Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1876-04-01

The Marquette Mining Journal tells
the following funny story of compost
tor who worked in the state printing of
ficessome six years ago, but has since
died:
A young man named Baker published
paper at Ovid, on the line of the De-
trOit 81 Milwaukee railroad, in the lower
peninsula. Baker seems not to have had
a perfectly balanced head in regard to
what should and what should not con-
stitute the subject matter of his columns,
and he therefore found himself frequent
ly called on to make disagreeable re-
fractions, and TO smooth over matters
which he should never have mentioned
i'm public manner. Ills publication was
not as voluminous as the New York Her
aid, and himself and youthful typo
named Philip constituted the editorial,
reportorial and mechanical force !
/ "A gentleman named Coe, who resulted
a few miles from Ovid. was great lover
of amusements, and there was nothing
which seemed to satisfy his humorous
appetite like the exquisite pleasure ne
derived from thrashing his wife. On one
occasion when Coe had been indulging
in this pastime to a rather inappropriate
degree, Baker, after giving the facts, took
occasion to say that amy man who would
strike defenceless woman was "a cow
ard and a thing-um-a-jig."
Now Coe was huge, savage, ruffianly
brute, correct example of ..those who
know nothing, and fearnothing, and hav-
ing had the item read TO hiIn-his own
ACCOMPLISHMENTS not including the
science of perusing fine, coarse. or any
other kind of print-he said he thought
he sswould see that printer feller himself,
purity sOon."
Ii came to the ears of Baker that Coe
was on the war path, and he concocted
with Philip a neat little stratagem, which
was to let him down easy out of the
scrape in which he had involved him
self.
Along in the afternoon Coe was seen
approaching. He came with rapid
strides directly to the office door, and
without even the apology of a knock,
slammed it open and inquired: "Whar's
the feller that runs this thing ?"
Baker: on sighting the beligerent Coe,
had jumped out of a back window and
c:lwled under the office, the floor of
which contained large cracks, thus en-
aiding him to see and hear everything
going on above.
T"He's gone to Detroit replied Phil,
in the most innocent manner possible.
"Has, eh!" growled Coe; whats he
gone there for?''
''He sold out here yesterday, and ex-
pect the new boss in On this evenings
Irain,s0 Az ns.rs n-r q 4, = =
"What made him sci, out pr ~ -
s.Well, the people kind of got down on
him here, and was gong to mob him-so
he left"
sI'd jest liked to ketched the rascal
fore he skun out" muttered Coe; sd
broke every bone in his blarsted carcass"
Seeing that Coe had swallowed the
Cruel, Baker crawled out of his hidin.-
place. and entering the office. looked
strangely around and said to Phil: "Are
you the young man who works here tor
Mr.. Baker?"
Eyes, sir" replied the youth.
"Well, I'm your new boss; show me
the books and Office. will yOu?"
Then Baker, turning to Coe, asked,
"Are you subscriber to our paper?'
"No,n said Coe.
"Well," observed the new proprietor,
81 would like to have every man in this
county subscribe to the Register. /
don't believe i'm conducting a paper i'm
the manner Baker did. He was always
running somebody down. Now, my
plan is this: when 1 can't speak well of a
person, won't speak of him at all. How
does that policy strike you, Mr.. -
what's the name ?"
'Coe-John COe."
"What do you think of such policy
rs that, Mr.. Coe ?"
slew much is your paper year ?" in
quired Coe.
sTwelve shillings; would you like to
take it %
Coe struggled with his vest pocket for
few moments, secured the necessary
funds and said: 'sSend it along. Billy
can read it to us, anyhow, and never
took no paper in my life. It'll be good
for the young 'uns."