Page:Lynch Williams--The stolen story and other newspaper stories.djvu/295

 they were very busy men and had no time to waste on drunkards.

"There's no sense in being discouraged," said Billy Woods, smiling; "I'll try again to-morrow. What are my legs for? Say, wasn't that a well-written story The Day had this morning about the Board of Education!" Then he talked fascinatingly for half an hour about politics in the Board of Education.

The next day he started with the less desirable papers and began to work down the list.

"But I've quit drinking entirely," he exclaimed, straightening his glasses and trying to look intent, like the old Billy Woods. "How about the night exchange desk? You know what I can do."

The city editors smiled indulgently. They did not seem to understand that he had quit drinking entirely.

"Very well," said Woods, cheerily, "Good-by," smiled, bowed politely, and marched off to try to make some other office think it was worth while giving him a trial.