Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1873-05-17
STICKING HIS THOUSAND,

the bay and announced himself as an
ex-type sticker, who was anxious to set
up q thousand ems for the proposed
monument about to b. erected to Hor-
ace Greeley in Union Square, New
York. The proprietor was perfectly
willing that the man should indulge in
an act of professional benevolence, and
tsupplied him with an old case of nom
pareil which hadn't been thoroughly
clean for long time. The old thing
had gone into disuse ever since drunk
en- printer, who had been celebrating
the memory of Ben. Franklin, at
tempted to distribute speech Of Geo.
Francis Train in it seven years ago.
The old printer was likewise a little.
rusty on the types, his most recent at,
tempt at "justifying" being an after
Moons work on General Jackson's last
inaugural address. The case given him
by the benevolent proprietor was
perfect eye-sore in the Office, and gen.
orally resorted to by the devil for
sorts" Having received permission
to set the required thousand ems, the
old printer deliberately removed his
coat and vest, and, stufling an immense
quid of fne-cut tobacco in his cheek,
seized rusty stick lying on the stone,
borrowed rule from an adjoining case,
and advanced boldly to his task. First
he gazed intently at the dirty old case,
and then shook it up in a lively and de-
cided manner, showing that the vigor
of his youth had not departed. Then
he went round and tore q piece of copy
off the hook with as much agility as
when nearly half century before he
made the types fly in the setting up of
Democratic returns of the Connecticut
election: How the quick blood of his
youth coursed through his veins as the
old days came back to him, and in the
innocence of his heart he thought he
was boy again. Meanwhile the pro-
prietor had been fixing thingS for the
simple old printers reception. Hap
pening to have an old piece of Greeley's
manuscript about the office, he head
ed it ID. r..r .-a4t
LATEST FROM THE MURDERoUs MoDoCs,"
Dated it Yreka, and put it on the hook.
When the printer got back to his case
he placed the manuscript before him,
rolled up his sleeves, grasped his stick
with firm grip, and tackled his copy.
The first few lines were mere child's
play to him. He made few convulsive
grabs at the upper case caps" and
then everythink seemed to fall into line
as nicely as possible. Then be read
over his first line in the stick and
changed it in sixteen places. Then he,
took fresh start and got down to
Greeley's chirography. Thenhe paused,
and after a bit of reflection took up the
letter A, but after some more reflection
put it down again. He then took a
fresh chew and a hitch at his pants;
then concluding to 60 on he set UP a
few words blindly to see if he could
start, and then sadly distributed the
line back into the case At last as COM
pletely baffled, he called for help. a
"Say, Mr.. Proprietor, your telegraph
operator shoves an awful fist"
"Oh, nor was the calm reply, "we
think it very plain here; our apprentices
read it with the greatest facility" asi
Not wishing to acknowledge beat
the old printer resumed his work pain
fully and tried to keep up appearances,
by making considerable noise clicking
the type together, but he couldn't get
past the first word, to save his neck.
But pride kept him up and he worked
manfully, setting lines of fractious nom,
pareil, and then scattering them back
over the case. At last he concluded
to let the lines stay, any how, and so.
catching here word and there letter,
the poor old man worked his way pain.
fully down the narrowing page of copy.
and occasionally whistling as if he was
getting along all right. One after an
other the nimble-fngered printers were
emptying their sticks; yet he had never
left his case and still had that one little
page before him. The shadows of COM
ing night stole in on the old Office; still
the man worked on with uncertain hope
and sinking, despondent spirits. Some
body had the kindness to bring him
lamp. The glowing rays shed food
of light upon the piece OF execrable
copy, but lent no additional glimmer
of knowledge. At last the old man
heaved sigh and laid down his stick.
"It's no use talking" said he; Il amt
the man I once was; type-setting is q
lost art with me; my eyesight is weak,
ening; but did not suppose it had got
so bad as that; the letters are all the
same to me; I don't believe I could set
up reprint; hadn't any idea l was fall.
ing off so; wanted to do something
for old Horace, too; we used to work
together once, and he wrote me letters,
sometimes. Here's sixty cents, Mr..
-; take it and send it to New York.
And sadly resuming his coat he tottered
down the stairs and was gone.
s@- The Massachusetts Society for
the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
has put upon its new board Of directors