The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1881-11-03

UP ne goes
These lines should be incorporated
in the pleasing melodies of Mrs. Goose
and sung to the child in the cradle.
1 never exactly understood why 8
man who has failed in everything else
thinks he can run newspaper. But
he does. It is the most exacting, pa.
rience trying, nerve-wrenching, soul
narrowing, spine-twisting position in
life.
The moral, political, social and un-
social advice which is shOwered upon
q country editor Is a horrible, awful
deluge. 1t is q continual nightmare
with no waking up spell. From the
with her little ssnglet on q last years
BIRDS nest, to the old, gray-headed
political rat of sixty, who wants to
abuse an opponent with nine columns
of solid adjectives, the country editor
is obliged to lend his attention.
He burns the midnight oil, and when
his leader comes out, over which he
has sweat like q nigger at an election,
he has his reward. His contemporary
issues next week and calls attention to
his ears.
An EDITORS ears are always in the
way of his advancement.
That is the reason SO many of them
remain stationary.
Those old newspaper squibs about
them come around with the regularity
of hotel hash. Occasionally the mo-
notony is varied trifle by improper
and sarcastic illusions to his feet. But
usually his capaciOus ears suffer the
most.
Complimentary notices of his brain
1s1yo 10
If after years of toll he dares go on
an excursion, he's q hungry dead beat.
If he accepts a pass ON a railroad, he's
n subsidized wretch pandering to a
sOulless corporation.
If he refuses pass, he's fool.
If he speaks in favor of temperance
he's fanatic. If he writes against
prohibition, he's a bloat. If he pub
somebody. If he doesn't he lacks en-
terprise. If he's misinformed, he's q
liar. If he duns q DELINQUENT subscri-
Der, he's an upstart. If his candidate
is defeated he's no influence. If elect
ed, well, it was by the skin of his teeth.
If he lives and ekes out a miserable
existence, it's mystery. If he makes
little money, he's q thief, plundering
the taxpayers of the poor helpless
country; and if at last he lays down
the weary load to find a refuge in an
humble grave, he is given the thinnest
kind of funeral, with no style about
it, and planted with dispatch.
And yet, from these humble walks
of life have risen some of our best and
noblest men-names which are loved
and hOnOred-names which have filled
appropriate inches in the Temple of
Fame and are not wanting to swell the
roll of Americas heroes.
William Lloyd Garrison, Bayard
Taylor, Henry T. Raymond, Geo. d.
Prentice and Horace Greeley.
When the screed of our American
traditions is laid before the student of
the distant future, when he shall read
of these bright minds and iron wills
which have formed the bulwarks of
national defense, and adorned our
massive columns of strength
with the ornaments of Art and Litera-
ture, these names shall gleam in the
light OF the romance of the
past!
Not every star in the dark, blue firm
ament of night glOws with the bril-
liancy of Jupiter or Venus. But in
the glittering universe on high is
many a nameless twinkling point, each
with its orbit-each with its own ap-
propriate sphere.
Not every flower that blooms in
glen and dale rivals the Flora
Regis Of the public garden!
Not every patient man, toiling in
obscurity, in indigence, in the lower |
walks of life, can hope to sit beside the |
Kings of Drawn and brain.
But like the nameless star, like the
hidden flower, the humblest Of the
Knights of pen and shears can feel that
,e, in his allotted sphere, contributes
needed mite to the bread, grand
Whole of American journalism
But would rather be live cowboy
han dead editor.-lEx.