American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-03-23
Miscellany.
EDITING PRO TEN.

EDITING PRO TEN.
THE editor of the Cigare is Obliged t.
leave Paris for four and twenty hours
the sub-editor selects this precise momen
for being ill; and NJ. Aristide Gruau, Tho
Nestor of the staff, is absent canvassing &
provincial constituency in his own and
the Liberal interest. So the editor sees
nothing for it but TO ask NJ. Timolcon
Tartine before starting, kindly to dis
charge his functions for single day
and NJ. Tartine, who would have under
taken the command of the army of the
Loire at five minutes notice, consents with
pleasure. However, the editor feels some
slight misgivings; not that he mistrusts
N. Tartine's head, but he knows his heart
M. Tartine is prone to enthusiasm.
Wherefore, in getting into the train, the
director of the Cigare points out to his
chroniqueur, who has come to see him
OF, that after all there will not be much
to do, that he has given the main direc-
tions for the next number, and that the
principal thing will be to watch that
nothing creeps into the leaders or the
notes likely to hurt the feelings of General
de Ladmirault, an awkward person to
offend by reason of the state of siege. NJ
Tartine promises. Then the editor con-
veys counterwarning against insidious
Government secretaries who prow1 about
seeking admission for semi-official para
graphs in influential papers but at this
NJ Tartine nrntests with so much warmth
that he would recognize a Government
secretary even disguised under bears
skin, and perceive the drift of his prose
though it were couched in Sanskrit or
Carribee, that the editor feels treasured.
In another minute the train has disap-
peared, and NJ. Tartine walks out of the
station with a four-and-twenty hours
kingship of the most popular organ in
Paris.
Having about sixteen hours to spare be-
fore he need commence his dutieS-for
this is evening, and the Cygare does not
appear till five on the morrow-M. Tar
tine goes and dimes, and thence to the
play; and being of communicative
mood, he tells what friends he meets that
it is he who for the nonce rules the des-
inies of the Cigdre. The result of this is that
~ midnight the report has been flashed
down the whole line of the Boulevards
and into every newspaper office of the
capital that NJ. Tartine has been intrusted
with post which he will fill, not for
day-for rumor is fond of additions-but
for month, some even say six weeks;
and at eleven o'clock mex, day, when he
comes down to the office, NJ Tartine
finds a whole throng of affectionate
friends, who, knowing his benevolent dis
position, shake him by the hand, offer
him their assistance, and meanwhile
would be much obliged if he would rem
der them some little services which they
will explain if he will give them each five
minutes in private. Truth to say, NJ.
Tartine has slept as soundly as did the
great Condo on the eve of Rocroy In
trepidity is his characteristic He ac-
eepted the functions delegated to him,
excepting nothing and fearing nothing;
and the levee of suitors takes him a little
aback. Nevertheless, he rallies on recog-
nizing in one popular novelist, in an
other fluent debater, in third an enter
prising money man, and he calamity
leads the way into the editors room,
whittier the novelist follows him, shut
ting the door to exclude the other two
He has not much to ask, has the man of
fiction; he simply wants the Cigare to an
nOunce novel @ his that is coming out
!" Oh, certainly, it'll pleasure" says NJ
Tartine; ''what is the titles" "Oh,
there's not much in the title" says the
author, modestly. It's Les Cheva-
Tiers du Boudoir;' but the scope of these
works often needs to be explained to the
public mind beforehand so that they NAV
not go away with wrong impress
sions. This is a realistic study of life. Per
haps something in this style would do"
and he draws a paper from his pocket |
- didn't write the paragraph myself, it |
was friend did it. Thank you; / know
may rely upon you; good morning." and !
he vanishes, leaving NJ. Tartine to read:
announce new work from the pen of NJ |
the gifted author of Les Peches |
Roses LIE Scandale de la Rue x
and other delightful books. Anything |
more piquant in style, more interesting |
in plot. or more thoroughly artistic in |
than this new novel, into !
which N. A. has thrown all his mi
nutely realistic powers of description, his"
-" Yes, but stay" cries NJ. Tartine,
this reads like an advertisements" how
ever, he has no time to move, for the door |
opens again and in rushes the fluent de-
batter, distancing the money man by a
head My dear NJ. Tartine, look at thisr'
he calculates, displaying yesterdays O. |
ydre; "here is the parliamentary report, |
and to begin with, my speech, as you OBJ
serve, is most humiliatingly curtailed;
but ! shouldn't complain if it were not for
his passage. See, L have discussion
with a member of the Left, a Radical, and |
you give him the best of it, for after his
oke at me-a miserably small joke-you
ldd, 'hilarity On all the benchcs,' just as
4 had made no repartee" But did
you make one." asks NJ Tartine. ''Why,
If course" answers the fluent debater;
at least, if hadn't, you know, it ought
o come to the same thing; for If the
Cigase, an orderly journal, gives the palm
o men of that sort-Red Republicans,
and destroyers of society
what are we to expect. l think, per-
laps,. there paper is extracted from the
eff you would kindly insert
his little MOTEL didn't write it myself:
t was friend who did it, Thanks. l
NOW can cOnfide in your courtesy.
hood morning" And he, too, dis
'ppears, yielding his place to the money
nan, who enters just as NJ
rartine has read this much "By
,rinter's error in our yesterdays impress
ion, the brilliant witticism by which NJ
-, the eloquent member for -, ut
erly puivsrised NJ. c., the Radical
equity who interrupted him, was omitted
l. Z" said y Pardon me, my dear
A. Tartine," interposes the money man,
an aware how valuable your time is
shall not be minute. Here is the
tgdre's money article of yesterday. Do
gu see these lines They NAV prove
he death of the Oyster Joint
took Utilization Company in which the
avings of thousands are invested and
IN convinced nothing can be further from
our thoughts" Nothing" assents NJ.
'artine. "WeII. but look" groans the
loncy man. You say there is a depres-
ION on our shares. Only think of the
of the undertaking on. which
re are embarked Picture to yourself
he millions upon millions of eyster-shells
nat formerly lay about idle, but which
ow, through our fundamentally, may
e the means of pouring gold into the I
ONES Of the penuriOus. Ours is no