Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1879-05-13

that patience ceases to be virtue, and
that honest citizens have some rights that
! boys are bound to respect. We hope this
/ hint will be taken in the proper quarters,
and that sundry parents In this town will
/ heed Solomon's wise admonition. We
shall be happy to furnish rods.
There exclaimed Simon when he
had finished reading. "What do you
think of that
Nobody amt willin to let us have a
little fun, said Tom Stokes, Simon's
bosom friend, and the very boy who had
bored the hole and put the powder into
the editors wood
Something ought to be done about
it, exclaimed a red headed urchin, whose
special recreation was the drawing of
caricatureS on doors and fences. I'll
make picture of him hanging to gal
lows. Paint it in red on his front door.
Il might lick his little boy said
pugnacious urchin; "but I've, done it so
often already that he wouldn't know
what twas for, an I'm afraid t'wouldn't
do good"
I'VE might sercnade him with tin
horns and tin pans, said another boy;
but he's 50 used to it now that he sleeps
straight through it.
"Tll tell YOU what let's DO" said
Simon. Let's start paper and pay him
back in his own coin. Sarse for sarse-
that's what l say
Takes lot of money to start paper,
demonstrated the hicroglyphic boy.
Bother" said Simon. at don't
take much if YOU do your own work on
lit. We can buy press for five dollars,
and buy secondhand type by the pound
for a little more'n the price of old lead.
"Where YOU goin' to get Your five
dollars to buy your press asked one
! practical youth.
Earn it, YOU BOBBY, said Simon.
IAN whose going to write the paper,
after YOU get things: Seems 10 me it
will be a good deal like writin compost
tons, and everybody knows there amt
no fun in that.
"Oh, I'll write most of it, said SIM
on: ''me and two or three of the other
boys. Wen form company. Capital
ten dollars. I've got five already, and
| I'll be half owner; and the rest of you
can make up five more easy enough.
This was the beginning of the Snap
town Tommyha,ck. The company was
formed, the type was bought and sorted,
the press was set up in the building
which the publishing company had erect
ed for il. The building, as I've said,
was not imposing, but it answered adj
mirably Old doors, old dry goods cases,
in fact, any old boards that could be
found lying about were used in It's con-
struction, and the sash for the windows
was surrcptiously obtained from a ruined
n-house on the slope premises. But
needn' 20 into the details Of preparation.
The Snaptown Tommyhatck became
reality in due course of time, and a copy
of It's first and only issue is lying before
me as write.
81 Slope had very good conception OF
an editors duties. He had thought
a good deal about the matter, and asked
the advice of his elders lie had heard
his father say that what the public
wants is facts" and his mother remarked
that it was gossip that made people read
the papers. His older sister who had just
returned from a finishing school, declared
that no frst-class paper could exist with
out fashion article and poetry. Then
SIS quick observation had shown him
that the most attractive articles in
the Snaptown Couront were those that
were mos: abusive. In fact he had
heard his father say that fearlessness Is
what everybody likes in newspaper
calling a spade spade, and liar liar,
and a thief a thief; and upon this free
and fearless boast Simon determined that
the Snaptown Tommyia,rk should be
conducted. Then it should be original
nothing stolen from other papers, no re-
hash of stale Jokes, no old rhymes; but
all fresh and original 10 attain the END
Of originality, simon enlisted all the boys
of his acquaintance to bring him IN
items
just keep your ears and eyes open,
BOYS. he said, land tell me what you
hear and see. I'll fix it into shape and
publish it and YOU shan't be the losers
| you bet"
The boys were very diligent and effec
tive -gatherers; and 81 proved to
the world that he held the pen of ready
writer, as YOU will see by the following
extracts from the first number of the
TommyhGtrk
think Id better transcribe the whole
number, as it is not larger than two
pages of a reading book Here it is
heading, spelling and all;
THE SNAPTOWN TOMMYHAWK.
F6undsred Jy Simon Slope.
Vol. /. MAY 18TH, 1874. No.
MOTTO BIZ JEST AND FEAR NOT.