Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1882-03-21
TAKEN AT HIS WORD.

81 see you beat the record this morn
ing" said the horse reporter to the law
editor, as these two powerful minds were
being conveyed to the fourth floor Of the
Tribune building yesterday morning.
"What did you say sir: :" replied the
law editor in an interrogative manner, as
he gazed fixedly into the surrounding at
mosphere.
my remark" resumed the personal
friend of st. Julien, was intended to
convey that when it comes to writing
anything about horse race the average
aw editor is as certain to fall at the first
hurdle as Maud S. is to beat an omnibus
with eighteen passengers in it. I'm not
an editor myself-nothing but simple
blue-eyed deck hand-but if | ever made
such breaks as some people do when they
tackle subject so completely interviewer
with our social fabric as is horse racing,
would at once curb my journalistic pro-
pensi,es and start peanut fake on some
prominent street corner"
IL presume you REFER" said the law
editor, still regarding the atmosphere
with great attention, "to an item which
| hastily tossed off for to-day's paper
about a suit before Judge Blodgett, re-
la,ive to race which took place last
summer, in which the animals respect
lively designated as Belle Of Nelson and
Wolverton were among the contestants !"
That's the item," said the horse re-
porter "lou tossed that of, did you =
The law editor nodded.
"Well," remarked the authority on
curby hoe ks, "if you had only tossed it
so far that it would have landed some
where else except in the Tribune, office,
the hot blush of shame would not now
be mantling the editors brow. That
was little the sickest item that ever
got my peppers on, and the next time
you feel like tossing off another one you
will greatly subserve the best interests
of journalism by going down to the lake
front and facing east"
perhaps you will be kind enough to
point out where that item was incorrect :
Is it very bad :"
"Well, | should mutter. II reads
like you got the word on a break and
never struck your gait again until the
race was over. In the first place, it calls
Wolverton a trotting horse, doesn't it :"
The law editor glanced at a copy Of
the paper and nodded assent.
"Now, everybody" resumed the COM
piler of the .: 80 list, Except perhaps
Chinaman or two in Wyoming, knows
that Wolverton was a thoroughbred run
ner and couldn't trot a lick. There's 4
fine send-off to give an item"-and the
young mans upper lip curled haughtily.
"Then, after trying to tell what kind of
race it was that the horse was In, and
not stating whether it was on the fiat, ov-
er hurdles, or steeple chase, you calmly
allude to Belle of Nelson as stallion !.
Now, if had seven year-old that didn't
know that old yellow mare would send
him to an asylum for incurables. The
idea of referring to Belle Nelson as him
makes me tired, and causes the dim vista
of the future to assume a dull cheerless
hue"
"Well," said the law editor, when
was on the Rockford Gazette"
"Oh, you came from Rockford, did
you: That was all right-Rockford is
good place to leave-but you were head
ed the wrong way when you started.
You should have steered for Kenosha."
BY this time the elevator had whizzed
through the air in the fourth story and
both gifted journalists got out. The
horse reporter went straight to the man.
aging editors room.
"You ought to put new man on the
law reporting" he said.
eyes" replied the editor, 81 know
had. There are lot of chumps like
you around here every day telling me
what to do. Probably you are right !;
anyhow you can try law reporting for a
while. The thing would amuse you, and
your appearance in any other role than
that of doing two hours work for days
pay would create sensation" n."-Ch'ca-
90 Tribune.