to rob me of my bread and butter for your own selfish
ends," stormed the visitor.
"We're not trying to rob anybody," replied Tom. "Get this straight. We've
as much if not more right to be a county weekly than you have. All we
have to say is be sure your records are correct when the supervisors meet
in December. Now get out of here!"
Atwell rose slowly, his heavy features suffused with anger and his hands
shaking.
"I serve notice on you," he stormed, "that you'll never win out." He
stomped from the room, slamming the front door as he went.
Mrs. Blair looked at Tom and Helen.
"Don't you think you were a little short with him?" she asked.
"Perhaps," admitted Helen, "but he can't tell us what to do."
"In that," smiled her mother, "you take after your father."
They refused to let the warning from the editor of the Auburn paper dim
their hopes or retard their efforts. Circulation mounted steadily until
by mid-November it had reached an even 1,400.
Tom continued his weekly trips to Gladbrook to get the county farm news
and to solicit advertising. From one of these trips he returned jubilant.
"I've been talking with the supervisors," he said, "and they're all in
favor of naming the _Herald_ the third official paper instead of the
_Advocate_. One of them suggested that we get an auditor from Cranston to
go over our circulation list and officially audit it and then have him
with us when we appear before the board."
"But wouldn't that cost a lot of money?"
"Probably $50 but having an audited list will practically insure us of
getting the county work. Also, I'm going to take our subscription records
and list over to the bank and keep them there until we need them every
Thursday."
"Why, what's the matter, Tom?"
"I heard some talk in the courthouse that Atwell had been boasting he'd
get even with us and I'm not going to take any chances with the records."
With characteristic determination Tom made the transfer that afternoon
and it was only mid-evening of the same day when the fire siren sounded
its alarm.
All of the Blairs hurried outside where, from the front porch of their
home, they could look down main street.
"The truck is stopping in front of the _Herald_ office!" gasped Helen.
Without a word Tom plunged down the hill, running full speed for the
office. Helen and her mother followed as quickly as possible.
Main street rapidly filled with excited townspeople and they caught the
odor of burning wood as they neared the _Herald_ building. Margaret
Stevens ran up to them.
"It doesn't look bad," she tried to reassure them, "and the firemen have
it under control."
Helen was so weak from the shock of the fire that she clung to Margaret
and her mother for support. Her head reeled as picture thoughts raced
through her mind. The threats of Burr Atwell, all of their months of hard
work, the expense of the fire, their father's need for money, Tom's
precautions in moving the circulation list.
Then it was over. The firemen dragged their line of hose from the
chemical tank back to the street and they crowded into the smoke-filled
rooms. The fire had started near the back door but thanks to the night
watchman had been detected before it had gained headway. The week's
supply of print paper was ruined and the two rooms blackened by smoke and
splattered with the chemical used to check the flames, but the press and
Linotype were undamaged.
Tom wanted to stay and clean up the office but Mrs. Blair insisted that
they all return home, herself instructing the night watchman to hire
several town laborers to work the rest of the night cleaning up the
office.
"That fire was deliberately set," raged Tom as they walked home. "The
fire chief saved the greasy rags he found in the corner of the composing
room where it started. Ten more minutes without discovery and we wouldn't
have had a newspaper."
"Who could have done such a thing?" protested his mother.
"Burr Atwell," declared Tom. "The editorial office had been ransacked for
the circulation records. It's a good thing I moved them this afternoon."
"Can we prove Atwell had a hand in this?"
"I don't suppose so," admitted Tom, "but we'll run a story in this week's
issue that will scare him. We'll say the fire chief is investigating and
may ask for state secret service men to help him run down the fire bug
who started it. That ought to give Atwell a queer feeling."
They telephoned for another supply of print paper for the week's issue
and the next morning were back at the office. The men who had worked
through the night had done a good job of cleaning and there was little
evidence of fire other than the charred casings of the back door and
smudgy condition of the walls and ceiling.
Thanksgiving was brightened by word from their father that he would be
able to return home in the spring but despite that it was a sad day in
the Blair home for there was none to fill his chair at the head of the
table.
"Christmas," thought Helen, "is going to be terribly lonesome for mother
with Dad so far away," and the more she thought about it the more
determined she became. Without saying anything to Tom or her mother, she
made several guarded inquiries at the station and elicited the desired
information.
The days before the annual meeting of the supervisors passed rapidly. The
ground whitened under the first snow of the year and the auditor for whom
Tom had arranged in Cranston arrived to audit their circulation list
officially. For a week before his arrival Tom and Helen concentrated
every effort on their circulation with the result that when the audit was
completed the _Herald_ could boast of 1,411 paid up subscriptions.
"You've done a remarkably fine piece of work," Curtis Adams, the auditor,
told Helen, "and I'm sure you young folks deserve the county work."
The supervisors met on Thursday, December 15th, and in order to attend
the meeting Tom and Helen worked most of Wednesday night getting the
final pages of the _Herald_ on the press, assembling and folding the
papers. It was three o'clock in the morning when they reached home and
their mother, who had been sleeping on a davenport awaiting their return,
prepared a hot lunch and then sent them to bed.
At nine o'clock Tom teased their venerable flivver into motion and with
their records and the auditor in the back seat, they started for
Gladbrook. It was well after ten o'clock when they reached the courthouse
and they went directly to the supervisors' rooms where a clerk asked them
to wait.
Half an hour later they were called and Helen went into the board room
with mixed emotions throbbing through her mind. What would be the answer
to their months of work? Would they get the county work which meant so
much or would Burr Atwell succeed in defeating them?
Her arms ached from the heavy task of folding the papers the night before
and she was so nervous she was on the verge of tears. If they won they
would be able to buy a folder for the press and she wouldn't have to fold
any more papers. That thought alone gave her new courage and she smiled
bravely at Tom as he stepped forward and told the supervisors why he
believed the _Herald_ should be the third county paper.
Then Mr. Adams, the auditor, presented his sworn statement of the
circulation of the _Herald_ and in conclusion, he added:
"I have never seen a sounder or better circulation than these young
people have built up. They have made no special offers nor have they
reduced rates. People who take the _Herald_ do so because it is one of
the best weekly papers I have ever seen."
The chairman of the board of supervisors looked expectantly around the
room.
"The Gladbrook papers, the _News_ and the _Times_, have made their
application and the _Herald_ has just been heard," he explained. "I
expected Mr. Atwell of the _Auburn Advocate_ would be here."
The board waited for fifteen minutes. Then there was a whispered
conference between members and the chairman stood up.
"The selection of official papers has been made," he announced. "_The
Gladbrook News_, the _Gladbrook Times_ and the _Rolfe Herald_ will be
known as the official papers for the ensuing year. The meeting is
adjourned until afternoon."
The editors of the Gladbrook papers offered Tom and Helen their
congratulations and expressed willingness to cooperate in every way.
When they were alone Tom looked at Helen through eyes that were dim.
"We won," he said huskily, "and it's all due to your hard work on
circulation."
Helen's eyes were just as misty as she smiled back.
"No," she replied, "it was your hunch in putting the records in the bank.
We'd have been ruined if you hadn't. I'm wondering why Mr. Atwell didn't
appear."
"I have a hunch he was afraid we had connected him with the fire," said
Tom. "Now let's phone mother and then send a wire to Dad."
That afternoon Tom completed the arrangements to publish the official
proceedings of the county supervisors and increased the amount of job
printing he was to get from the courthouse. He also hired a middle-aged
printer who agreed to come to Rolfe and work for $18 a week.
"But isn't that a little extravagant?" asked Helen.
"We must have help now," explained Tom, "and with the county printing
safely tucked away we can afford it. Also, I bought a second-hand folder
from the _Times_ here. It only cost me $50 and you'll never have to fold
papers again."
"Oh, I'm so happy," exclaimed Helen, "for I did hate to fold them. There
were so many along toward the end."
On the way home that afternoon they made further plans and checked up on
their funds in the bank.
"We've got a little over $900 right now," said Tom, "and that's deducting
all of my extravagances of an auditor and buying the second-hand folder.
Our bills are all paid and we're having a record December in advertising.
I'd say we were sitting pretty."
"I was thinking about Christmas," said Helen.
"It's going to be mighty lonesome without Dad," admitted Tom.
"Mother will miss him especially. They've never been away from each other
at the holidays before."
Something in Helen's voice caught Tom's attention and he glanced at her
sharply.
"Say, what the dickens are you driving at?" he asked.
"Give me a check for $200 and I'll show you," replied Helen. "It will
mean the happiest Christmas we've ever had."
"I'll do it and no questions asked until you're ready to tell me," agreed
Tom and when they reached Rolfe he went to the office and signed a check
for $200 payable to Helen Blair.
The following Thursday fell on the 22nd of December and there was so much
advertising they had to run two sections of the _Herald_. The printer
they had hired in Gladbrook was slow but thorough and they got the paper
to press on time. With the folder installed, Helen was spared the arduous
duties of folding all of the papers and she devoted her time to running
the mailing machine.
"Spent that $200 yet?" asked Tom as they walked home through the brisk
December evening, snow crunching underfoot.
"All gone," smiled Helen, "and the big surprise is here in my pocket.
Wait until we get home and I tell mother about it."
"Guess I'll have to," grinned Tom.
They found their mother in the kitchen busy with the evening meal.
"Mother, we've got a Christmas surprise for you," said Helen. "Come in
the living room."
Mrs. Blair looked up quickly.
"That's thoughtful of you," she said, "but I hope you didn't spend too
much money."
Wiping her hands on her apron, she preceded them into the living room.
"Where is it?" she asked.
"Over there on the library table," replied Helen, pointing to an envelope
tied with a band of red ribbon with a sprig of holly on top.
Mrs. Blair picked up the envelope, untied the ribbon and looked inside.
She pulled out two objects. One was a long, green strip of paper with
many perforations and much printing. The other was a small black book
similar to a check book.
She held the long slip with hands that trembled as she read it.
"It's a round trip ticket to Rubio, Arizona!" she gasped, "Oh, Helen!
Tom! How kind of you. Father and I will have Christmas together! And
here's a book of traveler's checks and Pullman reservations. I'm to leave
tomorrow."
Tom gave Helen a hearty hug.
"So that's where the $200 went," he whispered. "Are you sure it's
enough?"
"Plenty," she replied.
Mrs. Blair sat down in her favorite chair, the ticket and check book in
her hands, her eyes dim with tears.
"But I can't go away and leave you two here alone during holidays," she
said.
"Oh yes you can, Mother," said Tom. "We'll be happy just knowing that you
and Dad are together and you can tell him all about us and then, when you
come back, you can tell us all about him."
"You must go, Mother," insisted Helen. "I've let Dad in on the surprise
and we can't disappoint him now."
Doctor Stevens drove them to the junction where Mrs. Blair was to board
the Southwestern limited. Snow was falling steadily, one of those dry,
sifting snows that presage a white Christmas in the middle west.
The limited poked its dark nose through the storm and drew its string of
Pullmans up to the bleak platform. It paused for only a minute and the
goodbyes were hasty.
The limited whirled away into the storm and Tom and Helen, standing alone
on the platform, watched it disappear in the snow. It would be a quiet
Christmas for them but they were supremely happy knowing that their
father was on the road to health and that they had made a success of the
_Herald_.
THE END
BOOKS for GIRLS
THE MERRIWEATHER GIRLS SERIES
BY LIZETTE EDHOLM
The Merriweather girls, Bet, Shirley, Joy and Kit are four fun-loving
chums, who think up something exciting to do every minute. The romantic
old Merriweather Manor is where their most thrilling adventures occur.
The author has given us four exceptional titles in this series--absorbing
mysteries and their solutions, school life, horseback riding, tennis and
adventures during their school vacations.
The Merriweather Girls and the Mystery of the Queen's Fan
The Merriweather Girls on Campers Trail
The Merriweather Girls in Quest of Treasure
The Merriweather Girls at Good Old Rock Hill
CAMPFIRE GIRLS SERIES
BY MARGARET PENROSE
These stories take in the activities of several bright girls who become
interested in all present day adventures.
Campfire Girls of Roselawn
Campfire Girls on Program
Campfire Girls on Station Island
Campfire Girls at Forest Lodge
EVERYGIRL'S SERIES
Grouped in the Everygirl's Series are five volumes selected for
excellence. Shirley Watkins, Caroline E. Jacobs, Ruthe Wheeler and
Blanche Elizabeth Wade contribute stories that are both fascinatingly
real and touched with romance. Every girl who dips into one of these
stories will find herself enthralled to the end.
The S.W.F. Club Caroline E. Jacobs
Jane Lends a Hand Shirley Watkins
Nancy of Paradise College Shirley Watkins
Georgina Finds Herself Shirley Watkins
Helen in the Editors Chair Ruthe Wheeler
PEGGY STEWART SERIES
_By_ GABRIELLE E. JACKSON
Peggy Stewart at Home
Peggy Stewart at School
Peggy, Polly, Rosalie, Marjorie, Natalie, Isabel, Stella and Juno--girls
all of high spirits make this Peggy Stewart series one of entrancing
interest. Their friendship, formed in a fashionable eastern school, they
spend happy years crowded with gay social affairs. The background for
these delightful stories is furnished by Annapolis with its naval academy
and an aristocratic southern estate.
THE PEGGY STEWART SERIES
_By_ GABRIELLE E. JACKSON
Against the colorful background of Annapolis and a picturesque southern
estate, Gabrielle E. Jackson paints the human and lovely story of a human
and lovely girl. Real girls will revel in this wholesome tale and its
enchanting telling.
Peggy Stewart at Home
Peggy Stewart at School
The Motor Girls Series
_By_ MARGARET PENROSE
A dashing, fun-loving girl is Cora Kimball and she is surrounded in her
gypsy-like adventures with a group of young people that fairly sparkle.
Girls who follow their adventurous steps will find a continuing delight
in their doings. In the series will be found some absorbing mysteries
that will keep the reader guessing so that the element of suspense is
added to make the perusal thoroughly enjoyable.
The Motor Girls
On Tour
At Lookout Beach
Through New England
On Cedar Lake
On the Coast
On Crystal Bay
On Waters Blue
At Camp Surprise
In the Mountains
Helen In the Editor's Chair
_By_ RUTHE S. WHEELER
"Helen in the Editor's Chair" strikes a new note in stories for girls.
Its heroine, Helen Blair, is typical of the strong, self-reliant girl of
today. When her father suffers a breakdown and is forced to go to a drier
climate to recuperate, Helen and her brother take charge of their
father's paper, the _Rolfe Herald_. They are faced with the problem of
keeping the paper running profitably and the adventures they encounter in
their year on the _Herald_ will keep you tingling with excitement from
the first page to the last.
RED STAR CLASSICS
Heidi By Johanna Spyri
Treasure Island By Robert Louis Stevenson
Hans Brinker By Mary Mapes Dodge
Gulliver's Travels By Jonathan Swift
Alice in Wonderland By Lewis Carrol
Pinocchio By Carlo Collodi
The Story of a Bad Boy By Thomas Bailey Aldrich
Kidnapped By Robert Louis Stevenson
Stories from King Arthur Retold
The Little Lame Prince By Miss Mulock
Boys and girls the world over worship these "Classics" of all times, and
no youth is complete without their imagination-stirring
influence. They are the time-tested favorites loved by
generations of young people.
The Goldsmith Publishing Co.
CHICAGO
* * * * *
Transcriber's note:
--Obvious typographical errors were corrected without changing
nonstandard spellings that might have been dialectical.