The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1883-02-15

production he has printed; for the cor
respondent knows in his heart that he
is far better qualified to edit any paper
in the country than any editor living.
No doubt there are voluntary cor
respondents of newspapers who write
to particular journals for the mere
pleasure Of writing That such must
be the case is proven by the expert
ence of the Mobile (Ala.) Register.
Receiving at stated intervals letters
from correspondent, missives entirely
unsuited to its columns, the editor,
impressed by the persistency of the
writer, not by the matter or diction of
the lucubrations, commenced the work
of filing away the writings, and faith
fully continued the task for ten con-
secutive years. In that long period
letters came regularly, once in every
two weeks. from an unknown cores
pondent in New Haven. Conn. Many
of the communications are quite
lengthy, covering three and four
pages of foolscap. In every instance
the postage was properly prepaid by
one, two, and even three stamps Not
line from the pen of the diligent
correspondent ever appeared in the
Register. nor is ever likely to. 'Ja es"
was the signature appended to the
first communication; all the sub E.
quent ones were signed with the in
itials A. B. j."
Who the writer is, neither the pub
fishers nor editor Of the Mobile Reg
lister have the remotest 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 spreading individual views
on paper and then posting them off to
a newspaper o1Hfca. Each letter is a
dissertation on some abtruSe point of
constitutional law, exceedingly Yer
bose in style and inconsequential in
argument. 1t may be that the writer
is the inmate of lunatic 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 were never without
grievance, but who surrendered to ad-
verse fate and the capacious NAV of
of the waste-basket inside of a year.
Occasionally persistent correspondents
Of strong wills invade the editorial
rooms in person., and, in no gentle
tones, demand to know why their
communications have not appeared, as
rule coupling their request for in
slant information with the amiable
observation that their letters were far
superior in thought and language to
anything that was printed in the col
umns closed to him. Editors being
among the most amiable persons in
the world, never resent impertinences
of that kind. They merely mutter
correspondent threatens to take it to
the rival paper, the editor, smiling
exciaims gaily, THE very
thing to do" for he foresees what his
comrade of the opposition sheet will
have to suffer. On being refused by
'the other paper" that would have
been 80 glad to get my letter" the
thwarted correspondent goes home
more firmly persuaded than sever be-
1OiO pUoScSSco d tO"FlluS III
erary genius, specially adapted to ex-
eel in journalism, therefore not sur
prised, only panied, that the editors
are leagued in a conspiracy against
him. Letters from unknown cores
pondents continue to pour in upon
the editors, disappoiutments Of the
rejected to the contrary notwithstand-
ing. 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 the Mobile Register must
probly be yielded the palm for possess
ing the most industrious as well as
best-natured voluntary. correspondent
of any newspaper i'll America. The
editor keeps on filing away his long,
pointless communications, which con-
tinue coming under the familiar old
post-mark of New Haven, Conn"
american Reformer.l