The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1864-11-15
p.rlna aaar-tner

nrM paper % t1e utAce 0i @hieh tHet
took plaec--oF how maay years have
elapsed since ihat period. llls enough
/ 10 say tiat they did occur. under my
own immediate observation. and 80
/ long ago that mapy who laughed the
mos hearty at The time have forgot.
/ Ten sl about them.
was ~ that tme sub editor. proof
reader, writer Il puils and moral es-
says. ard general mau oi ali work for
ga paper d vide circulation and ex-
/ tensiyu influence, which uay des.
I iguate as the Weekly Balloon, from
/ ,he simple fact thst | might some day
/ end my nose pulled if gave thc real
name.
The Balloon was The joint property
/ Of TWO proprielors, who a lhe same
/ lime both oilieiated - responsible Id
iors--il,e one. Wilson, looking most
after ihe business affairs, tie reading
Of the longer manuscripts, and tbe
column oi Answers 70 Cgrrespou-
/ deuls and lhe other, Burke, passing
judg ment ON The poetry aud short
sketches received, making selections,
writing short stories, occasional but
very rare induigenees IN longer ones,
and having the literary aud bellies let
tres charge Of the paper generally.
Botti had been practical printers IN
early life, and entered the editorial
| profession through that legitimate
channel
/ No Two men could be more dissim-
! liar, either ID person or character, than
Wilson and Bu1e although they
agreed capiially- perhaps Tor that
very reason. Wilson was tail man
ol grasely classical face, though with
a merry twinkle il his blue eye, that
slowed how capable he was Of appre-
ciating joke.
Burke was The very anlipodes Of
Wilson. lie was short and stout, with
a head Of curly black hair, and face
showing unmisIakable marEs OF Hi
bern,an blood, from which he was on
ly couple OF generations removed.
lie was a jolly roilicking, storytelling
fellow, and with no propensity 70 con
ceal the fact Practical prauks we're
entirely III his line though he did moi
rind occasion 70 indulge IN them very
often within The precincts Of the Bal
loon office.
The editorial room Of the Balloon
was al that time arranged into three
divisions. III the outer, which ran
the whole length Of the room, | had
my desk, while Two Or three others for
the mail clerk and for chance contrib
uiors were distributed about the wall,
aud partitions. Tie other half Of tic
room was again -ubd vided,. and in
one Of these hglves wilson Ind his
desk, white Burke had Ms IN tile oth-
er. al tlic room was open at tie top
so that voices could be heard when
persons were IN loud conversation
but no cne conld either see within the
l1ilher, or hear what was said ia tone
Of voice pitched 1t a low cony ersaton.
al key.
As ] occupied tie outer room, and
was there almost all the time during
business hours, necessarily saw all
! who passed into tie rooms Of either Of
The proprictors and | sometimes acted
as a sori Of bzy usher (kecpipg ny
scat al tie while) to direct unaccus.
toned visitors q tie proper apart
| ments. The Balloon hada large corps
Of lady contibutors, nearly ali Of
whom brought their own manuscripts
10 The Office and made Tie necessary
arrangements for publication.
! vas s,r bbl ng assay at my little
d, * one day, engaged il the mean-
choly occupation OF writing up the
/" humorous department OF the paper,
withou; particle Of humor either in
myself or my mat rial when lady
came Ia and inquired for Mr. Wilson
not only direct ta her TO lie door OF
his private den, but on that special oc-
casion got up 10 show her acro>s tie
room. The lady had roll Of mann
script in her hand, aud in lhat respect
booked like any Of the five hundred la
dy visitors. But willie the majority
looked deeldedly passe {don't let The
literary Iadies suppose an SANDER
ing item literary taleni, whether 10
man or woman, seldom fipeus 20 a. 10
be available. unnl tha FIRST roses of
youth have died from the cheek While
the majority Of them looked decidedly
p0sse, say, this woman vas Chez
patra OF dark beauty. | remember
her looks. ard even her dress (Which
was OF light plaid silk, robe aud man
tie, aud the mantle heavily qnilted),
to tliis day. Heavy mas 81. caring
bsack hair, magnificent dark eyes, with
iashts that swept her check IA rose
bud mouth and ciie, Ks Of peacIy
bloom that bad never been bought al
the pertumer's--a figure Of queens
height aad proporlion--all these /
caught ai eiaHee and ii / bad not
been poor devii Of a sub editor. With
cut even n private room or license
TO tai i lose, | should have become
! thoroughly inioxicaefd wilh her III the
short space u tune that She required
70 cFl,ss from the outside door 10 that
ei Wllsohs saueium.
A i was, Only fell so much ia
love as to be able TO descrsbe her II