New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1871-11-30

The new novel of B. l.. Farjeon, Joshua /
Marvel" which has met with a warmth and
of commentator exceedingly rare |
in the English press, abounds in passages of q |
very powerful realism and great tenderness,
recalling to the critics De Foe and the "vicar
of Wakefield" but its bumor is hardly less
remarkable, aud the very first chapter gives us
an account of new errand boy in a printing
Office which is highly amusing. The narrative
runs
Looking as sharp as he could, Joshua walked
up stairs, and found himself in the composing
room of the establishment A number of men
and boys, decorated with aprons with large
bibs. were playing mysterious game with hun.
dreds and thousands of small pieces of lead,
which they clicked, with marvellous rapidly.
but without any apparent meaning, against an
instrument they held in their hands. He
looked in vain for the swords which be had
heard printers were allowed to wear, and he
was covered with confusion at finding himself
In the midst of so large an assemblage, who
one and all appeared As if they were playing on
number of pianos without any tune In them.
Going up to a youth whose head covered
with profusion of red hair, looked as if it
were in blaze, Joshua asked to whom he
should give the proof "To Shocks" was the
prompt reply. For which piece of information
he received a slap on the side of the head from
some person in authority, who taking the
proof from Joshua, directed him 60 sweep up
the room. While performing this task he sur
veyed the scene before him. There were six
teen men and four boys at work. All the men
had the same dissipated look that he had OBJ
served upon the countenance Of the master.
Their faces, otherwise, were very clean I; but
the tips of the right hand forefnger and thumb
of each hand were black with dirt, caused by
the types which they picked up with those ex-
tremities from the boxes before them. Not
word was spoken except what appeared to have
reference to business. and the conversation
! proceeded somewhat in this wise: One of the
workmen, walking to slab of iron placed In
the middle of the room. took therefrom sheet
of manuscript, aud, looking at it negligenty,
shouted:
Number three"
Another voice at the cad of the room cried
out:
awful Collision -
Joshua stopped in the midst of his sweeping
and waited for the shock. But as none came,
ne proceeded with his work, and thought that
the speaker was crazy. In the meantime the
dialogue continued.
Speaker number one" Eud break"
Speaker number two--"All right with O
growl.
Speaker number one-"What type?r
Speaker number two, with another growl-
" Minon"
At the word "minion," which Joshua con.
sdered was term expressive of anything but
respect, he expected speaker number one would
walk up to speaker number two and punch his
head. Instead of which the insulted individual
went into his corner again and recommended
playing his tuneess piano in the meekest pos
sibe manner. The overseer then going to q
part of the room where long rows of type were
placed in detached pieces, asked
" How long will this Dreadful Suicida he he
fore it's finished ?"
Done in five minutes, SIR was the reply,
in cheerful voice.
"Who's on the Inquest!" asked the oyerseer.
II am, SIR"
"Be quick and get it finished you've been
long enough over 1t. Now, then, how long is
the Chancery Court to remain open?"
Close it up in two minutes, SIR"
And Joshua gazed Wild a kind of wonder at
the individual who spoke, as if it were as easv
to close the Court of Chancery as to close his
hand.
1t was the day on which the paper was sent
to press the publishing hour was three o'clock
IN the afternoon and as the work was behind
hand, everybody was very busy. In the centre
OF the room was large iron slab, and at one
time the hammering and beating on this slab
was terrinc. Two or three excited individuals |
with mailets and iron sticks in their hands, ad
vanced toward the type, which was laid upon
the slab, with the apparent intention OF Sun ash |
ing il to pieces. They commenced to do this |
with such extraordinary earnestness that !
Joshua was on the point of rushing down
stairs to the master to inform him that his |
property was being wantonly destroyed, but as
the other workmen appeared to regard the |
proceeding quite matter of course, Joshua |
checked himself, and thought it would perhaps
be as well tor him 10 say nothing about it.
The overseer also continued to issue his strange
orders; and during a slight cessation in the |
hammering, he peremptoriIy ordered the work.
men to lock up that Escaped Lunatic, and |
be quick about IT," At another time he gave
directions to lay the Female in Disguise on the
stone, (meaning the iron slab, to unlock the
Did Bailey, and 60 correct the Chanceor's |
Budget. Joshua grew perfectly bewildered
The information that there was an Escaped |
Lunatic in the room did not SD much astonish
as alarm him; but as 10 the Female in Disguise
he could not identify her, and he waited in
amazement to see what disguise she wore and |
where she would be brought from at the same
time entertaining the idea that to lay any fe-
male upon a stone was a decidedly improper
proceeding While in this state of mental per
plex'ty, the oyerseer cried out:
NOW, then, who has the Female in Disguise |
in hand ?'
81 have, sir, q voice replied.
Bring it here, them" ordered the overseer,
" and finish the corrections on the stone'
Gall right, SIR
Joshua started and looked around to catch a
sight of the female; in his agitation he STUN
oed against a workman who held a column of
type la his arms. The type fell TO the ground,
and was smashed into thousands of pieces. In
an instant the whole Office was in confusion.
you've done it this time youngster :" the
workman said, in dismay looking at the scat
tered type on the floor.
Joshua did not exactly know what he had
done, but felt that it must be something very
bad. He soon received practical proof of the
extent of the mischief, for the master, rushing
into the room, kicked him down stairs and told
him TO go about bis business. Which Joshua
did in a state of much bewilderment
QUICK WORK A gentleman recently visited
a shoe factory in Lynn, Mass, and became
tly i'm. Cd ~ /