The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1877-03-09
Omaehita Te1egraph.
MONROE, LA, MARCH 9, 1877.
THE PILGRIM PRINTER.
His Opinion of Lcaling Editors.

His Opinion of Leading Editors.
The San Francisco (Cal.) Ledger, Of
a recent issue, contained the following
story of the "Pilgrim Print: -
Last night, Hazlet, known every
where as the"Piigrin Print" came up
the Ledger stairs and walked into the
room just as naturally.as ii
he had never worked anywhere else in
his life. AS soon as he crossed the
threshold he was welcomed for, every.
body knew him by sight or reputation.
Without taking the slightest notice OF
the chaf thrown at him from the case,
he shuffled up toward the centre of the
room and leaned against an imposing
stone, looking about him like Marius
inspecting the ruins of Carthage. To him
well-reguiated printing Office, where
men work Systematically for wages, is
an abomination and Il disgrace. He
would scOrn to be subservient to Il
master. He never took orders from
anybody. When he strikes place
that suits him, he tackels a column OF
type and begins to distributed it. When
he docs MT like his work or his COM
pany, he throws ON his coat and walks
off, scorning to ask for pay. An old,
dingy printing office, with worn and
blackened cases, battered type, and
cracked imposing stones, suits him best;
where the galleys are all shrurk
out of shape, the chases all indented,
the quoins all mashed, and the fore
mans mallet beaten down almost to
the handle. Cubwebs ON the wall give
him genuine delight, and big breaks
ln In I,
scence Of plaster, are well-springs OF
pleaSurabIe emotion. An expression Oi
intense disgust Swallowed his features
rs he saw that is was not over a month
old. The neWness of the racks made him
shudder the air of cleanliness paralyz-
ed him. When he saw the printers
around him taking orders from one
man, he cast a sad look over the place,
such as Napoleon might have thrown
on the galley slaves of Toulon. He
concealed his contempt as best he could,
notdesiring to wound their feelings, and
when he sneered he did it so softly that
few noticed it.
"Where did you hail from last ?''
asked the foreman.
"Portland."
"How'd We come down ?"
"Steatner."
"Throwin' Off on the old route ?''
uYeS.''
It has been usual for the Pilgrim tc
walk instead Of ride, but the quie,
sarcasm was lost on him. Thinking
he had Il history, Il reporter invited
him down in II beer saloon just below,
and ordered up the liquids. He drank
a couple of bottles of beer without say
ing Il word, and then began to drum Oh
l,n f..h II III lee l.
"Been round much lately?" queried
the reporter.
eyes"
CAN over, suppose?''
"Everywhere between the two
oceans. Let's have another bottle -
and swinging his foot to one
side, he sent Il stream of tobacco
juice on the floor that scattered The
sawdust for IL square yard.
"Been everywhere; worked 70,
everybody"
sOf course you have worked for
Greeley.'
so, yes; years ago; before he died.
But here comes the beer; help your
self. Never liked Greeley much, his
copy was like Chinese. They have 60,
another man there. His names Reid,
and they call him THE Powerful Mind.'
He writes palmer than Greeley but not
half so sensible. Have MT been in the
office since they built the tall tower.
The place ain't what it used to be.'
HBeen in Cincinnati, l suppose:'
go, yes; Nv stuck type for Murat
Halstead. That mans crazy; believes
in imitation. One day 1 was setting al,
one of his rag-money editorials, and
thought it would be i'll keeping witt.
the general gait of business, to space
ont the matter with two-em quads, and
double-lead it all the way down. AT
that rate snatched up column OF
type in short order. Says he, whats
this:' 'That's your initiation article
says 1. sDo you expect to be paid by
the thousand for this:' says he. Idc.'
says sify ou pay me on an iniintion
basis, l must set my matter TO match,
SO stretched it out. You get col
umn of matter, so what's the odds
Get out of my ottice;' and so after
teaching him Il wholesome lesson in
finance, went over to work for Dea-
con Smith, feeling that i done my
duty"
HNere you ever i'll Omaha :''
$50, yes worked for Doe. Miller, OF
the Herald. He's Il shorter, and writes
his editorials on brown paper with an
Old dinner fork. Let's have some