The Southern journal., 1846-05-23
/ Laiy's Visit 10 a Printing Office.

Yes, madam, we exscissorize some, tho
are obliged to weave considerable cloth
ourselves. Suppose you occupy our chair
and give the public your ideas of editing "a
paper.
Me! goodness! wouldn't sit down here
and write where every bodyls staring al
one tor the worle; writing makes a person
so cross. Besides your table is all ink, it
would soil my dress; why don't you have
nice mahogany table, and white curtains
at the windows? What makes YOU hang
up these dusty old papers round the room.
If was obliged TO stay here, the floor
should be washed and a carpet should
be laid down. 1t is dreadful to live this
way.
Oh, these are our files, we could not
dispense with them very well; and as for
carpet, we fear it would Tighten our Gus
TONER'S
Dear me, the gentlemen are so careless
about every thing SO nice, that | don't
think they are comfortable unless they
have their rooms all Uttered up. Did you
write all those sheets to-day?
CertainIy-and we are not through
yet.
Why, it takes me whole day to com
pose and copy letter. | hope you don't
scrawl and blot so when you write 10 the
ladies.
We have never had that pleasure ma
dam.
No, and you won't write for them either
or you would not print such stuff as
you do.
Don't put any thing more about Ore.
gon and Congress in the paper-wil
YOU?
But what are those men doing in the
other room with their sleeves rolled 10 and
making motions as if they were going tc
fight somebody.
Those are our composjtors setting type
you see they have a stick in one hand
and they place the types in with the
other.
don't see any sticks, unless you cal
those little square pieces of iron so; wha
curious names you have, | always though
a stick was TO walk with.
Well, ours make the words walk; those
little boxes, that we call cases contaiothe
letters, and the printer puts them to
gether into words and sentences by the
aid of that little piece of iron that yol
speak of,
Well, declare; doctors and lawy ers
knew had cases, but | never knew tha
printers had before.
Certainly, madam, they sometimes ar,
foul cases and hard cases too, but wha
can be expected of those who lead the live
of devils?
Why! do they! am sorry to hear it,
Do tell me what that man is filling tha
trough with water for.
lie is going 10 wet the paper--yol
know
Oh, yes, thought you always sprinkle'
your papers and ironed them, to max
them look so smooth; and suppose th
great galIows looking machine is you
mangIe.
That's the press, madam, and thi
handle here is the Archimedian powe
that moves the world. Just notice it
power; you perceive that it is a broke
lever
Why in the world, then, don't you hav
it mended. The men are always Sc slack
but what are those things that resemble lon
picture frames.
Those are what we generally term gal
leys.
You have galleys, hey? | didn't kno,
that the printers were SO much like tn
Ro1v mans before.
Look yonder-what is that boy do
ing?-
Oh! he is only distributing a handful {
pie.
Well, shouldn't think handful of pi
would be so much among so many. Whc
; are you going to do with these slips
printed paper?
: These are proofs, and we are oblige
| to read them, won't you sit down an
help US?