Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1853-05-30
From the New Orleans Crescent.
The Country NRWspapar

The editor of city journal is necessarily COM
PEELED to look over papers from other cities before
any o. hers. He has to cater in daily issue to the
tastes fancies OF curiosity (cl hat you please)
of those to whom city life is chiefly familiar, in all
its roar hustle and multiplied variety of incidents,
to whom fearful murders, immense robberies, large
speculations, lively spectacles, and things of a
similar character are alone interesting. The city
paper is the repertory Of thousand and one items
not the least interesting of which are to be found
in the local column or columns:
We must confess that we not unfrequently turn
from it to pick up some country paper, and feel
freshed in the perusal. The ordinary city reader
might not appreciate it, but we do. It has not it
is true, large assortment of original tems in fact,
such an item is a rare and highly priced thing. A
murder, robbery, assault, or thunderstorm, a
dwelling burnt, pig-sty or Sheep fold. or stable
entered and teloniously despoiled a hay-rck, cot
ton-gin, or sugar-mil burnt, tavern ball, cross
roads gathering. barbecue, an election of board
of police, magistrate, &C., are all curously won
derful incidents, to set forth which properly, i'm
mense headings of big caps. little caps, heavy
italic, &C., are used as freely as the limited sup.
ply in the cases will admit of. We have often
seen in the country papers caption which occupied
more space than the article they magnifcently
uShered in to the notice of the reader.
big pumpkin, mammouth watermelon, an
overgrown peach or potatoe, good days picking
of cotton, an unusual number of bolls on a stalk
tall sugar cane, are also matters in hch the gen.
uine country editor hugely deli. hts, and on which
he extensively diates.
And the varieties of style in which his paper ap-
pears; one week, on whole sheet, the next, on
single sheet; one week, on brownish yellow paper,
tho next on the best of white paper, and always
with big and little type in the most familiar and
sociable neighborhood.
We speak. of course, Of the genuine country
paper, not of its fashionable cousin, which, issued
in the neighborhood of some large town city, or
on the borders of some railroad navigable
stream, dresses itself up finely and put preten-
tious airs. We speak of the country paper which
In na nf hE9c. adj nfnua Of oftb
paper published in some little inland village, at
which county count or police board day is a stir
ring event, the arrival of the stage exciting in
cldent, the little tavern general Headquarters IF
gossip, &c.
And your country editor is, withal, right clev-
er, sociable fellow. He keeps nothing back from
his readers; he is on intimate and friendly terms
with them. If his devil runs away, he announces
the fact and-blows the devil up. If his solitary
jour printer takes lively holiday, he announces
this fact, claims their compassion, and apologies
for "this weeks slender amount of matter.' If
he presents only half sheet, he pathetically ex-
plains, that he sent an order by t'the wagon" ga
long time ago." but that, somehow or other, the
paper has failed to arrive, but will certainly arrive
next week.
He sets his own type, hsndles his roller, works
the press, writes his editorials, keeps his book,
Che never has books.) and answers questions gen.
orally, besides sometimes splitting his own wood,
nursing the baby, and carrying water. All these
facts he duly lays before his readers in every weeks
isSuS. hC5uldtly, tooS Nc patnetlc
duns for heartlessly delinquent patrons and offers
to take pay in all kinds of queer artices-wood,
potatoes, corn, &c. He has eloquent thanks, too,
for presents of large pumpkins, ears of corn,
peaches, hams, hominy, and an occasional bottle
of something anti-temperance. He is the embodi-
ment of all news, and with the clergyman, doctor,
tavern keeper, magistrates, one of the five great
men OF the village. His advertisements are set up
like handbills, and their queer mixture of evely
conceivable commodity draws from him glowing
puffs.
He is, wthal, right good fellow, and whenever
his face eliminates our sanctum we always gladly
lay down our pen, sure of pleasant half hour of
lively, sociable chat He is not like city editor
tagged out in daily treadmill of journalism; and
not unfrequently his editorials have genial fresh
ness, sparkling vivacity, clearness of common
sense, an originality of thought, and quickness
OF conception, which the weared and worn city
editor might well envy. Though an oracle of his
negh6orhood, he is not proud or surly, but patient.
good humored, chatty, free the pure air he in
hales far from the dusty; smoky city. He talks
what he thinks, and in his own way. He has his
holidays, too, and from them he goes back to his
| work, and sends forth many royal idea in in the
Indifferent garb his paper is comp lied 10 wear.