The Osceola times., 1882-02-11
A Eiend In Human Form.

lie was agentlemanly and allable look
ing man who walked into the managing
editors room of the san Francisco Post,
and quietly took a chair until that ac-
complshed journalist had finished an
editorial with the scissors.
"What can we do for your" asked the
editor finally, replacing the paste brush
behind his ear. Haven't brought in a
poem on autumn" he continued, frcwn-
ing suspiciOusly.
mot at all, my dear sir replied the
stranger, with smile. Il trust | don't
look like poet. | have dropped in to
consult you on a practical business prop
osition."
"Ah an advertisement said the jour.
nalist, benignantly. Something in the
star ad.' line, | suppose
"In a certain sense, yes" replied the
business man. 81 want to know your
best inside rates for bounding"
"For what" asked the writer
"Why. for bounding. ! should like 10
| be thoroughly well bounded in your pa
per for the next-say three months, if it
didn't come too high"
"What the dey-"
"Permit me 70 explain" interrupted
I the matter of-fact customer. 81 am an
attentive reader Of the local apers, and
/ notice that whenever a man, q corpora
/ tion, or Il monopoly has a streak o. lack,
I or gels to making money rapidly, the said
papers Immediately jump on his neck,
/ as the saving is, and hound the success.
/ ful person or persons as though he or
| they were escaped convicts, or something
/ like that"
/ "You mean our blackmail cotempora.
| ries?" said the editor, vindicitiyely.
| 81 don't think they blackmail anybody
/ in particular" said the stranger, thought
fully; "that Is. not nowadays the peo-
/ pie seem to have dropped TO it, as the
/ hoodlnms say; but that isn't the point
/ that affects me. The point is that OF
/ course these papers never hound any
/ body who hasn't got dead leads of coin.
/ Everybody recognizes that fact. and the
result is that the minute they start in
against a man his credit goes right up"
Il begin to drop" said the moulder OF
public opinion, scratching his head.
"Why, of course. It's a dead sure
proposition; and so it occurred to me, as
NV business has been dreadfully bad this
year. that I'd either have TO brace up my
credit or 90 under. I've got to do it or
/ bust. New if can arrange for your pa
per to come out tomorrow afternoon
] with A slashing article accusing me being
a graspinc mcuOpolist or bloated cor
ruptionist, or something else rich fnd
comfortable, it ould about fix me mp
ITS q big i3oa," said the editor, calm.
/ ": "and you'd better 90 down and see
/ tie business manager at once. I'll write
an editorial myself calling attention to
Won as 2 bigamist and swindler of or.
phans and widows
0Do So" exclaimed the far-seeing bus
mess man, as he arose to 90. whatever
you do, don't spare me. GIVE 1t to me
strong. I've got a $4,000 note to meet
on the 18th, so you must get your work
in at once"
.Ill attend TO it," said the editor, ear.
nestly. "lll work over your early career
myself. and have three or four allidavits
accusing you of bribery and brutality
ready for next Saturdays double sheet
III send our most sarcastic reporter
round to interview you, bright and early
Monday morning"
Thanks! thanks" said the customer
fervently. 81 begin to see my way cleal
already. God bless you.' and he iripped
down st .irs with heart full OF hope anc
encouragement, while the editor at once
set TO work on a leader entitled "A Fienc
in Human shape
"Now." said the teacher of primary
class TO one of his pupils, TO whom IA,
was trying TO impart knowledge o.
division, but with little success. IF yoJ
had pie and should ask you for
quarter of it, and You should give m,
What wanted. how much would yol
have lefl?p II wouldn't have any left!'
quickly responded little girl.