The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1879-10-03
NEWSPAPER WRITING.
{ Baltimore 0aaette.l

matter what his actual business In life
may be-preacher, lawyer, physician,
butcher, baker Or candlestick-maker
he has secret fancy that If he only
had chance he could make news
paper q little bit spicier and livelier
than anything In the shape of a public
journal that has ever come In his way.
This is one of the most amusing and
universal weaknesses OF modern times.
The number of people who are infected
by It Is known only to publishers, Just
as tho extent to which opium eating Is
practtced Is realized only by druggists
and physicians. The drawers and
iwaste-baskets OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.
pAper once In the country Overflow
with evidences Of the ambition and
harmless vanity Of the vast public who
scrfbble by stealth and patiently toll
over reanas of compositions which no.
body can be Induced to print. 'af NJ 3
+ 1t must be admitted that there ia
something enticing and enviablo in
editorial life, as IL appears to the out
side world. The delight Of getting
into print for tho first time is one Of
the keenest enjoyments. What, there
fore, both mon and women reason, to
themselves, must be the pleasure Of
that happy man who daily feasts tho
public with his wisdom, aud whose
smallest scribbling finds its way into
type without criticism or delay But
this reasoning Is altogether unsouud.
The editor does not look at things ex-
actly In the same roseate light. Tho
bright colors seen by other eyes havo'
become to his a little cloudetl. The
freshness, the exquisite charm of seeing
his reflections in print, has long since
He writes sometimes pain
fall nS>x -
rassed by thousand petty vexations,
and not unfrequently with aching
head and weary hand. His work is,
of all work, tho most wearing, tho
most akin to treadmill drudgery, and
the most cXhaustfng both to body and
brain. Tho call for copy is inexQrable
and cannot be refused. I1e must write.
He must also endure tho most con-
temptible and continual criticisms
must bear patiently "to DO esteemed .
dull when he cannot be witty, and to
be applauded for wit when no knows
that he has been dull." Every block
head who buys his paper feels that he
has purchased IL right to dictate the
manner In which it shall be conducted,
TO criticise sharply everything that
appears in 1t, and to "elevnto Its tone"
with his own carping lncubrations,
fnirly written out and enclosed In q
note for Immediate publication, signed
ga Subscriber" can Old Pntron,' or
can Earnest Well Wishcr." If you
were to ask this modest friend to cut
you a coat, or measure you for n pair
Of boots, hc would Indignantly reply
that that was not his trade, that he
knew nothing about 1t and would not
attempt 1t. But the diflidence which ).
shrinks from the shears and coyIy
draws back from the awt and the lap
stone, boldly grasps the pen and un-
to illuminate and instruct tho
world. Breeches and shoes require
art, experience, reflection, in their
kna<ing-political essays flow sponta-
neous from the most added pate, or
can be pumped out OF IL by sheer hand
labor, without tho vulgar appliances OF
study, thought and knowledge. Such
Is life
Mr.. J. II. Means informs us that a
ew weeks ago, his little boy captured
several young squirrels, not more than
day or two old. Ho brought them
home, and as they were too young to
,at, the boys put them in the bed Of an
I'D house cat that had young kittens.
70 the astOnishtnent of every one, the
at took kindly to her adopted children
Ind nursed them as If they had been
Ter own offspring. The young squIr-
'els thrived we'll, and arc now about
'eady to be wcaned. The old cat
changed her quarters several times,
but never failed to take the squirrels
rs well as the kittens with her.-De
Soto Denlocruk
1t is related of Il certain Clergyman,
who was noted for his long sermons,
with many divisions, that, ono day,
when he was advancing among tho
teens, he reached Mt length kind OF
resting place in his discourse when,
pausing to take breath and asking tho
question, "And what shall say more!"
a voice from the congregation earnestly
assay amcnW
The Oil City Derrick asks this CO.
nundrum: "What is n gentfcman?"
A gentleman, old fellow, is a man
who comes into u newspaper Office
,ncc in great while and pays for his
paper fn advance. We always thought
you knew that, else we should have
old you before.