Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-06-12

A Correspondents.
Not exactly of an inquisitive nature, mus
confess to have been quite curious in regard Il
a certain neighbor OF mine.
My own business is plain enough. My namC
is quite conspicuous on the general sign direc
tory at the entrance OH the street, standing Ou
in gold on an azure ground, lin contrast with
the forty odd other occupants of the bee-hive)
and besides this, it is repeated, in the same
color, on every landing, so that those who walk
(upstairs) can read, and is again emblazoned
over my own particular door. Some day the
monthly journal of which | am editor-in-chlef-
combining with it, for the present, the other
minor functions of reporter, publisher canvass
er, advertising agent, etc,-must undoubtedly
render my name famous. | had been in the
building somewhat over three years; knew
every occupant in the house, from the great law
yer on the first floor with the ford wig, to the
unfortunate copyiSt on the fourth flight with the
mky finger; tuntil lately the dweller of room
No. "a, just opposite to me, has been mystery
TO me.
Over his door was stuck up a piece of paper
with waters, and on it was inscribed "cOrre-
spondent." Occasionally | have seen rather
ilashily dressed men enter there, stay an hour
or so and silently leave. Two or three times
people have met me on the stairs, rather out of
breath; You have TO mount 1873 steps ex-
actly before reaching our landing, and asked
me "where No. 81 was" There was even
loudly caparlsoued female, not long ago, VIII ON
found knocking at No. IS, and not finding the
occupant in, opened my door and asked for him.
Sometimes when | have worked late at night,
have seen light glimmering through the crack
of his door 'COrres pondent what was that?
Was he one of those brilliant writers who give
the public monthly installments from CONSTANT
nople, Hakodadi, Surinam, or AshangO Land?
One of those Xavier de Mastres who write COS
mopolitan c0yuge Gutour de ma cbdmbre? II
so, he was a brother, and would claim his ac-
quaintance. Perhaps his calling was A COM
mercial one. l remembered to have seen in
some old books of a mercantile character,
Messrs SO aud So, merchants, traders and cor
respondents. Might it be some relic of a long
gone past age, who, in spite OF the telegra phi,
with do9ged obstinacy still held fast to bis old
calling, and wrote up for foreign houses the
prices Of indigo or cinnamon, in defiance Of
more modern and speedF methods?
The JanitOr himself, rather inclined to be 10
quacious, could tell me nothing. It's a queer
lot; | don't, would you believe il, make a penny
a year out of him? Never been inside Of his
place since he took 1t. Pays his rent somehow
or other, but don't want no sweeping done. Had
his lock altered when he frs. took the office and
won't have pasS-key made 10 it. No, it amt
bad money, or else you would see something
come into the room, and things taken out of it,
and you would hear a working of machinery.
He does power OF writing; that's all. He is a
correspondent; but blessed if know what that
ISL This conversation happened when was a
new conner. An occasional advance made by
me, such as borrowing a match, after knocking
a long time at the door, was at last responded
to by parsonage in his shirt sleeves, with a
peculiarly red nose and bleary eyes, and the
match was extended to me, through the opening
OF the door, but all attempts at anything like
neghbOrly acquaintance were coldly repelled
1t happened that week ago, by somewhat of
a mi an fiafa -,
amount of copy for the journal-a vouminous
manuscript, Of which duplicate copies had to be
made, to be sent to two cities in the country for
simultaneous publication. 1t was somebody's
scheme about some wonderful project, which
was to see the light by this method. The mat
ter was brought to me at late hour, and had TO
be returned at stated time in the evening Do
my best, | could not make more than two copies
myself in the time given. The copyist up stairs
was my hope, Knocking at his door, | received
no responsible had left an hour before Musing
for an instant for had no time TO spare, "Cor-
respondent" entered into my head. hammered
at his door; there was light there.
whats upP was asked in a broken voice.
You don't want match, for your light is
burning"
dts work | want Can you copyY in
quired. "lrs a job want done in two hours at
the utmost; YOU must undertake it at once.
Win you do it"
close.
"See here, neighbor," said. 81 do not wan
TO hnd out your secrets, but it is favor You
would do me. | have no desire to come in
All want is that you should take a seat at my
desk and copy for me this paper, while do The
same"
ooh, that's it, is it? People are so curious
How long will it take, and what's the payP
Two hours, and say five dollars"
Don't mind the time, but the paw ISM
enough. Split the dfierence-l was going tC
ask ten-and make it seven fifty"
l thought it an outrageous price, but wa.
forced to consent.
81 will be with you in five minutes. Gle
something to drink and some cigars"
Il will run down and get them, if that viii
conclude the bargain" ! said, and went in cues
of refreshments. When ! came to my Office
door found spare, gaunt man, in shabby ha
biliments, who, without word with simply
wave OF his hand as recognition, followed mt
into my Office
Taking seat before my table, | in a few
words indicated what wished done
What kind Of hand?" he asked. "Englisl
legal, running hand, pot hooks--whatw and h,
scrubbed on blank piece of paper the first few
lines OF the copy, in half dozen dissimla
styles OF chrography with lightning like rapid
ity.
Whichever suits you best is the most leeble
and which you can dc fastest"
He grunted out something as if in acqules
cence, and at ii we went. am rapid with m,
pen, and suppose was most two hours befor
| got through with tue work when his had beer
tiashed fully Il half hour, and there was not
mistake or an erasure visible in his COPY M
office boy, who was in waiting, was INSTANTLY
dispatched with the copies to their destination
Ny co-worker had filled himself glass OF wine
and, with q cigar in his mouth was readin.
some exchanges on the table.
fN.uN.l h. 4 L.. a..
But for goodness sake do tell me what a CORE
spondent is. Take another glass of wine, au,
here is your money"
"All right; but what are you so precious curl
Gus about? Correspondent It's trade lik,
anything else. We amt many in New York
may be three at the iurthest-and fancy dc
the bulk Of the work"
"Well but what do you do? Is il literar,
worlSW inquired.
Yes, quite so, and of the most remarkable
kind. Tales Of fiction, romance and All tbn
kind of thing, all well enough in their way TIN
affecting sorrows Of the hero, or the miserable
fate of the heroine, may draw tears from TIN
eyes Of the unsophisticated, but that ain much
Give me man whose pen can draw dollars lron
peoples pockets-thats a talent"
- u assure you i ain still in the dark !" I said
Here my friend paused for WHILE then bnriet
his nose in the glass, until the reflection of thi
organ gave the vessel he was drinking of a pc
euliar radiant lustre, aud swallowing bi!
dranght, remarked: "a correspondent Yoi
don't know what that ISL Why, am, / think
u good, steady jobbing one must be that, o
| would not get any employment. The pay i
not so bad, ii only The work was constant
Well, am regularly in the business, and bein,
| known as such, see no reason 10 be ashamed o
| my calling The express company who carrie
out the saw.dust packages, do they bother them
selves about the character Of the contents?
,hey are marked five or ten, or one hundred dol
ials, ~ y. D., and the parties take them iron
Ille oinSe, they do not trouble themselves an
nV a. aoout u. am correspondent, but no
IL. was ~ them once--thafs years AFRO, / an
very much AFRAID that If you were 10 send me 4
correspondent TO the most brilliant capital /
Europe, with a free entrance into tic bosom I
the royal FANNY, anu expect sprightly letter