A Good Excuse.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 1, Issue 2, 20 March 1912, Page 4

A Good Excuse.

Once, when Ned Hamilton was managing editor of the San Francisco Examiner, the other morning papers came out with a sensational story of a shooting affair in an upstate California city. It was a good story. The circumstances were exciting, the persons involved had social position, and there was a neat little scandal in it. The other papers had columns and the Examiner hadn't a line. Hamilton called in the news editor.

"Fire that correspondent!" he shouted. "Fire him by wire! Fire him by airship or carrier pigeon, or any other way—but fire him! Imagine him getting left on a story like that! Fire him—and do it quick!" "Mr Hamilton, I think you'll have to excuse our correspondent this time." "Excuse him!" roared Hamilton. "Excuse him for getting us beaten on such a story! I shall not! Fire him I say—and do it now!" "But, Mr Hamilton," protested tne news editor, "there are circumstances—" "There can't be circumstances that will excuse him!" said Hamilton. "Fire him, I say!" "Really, Mr Hamilton, I can't do it."

"Why not?" "Well you see, the Examiner correspondent has a good excuse for not sending the story. He is the man who was killed!'