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d。　The　correspondent　was　elate；　he　told　the　photographer　that　the　Eclipse　would　probably　pay　fifty　dollars　for　the　article　and　the　photograph。

The　office　of　the　New　York　Eclipse　was　at　the　top　of　the　immense　building　on　Broadway。　It　was　a　sheer　mountain　to　the　heights　of　　which　the　interminable　thunder　of　the　streets　arose　faintly。　The　Hudson　was　a　broad　path　of　silver　in　the　distance。　Its　edge　was　　marked　by　the　tracery　of　sailing　ships'　rigging　and　by　the　huge　　and　many…coloured　stacks　of　ocean　liners。　At　the　foot　of　the　　cliff　lay　City　Hall　Park。　It　seemed　no　larger　than　a　quilt。　The　grey　walks　patterned　the　snow…covering　into　triangles　and　ovals　　and　upon　them　many　tiny　people　scurried　here　and　there；　without　sound；　like　a　fish　at　the　bottom　of　a　pool。　It　was　only　the　　vehicles　that　sent　high；　unmistakable；　the　deep　bass　of　their　　movement。　And　yet　after　listening　one　seemed　to　hear　a　singular　murmurous　note；　a　pulsation；　as　if　the　crowd　made　noise　by　its　　mere　living；　a　mellow　hum　of　the　eternal　strife。　Then　suddenly　out　of　the　deeps　might　ring　a　human　voice；　a　newsboy　shout　perhaps；　the　cry　of　a　　faraway　jackal　at　night。

From　the　level　of　the　ordinary　roofs；　combined　in　many　plateaus；　dotted　with　short　iron　chimneys　from　which　curled　wisps　of　steam；　arose　other　mountains　like　the　Eclipse　Building。　They　were　great　peaks；　　ornate；　glittering　with　　paint　or　polish。　Northward　they　subsided　to　sun…crowned　ranges。

From　some　of　the　windows　of　the　Eclipse　office　dropped　the　walls　of　a　terrible　chasm　in　the　darkness　of　which　could　be　seen　vague　struggling　figures。　Looking　down　into　this　appalling　crevice　one　discovered　only　the　tops　of　hats　and　knees　which　in　spasmodic　jerks　seemed　to　touch　the　rims　of　the　hats。　The　scene　represented　some　weird　fight　or　dance　or　carouse。　It　was　not　an　exhibition　of　men　hurrying　along　a　narrow　street。

It　was　good　to　turn　one's　eyes　from　that　place　to　the　vista　of　the　city's　splendid　reaches；　with　spire　and　spar　shining　in　the　clear　atmosphere　and　the　marvel　of　the　Jersey　shore；　pearl…　misted　or　brilliant　with　detail。　From　this　height　the　sweep　of　a　snow…storm　was　defined　and　majestic。　Even　a　slight　summer　shower；　with　swords　of　lurid　yellow　sunlight　piercing　its　edges　as　if　warriors　were　contesting　every　foot　of　its　advance；　was　from　the　Eclipse　office　something　so　inspiring　that　the　chance　pilgrim　felt　a　sense　of　exultation　as　if　from　this　peak　he　was　surveying　the　worldwide　war　of　the　elements　and　life。　The　staff　of　the　Eclipse　usually　worked　　without　coats　and　amid　the　smoke　from　pipes。

To　one　of　the　editorial　chambers　came　a　photograph　and　an　article　from　Michaelstown；　Massachusetts。　A　boy　placed　the　packet　and　many　others　upon　the　desk　of　a　young　man　who　　was　standing　before　a　window　and　thoughtfully　drumming　upon　the　pane。　He　turned　at　the　thudding　of　the　packets　upon　his　desk。　〃　Blast　you；〃　he　remarked　amiably。　〃　Oh；　I　guess　it　won't　hurt　you　to　work；〃　answered　the　boy；　grinning　with　a　comrade's　Insolence。　Baker；　an　assistant　editor　for　the　Sunday　paper；　took　scat　at　his　desk　and　began　the　task　of　examining　the　packets。　His　face　could　not　display　any　particular　interest　because　he　had　been　at　the　same　work　for　nearly　a　fortnight。

The　first　long　envelope　he　opened　was　from　a　woman。　There　was　a　neat　little　manuscript　accompanied　by　a　letter　which　explained　that　the　writer　was　a　widow　who　was　trying　to　make　her　living　by　her　pen　and　who；　further；　hoped　that　the　generosity　of　the　editor　of　the　Eclipse　would　lead　him　to　give　her　article　the　opportunity　which　she　was　sure　it　deserved。　She　hoped　that　the　editor　would　pay　her　as　well　as　possible　for　it；　as　she　needed　the　money　greatly。　She　added　that　her　brother　was　a　reporter　on　the　Little　Rock　Sentinel　and　he　had　declared　that　her　literary　style　was　excellent。　Baker　really　did　not　read　this　note。　His　vast　experience　of　a　fortnight　had　enabled　him　to　detect　its　kind　in　two　glances。　He　unfolded　the　manuscript；　looked　at　it　woodenly　and　then　tossed　it　with　the　letter　to　the　top　of　his　desk；　where　it　lay　with　the　other　corpses。　None　could　think　of　widows　in　Arkansas；　ambitious　from　the　praise　of　the　reporter　on　the　Little　Rock　Sentinel；　waiting　for　a　crown　of　literary　glory　and　money。　In　the　next　envelope　a　man　using　the　note…paper　of　a　Boston　journal　begged　to　know　if　the　accompanying　article　would　be　acceptable；　if　not　it　was　to　be　kindly　returned　in　the　enclosed　stamped　envelope。　It　was　a　humourous　essay　on　trolley　cars。　Adventuring　through　the　odd　scraps　that　were　come　to　the　great　mill；　Baker　paused　occasionally　to　relight　his　pipe。

As　he　went　through　envelope　after　envelope；　the　desks　about　him　gradually　were　occupied　by　young　men　who　entered　from　the　hall　with　their　faces　still　red　from　the　cold　of　the　streets。　For　the　most　part　they　bore　the　unmistakable　stamp　of　the　American　college。　They　had　that　confident　poise　which　is　easily　brought　from　the　athletic　field。　Moreover；　their　clothes　were　quite　in　the　way　of　being　of　the　newest　fashion。　There　was　an　air　of　precision　about　their　cravats　and　linen。　But　on　the　other　hand　there　might　be　with　them　some　indifferent　westerner　who　was　obliged　to　resort　to　irregular　means　and　harangue　startled　shop…keepers　in　order　to　provide　himself　with　collars　of　a　strange　kind。　He　was　usually　very　quick　and　brave　of　eye　and　noted　for　his　inability　to　perceive　a　distinction　between　his　own　habit　and　the　habit　of　others；　his　western　character　preserving　itself　inviolate　amid　a　confusion　of　manners。

The　men；　coming　one　and　one；　or　two　and　two；　flung　badinage　to　all　corners　of　the　room。　Afterward；　as　they　wheeled　from　time　to　time　in　their　chairs；　they　bitterly　insulted　each　other　with　the　utmost　good…nature；　taking　unerring　aim　at　faults　and　riddling　personalities　with　the　quaint　and　cynical　humour　of　a　newspaper　office。　Throughout　this　banter；　it　was　strange　to　note　how　infrequently　the　men　smiled；　particularly　when　directly　engaged　in　an　encounter。

A　wide　door　opened　into　another　apartment　where　were　many　little　slanted　tables；　each　under　an　electric　globe　with　a　green　shade。　Here　a　curly…headed　scoundrel　with　a　corncob　pipe　was　hurling　paper　balls　the　size　of　apples　at　the　head　of　an　industrious　man　who；　under　these　difficulties；　was　trying　to　draw　a　picture　of　an　awful　wreck　with　ghastly…faced　sailors　frozen　in　the　rigging。　Near　this　pair　a　lady　was　challenging　a　German　artist　who　resembled　Napoleon　III。　with　having　been　publicly　drunk　at　a　music　hall　on　the　previous　night。　Next　to　the　great　gloomy　corridor　of　this　sixteenth　floor　was　a　little　office　presided　over　by　an　austere　boy；　and　here　waited　in　enforced　patience　a　little　dismal　band　of　people　who　wanted　to　see　the　Sunday　editor。

Baker　took　a　manuscript　and　after　glancing　about　the　room；　walked　over　to　a　man　at　another　desk；　Here　is　something　that。　I　think　might　do；〃　he　said。　The　man　at　the　desk　read　the　first　two　pages。　〃　But　where　is　the　photogragh　〃　〃　he　asked　then。　〃There　should　be　a　photograph　with　this　thing。〃

〃　Oh；　I　forgot；〃　said　Baker。　He　brought　from　his　desk　a　photograph　of　the　babe　that　had　been　born　lacking　arms　and　one　eye。　Baker's　superior　braced　a　knee　against　his　desk　and　settled　back　to　a　judicial　attitude。　He　took　the　photograph　and　looked　at　it　impassively。　〃　Yes；〃　he　said；　after　a　time；　〃　that's　a　pretty　good　thing。　You　better　show　that　to　Coleman　when　he　comes　in。〃

In　the　little　office　where　the　dismal　band　waited；　there　had　been　a　sharp　hopeful　stir　when　Rufus　Coleman；　the　Sunday　editor；　passed　rapidly　from　door　to　door　and　vanished　within　the　holy　precincts。　It　had　evidently　been　in　the　minds　of　some　to　accost　him　then；　but　his　eyes　did　not　turn　once　in　their　direction。　It　was　as　if　he　had　not　seen　them。　Many　experiences　had　taught　him　that　the　proper　manner　of　passing　through　this　office　was　at　a　blind　gallop。

The　dismal　band　turned　then　upon　the　austere　office　boy。　Some　demanded　with　terrible　dignity　that　he　should　take　in　their　cards　at　once。　Others　sought　to　ingratiate　themselves　by　smiles　of　tender　friendliness。　He　for　his　part　employed　what　we　would　have　called　his　knowledge　of　men　and　women　upon　the　group；　and　in　consequence　blundered　and　bungled　vividly；　freezing　with　a　glance　an　annoyed　and　importunate　Arctic　　explorer　who　was　come　to　talk　of　illustrations　for　an　article　that　had　been　lavishly　paid　for　in　advance。　The　hero　might　have　thought　he　was　again　in　the　northern　seas。　At　the　next　moment　the　boy　was　treating　almost　courteously　a　German　from　the　cast　side　who　wanted　the　Eclipse　to　print　a　grand　full　page　advertising　description　of　his　invention；　a　gun　which　was　supposed　to　have　a　range　of　forty　miles　and　to　be　able　to　penetrate　anything　with　equanimity　and　joy。　The　gun；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　had　once　been　induced　to　go　off　when　it　had　hurled　itself　passionately　upon　its　back；　incidentally　breaking　its　inventor's　leg。　The　projectile　had　wandered　some　four　hundred　yards　seaward；　where　it　dug　a　hole　in　the　water　which　was　really　a　menace　to　navigation。　Since　then　there　had　been　nothing　tangible　save　the　inventor；　in　splints　and　out　of　splints；　as　the　fortunes　of　science　decreed。　In　short；　this　office　boy　mixed　his　business　in　the　perfect　manner　of　an　underdone　lad　dealing　with　matters　too　large　for　him；　and　throughout　he　displayed　the　pride　and　assurance　of　a　god。

As　Coleman　crossed　the　large　office　his　face　still　wore　the　stern　expression　which　he　invariably　used　to　carry　him　unmolested　through　the　ranks　of　the　dismal　band。　As　he　was　removing　his　London　overcoat　he　addressed　the　imperturbable　back　of　one　of　his　staff；　who　had　a　desk　against　the　opposite　wall。　〃　Has　Hasskins　sent　in　that　drawing　of　the　mine　accident　yet？　〃　The　man　did　not　lift　his　head　from　his　work…；　but　he　answered　at　once：　〃　No；　not　yet。〃　Coleman　was　laying　his　hat　on　a　chair。　〃　Well；　why　hasn't　he　？　〃　he　demanded。　He　glanced　toward　the　door　of　the　room　in　which　the　curly…headed　scoundrel　with　the　corncob　pipe　was　still　hurling　paper　balls　at　the　man　who　was　trying　to　invent　the　postures　of　dead　mariners　frozen　in　the　rigging。　The　office　boy　came　timidly　from　his　post　and　informed　Coleman　of　the　waiting　people。　〃　All　right；〃　said　the　editor。　He　dropped　into　his　chair　and　began　to　finger　his　letters；　which　had　been　neatly　opened　and　placed　in　a　little　stack　by　a　boy。　Baker　came　in　with　the　photograph　of　the　miserable　babe。

It　was　publicly　believed　that　the　Sunday　staff　of　the　Eclipse　must　have　a　kind　of　aesthetic　delight　in　pictures　of　this　kind；　but　Coleman's　face　betrayed　no　emotion　as　he　looked　at　this　specimen。　He　lit　a　fresh　cigar；　tilted　his　chair　and　surveyed　it　with　a　cold　and　stony　stare。　〃　Yes；　that's　all　right；〃　he　said　slowly。　There　seemed　to　be　no　affectionate　relation　between　him　and　this　picture。　Evidently　he　was　weighing　its　value　as　a　morsel　to　be　flung　to　a　ravenous　public；　whose　wolf…like　appetite；　could　only　satisfy　itself　upon　mental　entrails；　abominations。　As　for　himself；　he　seemed　to　be　remote；　exterior。　It　was　a　matter　of　the　Eclipse　business。

Suddenly　Coleman　became　executive。　〃　Better　give　it　to　Schooner　and　tell　him　to　make　a　half…page…or；　no；　send　him　in　here　and　I'll　tell　him　my　idea。　How's　the　article？　Any　good？　Well；　give　it　to　Smith　to　rewrite。〃

An　artist　came　from　the　other　room　and　presen