Connecticut western news., 1880-01-07
Rec0llections of a Jour- & naliSt.
HIS FIRST EXPERIMENT IN THE rRorEs.

HIS FIRST EXPERIMENT IN THE PRoFEs.
 E SION.
 My first experience in the profession of journalism was in the capacity of assistant carrier. It began c1oudfess August morning, which I shall never forget, and ended two hours later.
 We lived in an inland city of fifty Thousand inhabitants, and our next door neighbors were the Holcombs. Josh Holcomb, boy little older than I, scaFried 8 route in tbe Democrat office, !" as the boys phraeed it.
 I had been playing few games of checkers with Josh one evening when l@his older brother, who was learning his trade in the office, came home with 8 large roll of damp newspapers over his arm. Josh at once cleared the dining room table, spread them out smoothly uponsits and began to fold them with what seemed to me to be marvellous rapidity, especially after I had tried it myself and found how clumsy green hand may be at even so simple task. aJoeh spoke very modestly of his own powers, said he was never able to aver age more than five hundred an hour, and challenged my profoundest respect and highest admiration for gifted scn Of genius in the office named Frank Ben his, who "could fold thousand an hour P
 I observed that every now and then Josh picked out paper that was par ticuiarly well printed-neither too much ink nor too little-folded it with great care, bringing the corners to an exact match, and rubbed the folds down very smooth. supposed he wanted them for the top of his pile to make it look well; but what was my surprise to see that he finally put these nicely folded papers at the very bottom of the pile.
 What in the world are those for p I said.
 If you'll go round with me in the morning" " said Josh, "youIl see. Sup , pose you do9''
 It struck me Gs rather romaatic idea, and on Josh's agreement to give long, low whistle under my window at 40 o'clock, T promised to be ready to start with him.
 was reused in the gray of morning by Joshs whistle, and very few min uses afterward was hanging by my hands from the windowsill, had dropped. landing in my sisters fiower-bed, and was beside him. might have gone out by the door if had wanted to, but that : would have been tame and common- place.
 z josh had his bundle of papers slung under his left arm by strap that passed over his shoulder. He gave me dozen or two, and we started off
 We passed up the streets few rods, till we came to high board fence, en- closing 8 garden filled with fruit trees, the house being at the other end of the lot, on the next street. At 8 certain point Josh rolled away big stone from 3 hollow in the ground, removed small board which it had held in place, put his bundle of papers through, and then . cEawled under the fence himself. He explained that this was short cut te Jones street, where his route began, and of course, followed him. I think the cut would have been shorter if Josh had gone straight along, instead of stopping under the peach trees to fill his pockets As we passed out by the front gate he <bot l, was watching us through the turned slats of a blind, and remarked that " OlG Leonard was up great deal earlier thar there was any need of."
 He's too stingy to take paper, continued Josh, :" and I don't see any reason in the world for his getting ou Of bed before breakfast time."
 2 suggested that perhaps the old gen tieman was nervous about the fruit il the yard.
 If he's too sfingy to keep a dog, said Josh, Che ought to lose g fey peaches now and then"
 This fearful picture of double headed stinginess on the part of the venerabl, Leonard quieted my conscience as t, any dishonesty on the part of the aveng ing boy.
 At the next place we came to, Josl picked out one of the nicely-folde, papers, walked across the street, ant laid it carefully in the box beside tn gate.
 Is that man so very particular ? safaI.
 No, said Josh, "not any more par tioniart than other people, I guess. Bu be always gives me dollar at Ne, Years.