New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-06-27
RUNNING a NEWSPAPER.

arose from bed sad at heart, and wen
| down stairs to breakfast, afraid to face, 70
| another day. the notifications that beset
man out Of a situation and in debt. A grin
\ spirit OF malice possessed me, and m,
tongue itched to say something disagreed
| BILE. It happened rhas the first person
! met was OLD Mrs. Cob eigh, my next doo
! neighbor, at table. She was hobbline {,
her place, supporting herself by q chat
pushed before her, as reached the door
| "Old Sam Hihchcliffe is dead,"I observed
to her, in q wickedly personal and insinu
| ating manner. l brought that thunderbol
! Oh my own head. In my distemper hat
rashly forgotten that she craved news O
| that sort more than owls crave the darl
| and bees the flowers. ''Bless my soul, m,
DEAR she exclaimed, in her most pensiv1
| tone. laying her hand on my arm. Isl
down, and tell me all about IT," Mercifu
Heaven what had . dones An unusual
number OF letters on my plate afforded m,
| biz OF an excuse. Eyes, he's dead"
continued, abstractedly: but really dom,
know anything more about it. Sarah. wha1
is there for breakfast ~
"Hash, fried fish and cold mutton, SIR"
"a diversity OF riches perplexeth the
brain. Bring me some bread and butter >
well, now, my dear, tell me all abou,
old SAM persisted Mrs. Cobleigh. 81
knew him well when was girl. Think
We could be OF any service to his poor
dear sister! Tell me all about it, my boy. =
81 met Fanny Edwards last night, Mrs
Cobleigh," replied. with shudder. land
che said she would call this morning and
give you every particular. She saw him
die"
''Bless that lovely girl. She always re.
members poor old Colby
Thus, by little truth and some fiction.
obtained time to examine my letters.
could tell by the envelopes what they we're:
answers from editors TO my application for
employment; polite negatives assuring me-
that their stats were full, and tina. other.
wise was the very gentleman they would
engag". l tore open the uppermost in a
frame OF mind prepared for disappont.
ment; read it with = smile. which even
changed to = loud laugh. and put it down
full Of hope and good cheer. 1t read as fol.
lows:
OYFI"s OF TEE AFTERNOON )
No - streer. ;
Robert Halle. ESQ.,:
MY DEAR SIR should be very glad if
the circumstances of this paper would per.
NIT me to reply affirnatively TO your in.
quiry Of the twenty fifth. iAs this point l
savagely muttered. ''of coursev') Bnt cir.
cumstances rule otherwise. The staff is re-
duced TO one, whereas it once numbered
four. One by one they fell and were raked
IN by the croupier Of jOurnalism-seedy
want. There are vacancies" enough IN the
editorial department. the dear kno~s; but
there is ono vacancy still worse on the
ground floor. and the cashier is its much
victim.
As you are one of Us you will have no
difficulty in piercing the thin veil of meta.
DhOr-which cOnceals deeper poverty
than that of ldeas-and comprsbending the
situation. The concern is not dead broke.
but the men who do the work are near tho
haven OF good fellows. Probably the 4 -fte,'.
noon will live, and one afternoon become
famous; but just now. and since last March,
have been at the pumps alene. and long
ago saw my bottom dollar.
Will you excuse this depression ana
confession. and charge it to that fellow.
ceiling which is never SO generous az when |
{ can be lavish Of words without endan. |
yering q fellows exchequer! You might |
'Ome mere. but you would starve to death, !
md saddle your friends with the expenses |
II funeral. If could see = streak Of |
light would encourage you, but do not,
lnless you will come and take my place. to
which you shall be welcome.
Wishing it were otherwise.
am, ever yours truly.
SALTUS G. w. PENN.
Editor and proprietor Of the afternoon.
BLESS me, my dear. how you laugh" re.
ia'ked Mrs. Cobleign.
Another fellow is dead" I said pleas.
ntly; and. before she had time to ask me
, tell her all about it, was on my way up
airs to my room. The lett.r awakened
II my latent enthusiasm. Here was the
ira oris that men in all ages had been
,eking for-an honest man. a man with
1t humbug, who told the truth about
mselt and his condition to mere
ranger: who disdained eyasions: appre.
ated the poverty Of his profession, and
'nfessed it. Then there was the offer
; surrender his place. It could not
, an enviable one. certainly: but he
lpected .nothing to lose. had never
tanned any position for more than
< months or year, owing to a very per- ,
,rse disposition which asserted itself in
to the principles. or want of .
inciples. of my employers. But there !,
as no doubt in my mind that. with free :
Id, should prove more successful than
er before. l might starve to death in my !.
W efforts; but that would be an Sex :
rience," and experiences" are of greater !,
lue to a popular writer than the classics. =
ould not saddle friends with the expenses
a funeral, because ! had none These :,
d many other reasons made me decide to ! :,
d out Mr.. Saitus G. w. Penn, and seek q
rk on the city dailies in case his letter ;,
Duld prove to be written in bad faith :.
had already seen copies of The 4 fter. =
'n. penny evening paper, making fair -
pearance, and I was too old in the bust =,
,. to anticipate large establishment. A Il
all room on the obscure top floors of some o. o.
lding used for all purposes was all that "
ictured beforehand, and found in reality. " =,
e cashier on the ground floor was myth. ~.
vertisements were received. type setting -,
! editorial work done, six stories up. l =.
mbied into the dark and dreary Office, l.,
brought up against two or three feet OF -.
inter-. A gray haired old man and a a.
itty bog were working at case, and, be. ~
d a board partition. caught glimpse ~;
a gentleman in his shirt sleeves, writing VI ",
b frantic haste on yellow manuscript ~;
'er. - u.
his was Mr.. Penn, editor and proprietor of
The i ierNoo,,. decided: the man whom | az
ad labored through twenty years to A
(; an ideal in the flesh; a hero in modern in
hes. Observing me before I had time H
a searching examination, no struck oh
Ill on his desk; but, suddenly remem- op
ng that the office boy was q bygone tis
urv, he rose and came bustling toward oy
himself. He was pure American, evi. NJ,
tly, with some OF the sparkle of the an
81 IN his nature; gay, active little man, til
ut thirty or thirty five years old. Hi. tn
his face was clean IN;
7en-was dandIfied, black and waxed, an
his hair slightly streaked with gray. ey
rooch of the grand army was pinned to | Fs
breast of his vest. and his manner had We
and ease Of a class. familiar to co
# u.. which the training and vicissitudes az
ur las: war created. As he advanced ste
ard me-. smiling blandly. introduced pu
elf as briefly as possible. He did not DO
llect the name at first. but, as I re. wa
led him of the letter. he stretched out me
land and laughed. ar,
,ou have my references. and I have ALI
3 to offer my services" observed die
{ is not possible that you entertained | rea