National Republican., 1883-10-29
SOON FORGOTTEN.
Tho short-Lived Reputation that News
paper Writers win--An Anccdoto or
Archibald Forbes and John +. Finerty.

Tho sbort-Lived Reputation that News
paper Writers win-An Anccdoto or
Archibald Forbes and John +. Fincriy.
81. Louis Illustrated Md0a=ine
Are we 50 soon forgot when we are gomez"
plaintively queries old Rip Van WinkIc of
of the villagers, to whom he returned after
long absence.
Ono can imagine Dr. Octave Pavy--if haply
he lives TO return from the frozen regions of
tho north--calling Mt q certain st. Louis
daily newspaper Office, and pleading for rec
ognition, rs former contributor to tho
columns of tho paper.
Have youIforgotton," he might say, "with
what encouraging words from you, started
out upon tho Howgato expedition to tho
Arctic? How you oxacted of me q diary of
my lifo amid tho perpetual snow? You can
not have forgotten that l largely employed
the long Arctic nights In writing of my
wanderings ana experiences; and how made
my way amid the soitudes of tho Greenland
coast to reach native courier, that 1 might
send you'll what had written of the almost
unknown country, whittier my adventure
had led me. OF my plans and purposes, and
of my long journey to effect a junction with
the Greedy expedition colony, advised you,
and somewhat of our life at Fort Conger, you
printed from my pen. Since then we bade
the world goodby for years. and no relief ship
reaching us, l could not further communicate
with those we had left behind. But surely
am not entirely forgotten"
Alas too true. The literature of tho daily
newspaper is like the paper itself-evanes-
cent; soon forgotten; thrown aside. 1t has
accomplished its mission; entertained or in
structed for an hour. What though tho
especial correspondence from the Arctic"
was read with much interest; favorably COM
mented upon when it appeared, reprinted by
other newspapers at home and abroad, the
writer is only remembered, perhaps, by q
clerk who happens to encounter business
| like entry upon his books: "Paid to--on
order of DIR. Pavy; Arctic correspondence"
The men who manage the great newspaper
go in and out type founders are known rep
| resontatives of paper mills are greeted from
year to year as they call but the men who
give to the paper its literary character are
| forgotten. They were promptly paid for
their service, just as the newer writers who
have taken their places are paid, and will in
turn bo forgotten.
The history of DR.. Pavy his longings in
early life in foreign land for opportunity for
Arctic explorations; his romantic life in
America ana chiefly in st. Louis; his writ
ings, while hero resident, and his sketches
written. mayhap only in sight of the Polar
bear, the seal or the walrus-all these things
are contained in the bound, files of the great
newspaper, but they are forgotten And
when tho first tidings, since heIlast wrote
comes of the Arctic expedition of which DIR.
Pavy was at once q forerunner and member
the same paper for which he once wrote
| speaks of him almost as stranger, so humble
indeed in celebrity, as to be indebted to an
enlisted man of tho United States army for
any introduction in Washington--this man
| to whose burning words concerning Arctic
exploration, scientific bodies in France, in
New York, in San Francisco, and st. Louis
had long before listened with interest Such
is famo in newspaper literature in this age
| 1t is feeting.
BArchibald Forbes, the distinguished Eng
lish war correspondent was asked by O
Chicago reporter how to spell the name of an
\ American correspondent, whose deeds In
| foreign lands make his name household
word there. Mr.. Forbes expressed anazement
yet the inquiring journalist, now congress
! man, had himself performed greater deeds Of
valor, endured greater privations-inclu
lack of food for days on the plains-thar
| either Forbes or his American correspondent
and upon his return to the newspaper office
in the service of which he had almost LOST
his life he found himself we'll nigh forgotten
and his resident post of duty filled by new
writer, who wrote of the return of his pre-
| decessor as from a jaunt in the far west"
Speaking of a former leading writer on the
| ST. Louis press, who was accidentally killed,
| another writer of tho same paper recently
said kirby, ah, yes seem to recollect
him; postoiiice clerk a few years ago, wasn't
| heW
The man of letters is thus soon forgot
when he is gone." lie need to be rescued
from oblivion.