The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1878-02-28

Prof. Matthews, in his delightful
book, Hours With Men and Books,
devotes chapter, and very INSTRUCTIVE
chapter, too, 10 advising and directing
people who are determined 10 write 70
the press, what to write and how TO ga,
It. But even in that special chapte
Prof. Matthews has overlooked quite
number of important points which we
in our experience with occasional news
paper contributors, have come 10 lool
upon as absolutely essential 10 good cor
respondence. We have had, even in tn,
usually infalhble Hdsokeye, some com
plant, once in while, from occasional
correspondents about mistakes whicl
have appeared in their articles when they
came out in print We are aware that
in many cases the fault was our own, but
we are confident all such trouble ceuld
be remeiied il our correspondents would
Dav a little more attention 10 the pre-,
paration Of the'r manuscript Printers
are not always infallible, and proof
readers do sometimes make mistakes,
but we have prepared few practical
hints and instructions, and II people who
write occasionally for the papers will
only observe the following simple anu
practical rules. which are much easier t.
observe than Prof. Matthews, they may
be assured that their articles will alwayS
command the highest market price.
which II seldom less than two cents n
pound:
Never write with pen ami ink. II is
altogether too plain. and doesn't hold
the mind Of the editor and printers
closely enough 10 their work.
II You are compelled 70 use ink never
use that vulgarity known as the hlotting
pad. II you drop blot Of ink on ths
paper, hex il OF. The intelligent com,
poSitor loves nothing 50 dearly as e.
read through the smear this will make
across twenty or thirty words. We have
seen him hang ever such plece of copy
half an hour, swearing like a pirate all
the time. he felt that good
Don't punctuate. Editors and pub
fishers prefer 10 punctuate all manu-
script sent % them. And don't use
capitals Then the editor can punctuate
and capitalize 90 suit himself, and youI
article, when Won see il IN print, Will
aStonish, even II il does not please you.
Don't try 10 write too plainly. Ii Is d
sign of pleheian origin and public sehool
breeding. Poor writing is an indication
Of genius. Ii is about the only indica-
hon Of genius that = great many mel
possess. Scrawl your article with youi
ewes shut, and make every word as illegi'
be as you can. We get the same prics
for il iron the rag man, as though the
paper were covered with copperplatt
sentences.
Avoid aH painstAking with proper
names. All editors know the full name
Of every man, woman, and child IN the
United States, and the merest hint at the
name Is sufficient. For instance, if you
write a character something like q
drunken figure IS and then draw a
wavy line, and then write the letter Nj
and another wavy line, the editor viii
know at once that you mean Samuel
Morrison, even though you may think
you mean "Lsmuel Messenger. IL Is
a great mistake 90 think that proper
names should be written plainly.
Always write on both sides Of the
paper, and when yon have filed both
sides Of every page trail hne up and
down every margin, and back TO the top
Of the first page, closing your article by
writing your signature Just above the
date. How editors do love 10 get hold
of articles written in this style. And
how they would hike TO get hold of the
man who sends them. just Tor ten
minutes. Alone. In the woods, with 8
gun.
Lsy your paper on the ground when
YOU write; the rougheT the ground the
better A dry-goois box or the side OF
house Will do if the ground is toe
damp. Anything rather than a table OF
desk.
Coarse brown wrapping paper Is the
best tor writing your articles on. II
YOU cgn tear down an old circus poster
and write on the pasty side of it with Q
pine stick, it viii do still better.
When your article is completed,
crunch the paper in your pocket and
carry il two or three DAYS before sending
il in. This rubs of the superfuous
pencil marks and makes il lighter tC
handle.
If Won can think of il, lose one page
at Of the middle of your article. The
editor can easily supply what is missing,
and he loves to do it He has nothing
else 70 do.
If correspondents viii observe these
directions, editors, in most instances
VIII hold themselves personally respOn.
>ible for every error that appear il
thei- article, and Will pay full claims foi
damages when complaint is made. We
shall not forget the last man who com
planned at the HatUkeye Office undel
this rule. We can never, although We
should live thousand years, forget tht
appealing look he turned upon Us Will,
we were pulling his lungs out Of his eal
with the nail-grab. Our heart seemet
10 turn to ice under the influence o.
that dumb, beseeching look, while W,
tore him to pieces. We have.neyer tor,
a man to pieces since without feeling
the hot tears spring 10 our eyes as W,
think of that man We have beer
tempted, time and again, to break our
selves of this habit Of tearing men /,
pieces for trivial causes. But we digress
We were merely saying We are Away
happy to receive complaints and correc
any errors for which we are responsible
Huntington HaVteye