Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1877-05-24
SEPGIMl'S MANYMIN'S FIRST
AND WORST.
BY VIM. ANDERSON.

''Ah, if | only were offered the op-
| pOrtumty, how | would increase the
circulation and the popularity of the
paper, my dear Mr.. Statutebungler. p"
That is what Septimus Maxymin,
associate editor of the Willyburg
Withercr. saiu to his deaf friend, who
was Il member Of the legislature, and,
by virtue Of his official position, en-
tered the sanctum Of the Witherer,
! read the exchanges, made footStOol
of one OF the desks. and degraded the
wastcpaper basket to the level Of Il
cuSpidore. 'atutcbunglcr quite
agreed with MaXymin that the With
crcr was too severe, and that Martin
| Man@Oc, the proprietor and editor,
WAS far too rigorous; was not liberal
enough made no allowances for the
weakness of human nature, least of
all for otfice-hOlders' nature. These
caIillers in their carpings paused not
| tO take into consideration the trivial
fact that the journal they were criti-
| cl>ing was prosperous, influential, res
pectcd. It's columns, on an average,
contained more unpalatabIe comments
than those of the majority of country
papers; and. hy some mysterious law
of compensation, also more paying
advertisements. So Mr.. Mangoc
could we'll afford to listen complacent-
" to all who founi fault with his in
dependent course. As for MaXynin.
he meant we'll, and like many anoth-
er Young editor. he was above all
things anxious to achieve popularity.
Nor was he altogether selfish. In
his heart he honestly believed that the
circulation and power of the Withercr
would be vastly increased if it dealt
out more editorial suglr-plums, and
less mustard and vinegar. And what
he remarked to Mr.. StAtutcbungler.
he frequently repeated to himself,and
occasionally limited to Martin Mangoe.
The latter said "lcs, YcS;' and
then, in Il firm, quiet way, peculiar
TO him. instructed his associate to
give some new Swinole a severe SEQ
ing. Whereupon Max. always went
t. his desk with dropping eyes and a
cloudrd brow; and, to avengc himself
for what he fancicd to- lie u mistaken
policy, wrote with savagenesS that
relieved his own oyerhurdencd feel,
ings. and made glad the soul of Mar
tin Mangoe. Thus matters moved on
i'm the editorial rooms of the Willy
burg Witherer until that eventtul scS-
sion of the legislature when cor
rlIpt clique, composed Of members of
both parties, took the audaciou3 step
of proposing to grant a right of way
through thousands of acres ofvaluable
lands on the Bogus RabhIe Balloon
Transportation Company; and privi-
lege to be given in order to allow the
aerial transporters to pull along the
ground their drag-ropes without un-
roofing houses, devastating growing
crops. and destroying human life.
There was It good deal Of honest i'll
dirnation. and rush towards the
state capital, by all good citizens who
possessed any power over the corrupt
Legislators. Among the pilgrims was
Martin Mangoe. Forced to depart
in haste, for time was pressing, he
had only opportunity to tell Septimus
Maxymin that he would have to be
the sole and responsible editor of the
ensuing number.
The prospect Of extra W work was a
9reatfIll stimulus to the blood of Sep
timus. SAT last" murmured he to
himself, sat last | have the opporttl-
nifty to get ont paper in my own
way. Ah! won't do it we'll In
deed will 1. Willyburg Is certain to
b. pleased, the county tickled, the
state delighted. Smash my paste
pot if don't believe / shall electrify
the country.
Septnnus Maxymin sat down to his
desk with beaming face. lie wrote
necessarily, day and night. Having
finished up all the editorials, he bland
! ly dismissed the local itemizers, and
industriously did up that department
threw away the regular financial and
market reports, and fixed up current
! prices of everything, from government
bonds to fence rails, to suit his own
peculiar ideas Of the fitness OF things
politieal-economical.
Maxymin was a happy man when,
early on the morning of publicati or
day, he gloated fondly over what he
called his first paper. Before his en-