The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1880-10-21
An Independent Press.

town in the interior of Texas which we
will call Smithville, but he's moved to
Galveston few years ago and is now a
resident of this city. He has kept him.
self we'll posted, however, as to affairs in
his former home by subscribing to the
Smithville Torpedo, the local paper,
which is edited with signal ability by
Colonel Bangs A few days ago Smith
happened to be at the railroad depot
when the train came in, and whom
should he see among the passengers but
Col. Bangs, the editor of the Torpedo.
OF course Smith was glad to see the edi-
tor of the Torpedo, and Bangs was glad
to see regular subscriber like Smith.
They greeted each other warmly, and
after having taken few drinks sat
down quietly to talk over affairs in
Smithville.
"You get the Torpedo regularly, l
suppose p said Bangs.
Yes, it comes to hand regularly
every day and l read it very carefully.
1t keeps me as well posted AS if l lived
in the town and saw everything with
my own eyes. would not know what
was going on in Smithville. if it was not
for the Torpedo" said Smith.
Col Bangs said he felt fattered, and
after another drink or so the country
editor became very candid and commu.
NEGATIVE. His stomach was not accus
toned TO Galveston whisky. On the
other hand, Smith, being used to it, re-
NAMED distressingly sober.
After pause Smith said {:
Il saw in the last number of the Tor
pedo that Jones, the proprietor of the
Smithyille Hotel, has fitted it up new,
and now it is superior in all particulars
10 any hotel this side of New York. l
am glad to hear that. l am going to
ru: up at it when l visit Smithyille.
Don't you do it, replied the editor.
- board there myself, and nearly
staTve 10 death. But i: is the best hotel
in the place, for all that. 1 would not
let such lie 80 into the paper if the
hotel had not taken fifty copies Of the
paper 20 send off. He paid for them in
meal tickets, too."
Tie faith of Smith in the reliability
Of The Torpedo bad received somewhat
Of shock, bat he hoped il was an ex-
ceptional case.
After awhile Smith said
81 an glad to see that Major Shocks
is going to sweep that section of the
State at the next election. | read in
the Torpedo OF the magnificent ovation
given him ; of the procession several
miles long the banquet that followed,
with al the toasts, and then the final
serenade, with Major Shocks speech to
the vas. sea Of upturned faces. 1t must
have been gorgeous ovation"
Col. Bangs laughed until he nearly
had spasms. Finally he said :
why, Shocks wrote that up for the
Torpedo himself and paid to have it in
serted as an advertisement He is start
ing Doom, you know"
You don't mean to say that nothing
OF tie kind happened =
II believe that Major Shocks hired a
brass band to entirely surprise him with
a complimentary serenade for four dol
lars and half The speech did not last
for several hours, because all he said
was: Come in. boys, and take some
thing The vast sea of upturned faces
eny numbered fifteen. At least that is
al The drinks he is charged with on the
barkeepeI's slate for that evening. That
is the oest evidence, reckon
why, how did you come to make
such false statement in your paper o.
Didn't l tell you that he paid for it
as an advertisement He is gong TO
use it as campaign document
Smith began to think that the Smith
vile Torpedo was hot furnishing him
with so much local information after all.
He determined, therefore, not to men.
ton any other item Of news he had
cleaned from its columns. So he changed
the subject: "How's Col. McPelter
coming onF'
He is not coming on at all He has
gone off already; week before last he en-
oezzled $4,000 and disappeared with an
other mans wife. The grand jury has
found 10 felony indictments agains,
him." replied the editor.
But / never saw that mentioned al
all in the Torpedo" said Smith
al reckon not" replied the editor
proudly. col McPelter's son promised
20 shoe: the top of my head off if said
a word about il, and IL IS the duty of the