The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-07-20
How He Found Out.

THREE men entered our sanctum
Monday. and not content with saying
''good-morning," insisted on shaking
hands with every one, from the main
guy to the assistant devil. They were
dusty and traveled-stained. There was
look upon their faces, not such as
dinners give to the loved disciples, :"
but mixture of determination and
resignation. The elder of the three
took seat, crossed his legs, drew a
Misunderstanding revolver, placed it
on his lap, and said:
II reckon you're the editor?'
Eyes; what is your business %
"You do the writin' for this paper
what's printed herc?'
Eyes"
"Well, mister, me and my friends
| have come to town to see you. We
never saw live editor before, and last
night we laid in chuck enough to last
us for day, and started to town to
see you. You see, mister, me and my
friends read all the papers we can get
hold of, and we've had several argu-
ments as to whether everything is true
what's printed in the papers. Now,
look here, mister, | want you to tell
me the living truth. Do editors ever
lie?"
He was fondling his pistol when we
caught his eye, which may have intlu-
enced our answer, but we don't think
it did. Anyhow, we put on bold
look and answered him:
"No, sir; editors never lie. They
consider it beneath them to descend
to such petty meannesses-for you
know that it is base for ordinary men
to lie-let alone such moral reformers
as editors, lawyers, preachers and
stage-drivers.
Our rapid flow of language stunned
him for awhile, but, recovering, he
cooked his revolver and proceeded:
mister, don't spin any more long
stories. Do editors ever lie?'
"No in"
"Whatr
Il was going to say-
"Cut her short"
Don't interrupt me, sir, and please
lower that revolver. | was going to
say that owing to the strain upon an
EDITORS intellect hemight at times I'M
Willingly prevaricate.
Look here, | want you to answer
my question and stop Ginning"
He raised his deadly, uncivilized PTS
tol. His two friends, who had been
silent, grinning partners, looked as
solemn as the grave. A pause of about
two seconds followed. 1t may not have
been quite two, when we replied very
family:
"IeS some of them lie
The ficnd was not satisfied with that
answer, which was certainly broad
enough for anybody but wretch who
does not know how to respect the
fine SenSibilitieS of an editor. He
placed the muzzlc of his barbaric baby
cannon under our left ear and wills
pered:
''Some?'
"4All of Them" we yelled.
\ change came over the villain S
features. a smile, meeting at the back
of his neck, engulfed his face over once
and while and rising to his feet, ht
said:
"Pard, shake; | hope you won beau
any ill-will agin me. Eve been think
ing about going into the newspaper
business myself-me aud my friends
here. I'm some on the lie myself. /
knowed if | come to YOU and talked
the matter over | could get SatiSfac-
ton. | am satisfied and | hope you
are. I'll write you a letter from ouI
neighborhood. ItH be AL the truth.
Good-by."
After he and his friends had left the
Office we thought the matter over, and
have come to the conclusion that that
forced confession don't amount to
much. Missouri B1nu1s,cicker.