New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-07-05
The Danbury News Man ON Newspaper
Errors.

The sensations of an editor On first glanc-
| ing over his paper and detecting errors in
| il are somewhat different from these ex.
| perienced by the reader on making like
discoveries. The latter is either amused at
the carelessness which caused it, and in
both cases arrives at the conclusion that
the trouble is avoidable, and that the
editor is to blame for not avoiding it. He
never saw an editor take his first glance
over a copy OF the edition. Perhaps the
edition is worked of when this opportunity
IS afforded the weary man. He has either
trusted the proofs to some one else, or read
them himself, but the feeling of dread is
just as great in the latter as in the former
case. The proof reader may not consult
the copy, and 80 perpetuate the blunders OF
the compositor, and perhaps the COM
pOsitOr may neglect 10 u ndO the wrong be
has done, although his attention is plainly
called to it on the proof.
When about to make this preparatory
survey, the editor does not take cigar ia
his mouth and elevate his heels to the desk,
as is the popular tradition. Dying men
don't do that way, you know, and we have
come TO the conclusion that an editor ex-
aiming his papar teels very much like
man who is about to pass into eternity. He
reads along carefully and slowly, like
man feeling his way across piece of doubt
torted with a fearful pain. He doesn't cry
out, he doesn't rant The anguish within
him is so broad and deep and intense that
ne dares not trust it TO words. He just
simply reaches up and takes handful of
his own hair, and tugs at it until the tears
come in his eyes. Then he picks up the
paper which he has taken the precaution 20
kick across the room on discovering the
error, and resumes the torturing search;
e Sc, bot
and agony, and not an agreeable and in
structive peruaal.
Suddenly be groans-not an expectant
groan like that from one who hopes for help
to reach him through it. but the groan of
one who is beyond the reach of hope, who
feels that the warm sunshine, the kind
glance of friendship, the beautiful flowers
and the songs OF the birds are gone forever
and forever from him. It is smothered
grOan, accompanied by a kick out of the
leg, as if the party had in that moment
taken an eternal leave of all things earthly.
There is still another search with aching
eyes and throbbing brain, and then tie
paper is smashed down on the floor, and the
infuriated man bounds up in his chair and
catches both hands into his hair, and dances
around Ike a mailman. He doesn't call
upon heaven and earth to witness what he
is going to do, and to blight him if he should
hot not do it. He doesn't dash into the
composing room and scorch the men with
,lis wrath. Even this slight relief is denied
aim.
:, The paper is worked Off, and the scrutiny
that would cheerfully attack needle in
'S,aystack, would fall paralyzed before a
h.earch for the author of the great wrong.
..Ie doesn't say anything at all-not a single
,,ltelligible word escapes his ashen lips as
S,e holds his hair and prances about in the
c;ing y solitude of his room. And when he
- done he sits down and groans, and after
,;ards put ON his hat and PUSHES forth into
,|e street-rushes anywhere to get away
, som the face of man, to get away from
70 20 mself and everything belonging to him.
iolf