The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1877-08-23
rFpom the Printers circular1
A RacIkNOOds Editor.

n Territory, and with few inhapi-
tants, a young lawyer from one Of
the old States emigrated thither, and
settled in the town of K. He
succeeded admirably in his profess
ion, and rose rapidly in popular ia
yor. He had been there nearly two
years, when he induced printer to-
print weekly paper, of which he
was editor and proprietor. Squire
S. was much pleased fora while with
editing a paper. He was a man Of
very low stature, but he. used the ed
itorial awe," as frequently as if there
were a dozen Of him, and each as big
as Daniel Lambert.
Strange to say, there were at that
time men in office who were not
particle more honest than they should
be-a thing which probably never
happened before and never will
again. Squire S. felt all the patriot
ism Of a son Of 10, and poured out
grape and canister against public
abuses. This soon stirred up hor-
nets nest about his ears; but as there
was no other paper in the territory,
there was no reply, and he enjoyed
his warlike propensities in security.
At length he published an article
more severe and cutting, against NAL
feasance in Office, than any that had
preceded it. intact, though pointed
at no one in particular, it was a
"scorcher."
Some three or four days afterwards
he was sitting alone in his editorial
office, which was about quarter of a
mile from the printing establish
ment; his pen was busy with para
graph, when his door opened with
out much ceremony, and in stalked a
man about six feet in his stockings.
He asked, @Are you S., the proprie-
tor of this papcr?" Thinking he
had found new patron, the little
man, with one of his blandest smiles,
answered in the affirmative. The
stranger deliberately drew the last
number of the paper from his peck
ct, and pointing to the article against
rogues in office, told the afrighted
editor that it was intended for him.
1t was in vain that S. protested he
had never heard of him before. The
wrath of the visitor rose to fever
heat, and from being SO long res
trained, boiled over with double fu-
ry. lie gave the editor his choice,
either to publish an humble-a very
humble recantation, or take a fog
ging on the spot. Either alternative
was NORWOOD; but what could he do?
The enraged oflice-holder was twice
his size, and at one blow would quail
ify him for an obituary notice. He
agreed to retract; and as the visitor
insisted upon writing the retraction
himself, he sat down to his task
Squire S. made an excuse to walk to
the printing Office, with the promise
that he would be back in season to
sign it as soon as it was finished.
S. had hardly gone fifty rods, when
he encountered man who inquired
were Squire s. office was, and if he
was at home, suspecting that he,
too, was on the same errand as the
other visitor, he pointed to the Office
and told him he would find the edi-
tor within, writing a most abusive
article against oflice-holders. This
was enough, The eyes of the new
conner flashing fire, he rushed into
the Office, and assaulted the stranger
with epithets, "liar, scoundrel, cow
ard" and told him he would teach
him how to write. The first visitor,
supposing it was some bully sent
there by the editor, sprang to his
feet and fight ensued. The table
was upset and smashed into fircwood
the contents of large jug of ink
stood in puddlos on the floor; the
chairs had their legs and backs brok-
en- beyond the skill of surgery to
cure them; but all this seemed only
to inspire the combatants with still
greater fury. Blow followed blow
with the rapidity of lightning
First one was kicking on the floor,
then the other, each taking it in
turn pretty equally, The ink on the
floor found its way TO their faces, till
both of them cut the most ludicrous
figure imaginable, The noise and
--.-..- \