Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1881-04-21
NUMBER 81.
Humors Of the Proof. Room.

r~r-~
which the proofreader is subjected both
IN book and newspaper Offices, the writer
gives few instances OF ludicrons mis-
printing. We quote
In the course of famous trial In
Brooklyn, q lady was telling about the de-
fendant calling on her to relate hls woes,
having done which, she said he laid
down on a4oHnge and she covered him
with an afghan. The reporters caught
the sound and wrote napkin" and il
so appeared In the reports Of several
papers next morning. The imposal-
biity of " covering the portly and Dig
nifed form Of the defendant with "a
napkin" ought to have struck the
proofreader, but it did not
a gentleman, describing visit To a
famous public building, where he had
some difficulty in finding the way ont,
finally found the western gate, where he
said cab awaited him but the COM
positor insisted that COP" arrested
him.
Speaking of the innumerable dogs Of
the city, another writer longed for the
annual st. Bartholomew dog massacre,
but the types had it that he yeaIned for
the arrival of w. Batholow's dog mu-
scum.
Some moralist hkened something
which he thought very fiat and stale to
a torchlight procession by daylight,
with last years political candidates, but
the compositor thought batrstsd guns
would be better than the candidates.
"a gentleman from New York ap-
peared in proof once as " Cunningham
from Nyack."
The next blnnder passed the reader
and copy-holder, and, it may be pre-
sumed, caused the writer to think that
the COW must have yielded something
other than milk. The sentence was
written, .'See1ng some sailors engaged
in picking oakum," etc., bat the types
made it read, Seeing some sailors en-
gagged In milking d car.
A young gentleman was once placed
in an appalling situation for a eonsci-
entious theological students" but the
types made him consRBlptire theo-
logical student"
A book reviewer spoke of an author
who had made an argument for the
existence of the gods, based on evidences
Of design in nature \" when printed the
argument was for the existence OF
girls, based on the rudeness of design In
nature, which was not complimentary
to the girls.
Describing fort, it was written that
"all the guns were en- barbette, but
the compositor thought it would be
better If call the guns were in Baireuth.
An astronomer once saw /" thirty-six
meteors in the course Of single hour Y
on their way through the composing
room, the meteors got stuck Gin the cor
ner Of q rough house.
The heading to an account Of a
college feast was transformed from
The Dartmouth Dinner to the
"Foulmouth Dinner" which was not
true, although there were many speakers.
Speaking Of the strain upon a laboreTs
muscles, it was written. 'sWhen Lie Lifts
big pipes or carries bricks in his hod.
but the compositor put tho bricks in
his hat, where, alas too many Of ihcm
are carried.
A reporter, writing Of al accident.
put the cart before the horse. hx ssert-
ing that the horse backed 0rerb0afTsFA
dragging the cart after him. OF course,
if the proofreader had been thus
'tmixed" there would have been trouble.
1
A traveller in Africa told of sn ALI
gator which swallowed thirtF-six mis-
sionaries." The printer must have been
Tilted, for, according to him, the reptile
made his meal Of nuJse-maids."
A weekly newspaper lamented tho
prevailing tendency OF English girls of
the period to DEFY tie coatenfional
restraints of former wears. The com
i ,,1r.t,,. ,,,ny1o ss.T
straints," and perhaps he was NOT fan
wrong.
Another inquirer wanted to know il
the "police cannot do something to
prevent careless and dangerous blasting
in the neighborhood of Third avenue p
and this is the way the typo put it: f'Can-
not the police do something to prevent
camels and deer from bleating in the
neighborhood Of Third avenue p
" His blood boiled as he beheld youth
and beauty in the power ofa determined
villain" was what the author of a story
wrote. g His blood boiled AZ he beheld
guilt and brandy in the form Of deter
mined villain, was the way the COM
positor fixed it,
Mr.. McGinnis determined to exercise
his marital right Of snoring in his
chair" but the compositor thought he
would be better s sn0ozinp n-hRsf
straw, and possibly lie was right.
Some time ago It was asserted that
ga Canadian had devised q scheme for
warming his beloved land ;, but the artist
at the cease said that lie had devised
ascheme for wearing bis blond hair.D
A Virginia paper said, during a politi-
A +1.1L r. -T
forget their "pantry and nursery" in
the excitement of politics. What the
editor wrote was that they would forget
their poverty and misery"
"The Duke Of Brunswick il sick, anf
all the courtiers Of Europe are in a fur
ter" came up in type, "The Duke of
Brunswick is sick, and all the court
geese of Europe are on platter, K which
is good place to put geese, If they are
nicely roasted.
| The list is not by any means e.
hausted, and is being added to daily and
nightly all over the country, but the
Gem has limits, and this article must
close with one or two specimens of the
kind Of copy OF which printers and
proofreaders are expected to make in
telligible advertisements:
GA component mother wishing
child unbottle or board best reverence"
ga yong Heolly woman of Is AS wet
nurse with the privlage of own wages
no Obiecting."
| And this notice from the Hartford
Coard7at will do for g tinis:"
BIRTHS. - TRUMBurn. In SIM
bury, November II, a daughter to
and Sarah Trumbull."
| Edward, aged three and " half, asks
for more cookies. Have you an appe-