The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1883-01-13
A MYSTERIOUS CORRESPONDENT.

fultOfS OF newspapers III large CltleS
and populous towns are far from being
strangers to the voluntary correspon-
dents who ovewhelm With ditfuse
misives on all conceivable subjects.
Ofthe thousands ofsuch letters received
by editors, only q very few ever see
the light of type-a discouraging cir
cumstance that does not in the least
dampen the ardor of the men and
women who find pleasure in freeing
their minds in Il letter to the editor.
When one of these epistles is printed,
the author thereof grows excited with
ineXpressible delight; he or she sincere
ly believes that one letter is about all
that the copy of the paper contains
worth reading; that the stray contribu-
tion is calculated to work immeasura-
BILE reforms, probably revolutionize the
existing order of things entirely. For
days the happy writer wonders why
the editor does not write to him for
more letters, or leading article.
Successful correspondents, with an
expanded opinion of themselves, in
variably jump to the conclusion that
the editor fears superior abilities, there
fore ignores the very existence of the
printed; for the correspondent knows
in his heart that he is far better quail
fled to edit any paper in the country
than any editor living.
No doubt there are voluntary CORES
pondents Of newspapers who write to
particular journals for the mere pleas
ure of writing. That such must be the
case is proven by the experience of the
Mobile (Ala.) Register. Receiving ut
stated intervals letters from Il cores
pondcnt, missives entirely unsuited to
its columns, the editor, impressed by
the persistency OF the writer, not by
the matter or diction of tho lucubra-
tiOns, commenced the work of filing
away the writings, and faithfully con-
tinued the task for ten consecutive
years. In that long period letters
came regularly, once in every two
weeks, from an unknown correspondent
in New Have, Conn. Many of the
are quite lengthy,
covering three and for pages of fools
cap. In every instance the postage
was properly prepaid by one, two, and
three stamps. Not Il line from the pen
of the diligent correspondent ever mp.
peared in the Register, nor is ever
likely to. "JamCs" was tho signature
appended to the first communication;
all the subsequent ones were signed
with the initials ga. B. j."
Who the writer is, neither the pub.
fishers nor editor ofthc mobile Register
have the rcmotest idea. Nor can they
or any one else imagine what prompts
the party to write so punctually. 1t
may be for the mere pleasure of spread
ing individual views on paper and
posting them off to Il newspaper office.
Each letter is Il dissertation on some
abstruse point of constitutional law,
exceedingly verbose in style and incon-
in argument. 1t may be
that the writer is the inmate OF a luna
tic asylum, who is kindly permitted
to pass away his time in an innocent
amusement.
Newspapers in the large Northern
cities have, at odd times, been made
the recipients of letters from parties of
leisure who who were never without
a grievance, but who surrendered to
adverse fate and the capacious maW of
the waste basket inside of year.
Occasionally persistent correspondent
of strong wills invade the editorial
rooms in person, and, in no gentle
tones, demand to know why their COM
munications have not appcared,-as IA
rule coupling their request for instant
information with the amiable observa-
ton thar their letters were far superior
in thought and language to anything
that was printed in the columns closed
to him. Editors being among the
most amiable persons in the world,
never resent impcrtincnccs of that
kind. They merely muttcr "not
available, and when the iratc cores
pondent threatens to take it to the rival
paper, the editor, smiling chccrlully,
exclaims gaiIy. "rhc very thing to
do" for he forcsccS what his cOmradc
of the opposition sheet will have TO
suffer. On being refused by 'lhc other
paper" that would have been $50 glad
to get my letter." the thwartcd cores
pondcnt:goes home more firmly pcrsued-
ed than ever before that he possesses
towering literary genius, specially
adapted to excel in journalism,
therefore not surprised, only panied,
that the editor are lcagued in conspir-
acy against him. Letters from un-
known correspondents continued to
pour in upon the editors, disappoint-
ments of tho rejected to the contrary
Notwithstanding. When one person
vows never to write to a newspaper
again, ten seize upon pens and paper
to crowd into his vacated place.
Still, to tho Mobile Register must