Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1879-02-19
A Frontier BulldOzer.

q frontier paper OF some pretense
the man at the helm simply asked
my name, age and weight, ant
what / knew about the business
and he employed me.
"Tbe proprietor Is not hard t.
suit" said to the foreman tina
evening, as l began business.
why do you think so Z"
because he engaged me at once,
l replied.
The foreman laughed.
"That's because he thinks you
won't last more than day or two
They never do"
"Whop
"The editors-get cleaned ont,
you know; knocked in the head ;
shot to pieces-busted. Some of
'em leave the first day, others hang
on for a week or more, then We
carry 'em to that hill you see over
there and plant 'em. There's a row
of local editors over there half a
mile long, aud all died with their
boots on"
Truly this was not very encour-
aging, but | did not believe half Of
it.
"It's q fact, though" declared
the foreman. "This town amt like
other places; then this is q high
pressure newspaper. II you wish
to be popular, you must pitch in
to the people like blazes. Those
fellows over on the hill were popu-
lar"
"And that's why they got killed,
/ suppose! i said.
81 reckon so at any rate they
are dead. Joe Hodges killed EN-"
"Joe Hodges!"
"Yes."
"Who is he, pray"
"The town bully; the masher of
the village; a genuine, double
back action rough. Better not say
anything about Joe. or he'll waltz
N here and mash you into jelly in
no time. Very particular is Joe
about newspaper notices."
"Then he shall have none in this
,aper," / said determinedly.
"Oh, but that won't do" exclaim-
ID the foreman. Joe is that sort
II fellow that won't be sighted
lotbiDg he hates so as neglect; and
hen he's mixed up in every row
o you'll b We to mention him. In
net, Joe Hodges is on the fight
'orse than any man / ever knew"
"Copy ]" yelled out one of the
The foreman cleaned the hook
nd rushed into the composing
ON.
"I'll fix Joe Hodges" / said to
lyself when the man had gone.-
The first blow is the best, 50 here
oes."
l seized my pencil and wrote a
tile notice comparing Joe Hodges
18th a mule, and saying that ac-
riding to all accounts, he was q
runken rascal, unfit for. human
sociation.
The notice was put in type at
ice, and appeared in the paper
g next morning along with the
her locals, aud that after noon Joe
,dges called.
was busy writing when he
me in, and l looked up and a
FRIED glance told me who be
IS.
A short, heavy set, swarthy, low
owed rascal, with black hair and
es, and red shirt-that was Joe
,dges,
Take seat" said, and went on :
iting. n
In half drunken way he found :
ID into a chair. o. 81,
What is your name 7" I said. phi
ncing at him. s %s
Joe Hodges" wa
dashed it down on a broad on
ce OF blank paper on the table. am an
How old are your a. q.
'Forty-two," with a surprised est est
X. as
dashed that down in the same pal
y. n no
Your birth place Z" pan
Missouri" with more surprise. the
put it down and then reached no,
q heavy revolver, which cock sue
and laid on the table. i Mt
Are you married I" I asked. Der
b quiet look at the astopished sale
\. bio,
No." he replied, staring wildly. ri
ut the answer down. d dH,,
What is your business I" tho
A blacksmith" and
made q record Of the fact, and a To.
D looked up to ask another thir
stion when l saw that the bully rum
risen and stood glaring at me, HaD,
his hand on the door.
What in thunder are you writ M
!" he yelled, his face almost M w
pie. ,io NJ
An obituary" s by
Whose 7" the
Yours" s er%r
e may have had urgent bust 1 Bdsi
down on the street; do not Vol,
W; at any rate, he suddenly p DnS
drew from my presence and Mcl
u Dotnereu me any more ed in
rana,.a. dstv