New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-04-23

1 had thepaulv - - ~ g. tssolusn
led to ns. palaee In disgutlA md then
looking Aon the window g his brothe1
had done, be NV Ike hight; the con
| tributors were Ill reading their articles
and ceiling them 10 NaSoud and othel
editors Of rival magazines. ,ia
As soon - the editor saw this he wrotl
. note to the chief contributor, and asked
her to call ct the Office the next day. 81
soon as she entered he charged her with
her guilt, and before the miserable crea.
tuFe could reply he drew his cimetar and
cut OF her head. He then sent shortei
notes to the Lesser contributors, and a
each ono entered the Office he explained
briefly that he knew all and, with his OWE
hand, beheaded him. He then ordered
the porters and janitors to throw the
heads and bodies into the Jumna, and
with his brothers assistance he called in
new circle of new contributors and
made up the next number of The Friend
Of the CITY from their poems and articles.
The director of advertisements and press
criticisms manufactured regulations for
them all, and the number was pronounced
the most brilliant number of The Friend
Of the City which had ever been published.
Then the editor sent advance copies to
each of these contributors, and asked
them to call at the Office the next morn
ing. As each one called, the editor drew
his cimeter and cut off the contributors
head. He then called the porters and
janitors and babe them throw the car
cases and heads into the Jumna, and
proceeded to make up the next number.
And thus he did for three years.
As the third year passed, however, the
assistant editors began to observe that
there was certain difficulty in collecting
poems and articles. Nay, it was even
whispered that in the publication Office
they feared that the magazine was losing
popularity. The rumors from the publ
cation Office were not often permitted to
exhale in the editorial rooms. But still
there was q suspicion that from the
homes of the authors who had been cut
short SO summary there was going out
sort of public opinion unfavorable to the
renewal of subscriptions. As for authors,
for some time they presented themselves
freely. Each poet and each story writer
was quite sure that her communication
was so much better than anything which
had ever been written before that they all
moved up to the fatal edge of publication
with serenity, each quite sure that for
herself the rule would be reversed, and
each quite sure that the others deserved
decapitation. But, as has been said,
after three years the steady supply of arti-
cles was little checked, perhaps because
. rumor was put in circulation by the
conductors Of The Pearl of Wit that
The Friend Of the City was crazy, and
could not if he would and would not if he
could, tell bad article from good one.
All these rumors and contingencies
made the position of the sub-editor very
as the third year drew to
. close. He had to make up each num-
Der all the same, and he had to direct the
chief of the advertisements how to make
the regulations of the authors. But
really the authors were so short-lived |
now that the regulations were scarcely
worth the making.
OF this remarkable man the name un. |
is lost. But happily for lit
,rature and for posterity he had two re-
daughters, of whom the eldest |
las won an extraordinary reputation in |
he East, where she stands, indeed, at the |
'ery head of literature. At the period
With which this history deals she was
'oung and beautiful. She had courage
bove her sex, remarkable penetration
nd genius unbounded. She had read
and her memory was so WON
erful that of all she had read she forgot
othing. She had studied history, phi
osophy, medicine and the arts, and her
erses were acknowledged to be better
han those Of the most distinguished
oets of her time. As has been said her
eauty was ravishing, and her amiability
nd her virtue rivaled her wit, her mem
~, her prudence, her accomplishments
nd her personal loneliness.
One day, when the sub-editor had white
aper before him, wondering how he
,ould make up the SCHEDULE for his
ext number, this lovely girl came to him
I'D said, "Papa, grant me boon;" and
le kissed him.
And he said, "a thousand, my darling"
Though they should cost you the half
your kingdom, papa ?"
Though they should cost me the whole,
y darling" said the fond father, rashly.
The girl clspped her hands and cried,
Victory victory Papa, I want to write
e first article for the next number of
he Friend Of the City,"
Oh, how agonized was her poor father!
ow he begged her to release him from
s fatal promise; but in vain. The girl
IS determined. She had her fathers
ord, and she would not let him 60.
''Dear child, he said, shave you lost
'ur senses? You know that the chief cuts
the head OF each contributor as soon
she has received the advance copy of
e magazine: Do you really ask me to
fer you the knife"
eyes, papa" said the brave girl; Il
low all the danger that run, and it does
It deter me. If die, my death will be
orious. If I live, save my country"
And at last the wretched father, driven
a partial consent by his daughters firm
So went to the editor-in-chief with the
hedule of the number for his approval,
d showed to him that the first article ,,
! the fatal list, namely, 1.-THE Travelling
erchant," was "by Scheherezade. The
itor knew the name full we'll, and he
lew that the author was the sub-editor's
lighter. L
''Dog," said he, "Do you suppose that
cause am fond of you and use you, ,
all spare your cursed house more than !,
y other in Delhi 2"
The poor sub-editor, all in tears, said
had no such hope. II
"Be not deceived" said the editor. ,