Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-05-13

ln the morning when the publisher
entered his composing-room he was
struck dumb with amazement. There
was notable absence of almost ev.
cry dear familiar object on which his
eye was wont to rest. But for the
presence of his sore-eyed jour, and
his red headed apprentice, he would
have believed himself in the wrong
shop. What had become of the
things? The poster type that lay
upon the floor where the forms had
been unlocked, was gone! The NAL
let, the shooting stick and quoins that
were heaped upon the stone were
gone The heap of empty ink kegs
and old roller composition that had
reposed SO gracefully in the corner,
was gonel Everything was gone
from where it once was. Even the
pile of old exchanges, posters, and
other scraps which from time imme.
mortal had been swept into another
corner, had disappeared. The first
impression of the dismayed publisher
was that the tramp had made way
with his property-not sparing even
the dirt. But of all the articles that
might have been spared he alone
was not gone. No; there he stood
at the old sort.case, pegging away as
if for dear life, with liberal take of
Stacks editorials of yesterday. To
the inquiries gasped forth by S. for
his lost treasures of yesterday, L.
Blight displayed the poster type
neatly arranged on the racks and in
their proper cases. The quoins. NAL
let's and shooting stick were in the
drawer. The missing rubbish was
piled up in the back yard. TO Slack
this state of things was simply fright
full. The inevitable consequence of
the preparation of such systematic
innovation could not be contemplated
without alarm. What a time he
would have in finding things when
he wanted them! He retired precip.
itately within his sanctum to think
over the matter. 1t was plain, the
man was an escaped lunatic. And
here he was working on board wages
under the vain delusion that he was
earning an interest in a paying news
paper establishment when the con-
Germ was hopelessly involved. 1t
would never do to carry on such an
imposition lie would unbosom him
self at once to the guileless stranger
and undo the evil which he had un-
Willingly done. Blight was called,
and the true state of the financial
outlook laid before him in as few
words as possible OF course there
was nothing like detailed statement
of assets and liabilities, for this was
something Slack had never thought
of, much less undertaken. The only
effect produced upon his auditor by
this statement was to cause him to
draw up chair aud sit down with
confidential air, saying, well, Cap,
we'll have to rustic around and col.
lect up our accounts, so as to pull the
old thing through
'Accouutsl Good God My I'M
sophisticated friend, do you fondly
imagine that anything can be got of
my accounts but vexation of spirit p
4 don't know, Cap, did you ever
try 2
No! But if you wish to amuse
yourself in that way, this book con.
tains them all, and there's some old
bill-heads, you're welcome
This new arrangement was acced.
ed to by t B. as cheerfully as every
other proposition advanced. His
fraternal response to SIS statement
of the disadvantage of adhering to
his bargain, was I'm not the man to
go back on partner because he's in
a tight place !! So while Slack made
up, the new partner exercised his
ingenuity upon the unexplored depths
of the account book, drawing up bills
for advertising and Job work against
the unsuspecting inhabitants. All
that day and the next he was-en-
gagged in this exhilarating exercise.
barring the time consumed in trotting
about the village presenting the bills.
Then he worked off the first side of
the paper, aud went at it again.
Slack was so diverted by this unex
pected display of monomania (the
man seemed rational enough on other
subiects), that he forgot the day
when his acceptance for his paper
bills fell due. But the rusty old
cashier dropped in and reminded
him of it. Before the poor fellow
had time to frame an excuse, the man
of money foored him by saving.
We'd a paid it for you, Slack, and
let you fix it when you called in. but
it keeps our books in better shape to
have your check for the amount.
Here's the bill. I've filed out the
check for the amount to save you the
trouble How he managed TO pet
the check signed he never knew, but
after seeing that good natured cash
Ter walk off with it in his hand, leav.
ing the bill behind, he felt as though
he had committed forgery, until
Blight, the incomprehensible. dis.
played bundle of receipted bills of
various tradesmen with whom he had
been making settlement, finding the
balance invariably in favor OF the
printer. This is all very good SO far
as it goes unused Slack, but these
meagre resources viii soon be ex-
hausted, and the men who paid will
never speak to me again as long as |
live. This Blight that has settled
upon my prospects must be got rid
of. It's as much as the village can
do to support one of us. Besides |
can't stand it to work in hole so dis.
mally prim. Eve tried to have few
things scattered around just to take
the stiffness off the room, but nv
endeavors in that direction are
| biqhted. This methodical maniac
must fancy that the paper has liv-
| ing income. | must show him the
dead ads. That will certainly re.
store his reason
When the columns of defunct ad.
vertisements were pointed out,
Theodore promptly responded, All
right, Cap. Well have 'em out, and
until We get new ones to fill up, you
can just sling ink and paste in the
sanctum, and we'll rush up the mat