Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1879-10-01
,r. In. sn. sn. ,s.
Space.
Newspaper Writing.

The m'iolity OF tho people imagine that is is
the simplist taiog 10 ths world to edit q news
paper. A man may have grave doubts about
bis talents iJr public speaking; may fealy ad
nit that ho carnoE turn tune or recognize one
when turDod By anybody else; may confess that
he is 90 pee, not much OF scholar, and moth.
ing of an artist; but there is no creature 80
poor spirited as to asoS his incapacity TO edit
newspaper. Va the c0n:saT, this is work 10
which every man scans to have ma1ifes!
call. No matter what his tctual BUSINESS 10
life may te-preacher, lawyer physioiao,
butcher, baker or osndlestick maker-he has q
secret fancy tia if he ouly had o charc, he
could make newspaper lttlo bit sricier snd
livelier than aoythiog ia tho shape of public
journal that has ever coms 10 bis way. This is
one OF tho most amusiog aud universal weak.
ness:s Of modern times. The plumber of peo.
pie who are Infected by it is known only to
publishers just as the cyten; to which opium
eatiog is practiced is known oDly to druggists
and physlolass. TIC draTo.s and waste bss.
kets OF every leading newspaper Office 10 tho
country ovelf,T With evidences of ito ambi-
tion aud harmless vaoi,y of lhs vast pubic who
scribble by stealth aud patiently toll over reams
o. composition Which nobody can ho Induced to
print.
1t uust b, admitted that there is s,methiog
entieing and enVsbls ia editorial lille, as is 90
pears to the outside void. Foe delight of
getting into pri0t fer tho first time is one of the
keaness eojo7Gclts. Whst. therefore, both
men and WON so reason t) them selves. must bs
the pleasure OF that happy mau who dlily
feasts the public with his vision, aod who's,
smallest sclobllog 6ods ito way into typa with.
out criticism or delay? Bat tbs roas )ning i,
altogether uosoun1. Tho editor does not look
at things exactly 10 the same rosaae light. Tho
bright c,lors s,en by other eyes havs be,oms
to his a little clou1cd, The freshness. the
exquisite charm o. seeing his reh.osioas
in print la, loog i,c, vanished Rs
writes sometimes painfully aud under
pressure, often harfass:d By a thousand
pretty veXatlons. sni not unfrequently
with schiog heai and weary haad His work
is, OF all work, the most wearing. the most skill
to treadnill drudsery. aui the most exhaust.
iug both to body and brain. The oil for cory
writo. Ho must ais) endure the most c,u'
tcmptible and coa.uusd crlticisus-but bssr
patibtly TO be cstcamsd dali when be cannot
be witty ard 10 be spplsuded FIR wit when hc
knows that he has b,en dull. Every block
head who buys bis paper feels that he has pur'
chased right to dca.c the manner in which it
shall ba CONDUCTED. 10 ctitiz, SHARPLY every.
thing that appears 10 it, aod to elevate its
tcn,' with his owa cirDi1g lu.u5raticns, fairly
written out aud ctc'osed 10 roto for iumedl.
ate rubcatinu sigaed "A Subscriber" IAN
Old Patron" or 'Ao Ei,noss Well Wishor.'
If sou were to ask this modes. friend TO cut you
a coat, or msasuIe yuu fJr q pair or boots. be
would Indignantly raply that tina. Was not his
trade, that he koew nothing aboutis aId wou
not attemptit. Bui the d fl is1cs which shripks
from tha shears aud coyly draws back frJm ths
aSl aud the lapItone. body grasp' the pen aoi
undertakes to illuminate add iosuu,t the world.
Breeohes aud shoes require art. experience. re-.
tlec.iou, 10 their m.klog-pcltIc,l essays f,W
spontaneous from the mos. added pate. or cln
be pumped ou. 5b7 shser ha2d labor. With
out the vulgar appliances Of study, thought and
knowledge Sach isl;fe But. Ga.stte.
A PIsCAToR1AL CURIOSITY. leslie. the
well-kuown fsh merchant, has 10 bis possession
a ehark's pilot. Everybody bss heard of
sharks pilot, ba: very few people haVe seen
one, and fever hsys soy idea Of the c,nstruc
lion and appsarauc, OF tho creature. Ths ono
10 Lsslis's possession was clugtt on tho fishing
banks off the bar. j. is abou. eighteen inches
10 ongth. aui look, like mechanical to7 fish
made Of black rubber. Tho lower lip projects
over the upper lip like that Of a well'bred bull
dog. and 10 o:her respects a shsp,n vary mu,h
like 40 ordiasry puppy shark.
The most singular feature about il. however,
is it's sucker, which is chou! three inches oog.
aud is attached to tae head Of the 6sb. IL locks
like piece Of corrugated black Iadia rubber.
und has tue adhesive p1ws Of q rubber sucker.
Afttr the fish had baen dead fer twelve hours
the sucker would attach itself firmly to spy
suoo,h substance up2a Which j, Was plso,d.
When 6x.d to~a marble sls5 it was just as
mnnh no q etrnnn nnnn nnnld do 10 null /, aHaY