San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1883-07-19
Journalistic SrperstiiiOnS.

Journalistic Srpersti,ions.
Are editors as superstitious as
theater actors, and sailors and rail-
road men?" asked the Old Subscriber,
sitting down in Queen Annie chair,
and putting his feet timidly under a
comfortable inlaid with Mexican
onyx.
Eyes, said the solemn editor, "they
are. Ever since newspapers were in
vented by Cadmus, journalists in ev-
cry department. have had superstitious
beliefs and ideas peculiar to their
profession. Now there's the managing
editor. If the first man who comes
into the private Office Monday is a
man who wants to go to Congress,
and has an editorial three columns
long written by himself, showing how
the country is lost unless he is nomi-
mated in minute, the manager is
gloomy all day, because he doesn't
believe the article is going into the
paper. No reason for it, you know,
only he is just superstitious enough to
believe the manuscript will be lost in
the waste basket ten feet deep before
the author is half way down stairs.
Then, there's the leader writer, too.
If he found his pen sticking in the
paste, he'd suspect Dan, down in the
office, in minute. When he finds
his desk open and all the pencils
gone, he suspects the proof-reader,
and when the paper comes out da ted
February 80, he suspects the makeup.
Aid another thing: If he picks up
the pen by the wrong end, he will
turn it around and say something be-
fore he will write with it. I've talked
to HIM about it, but he won't give
any reason for it. AS for the news
editor, do you see that mountain of
exchanges on his table? We'll, before
you get down stairs that young man
will lean out of the window to watch
your appearance atthe counting-room
door, and he will say, 81 bet dollar
that old cuss stole the Boston Trans
script and the Denver Tribune" He
is superstitious about everything that
happens and every man that comes
in. He believes it bad luck to drop
the scissors down the elevator well.
Did it once and they straddled right
into both eyes of regular advance
paying subscriber, who was looking
up to see the elevator come down.
He believes in Mascottes. Gets five
letters week from some one and the
boy believes he has one. He won't
work on Sunday or the Fourth of Ju-
ly. Says when man works on Sun
day it is sign he is lonesome. If he
wants to get anything out of the Ii
brary while he is sitting at his desk,
he crosses the room before he takes
down the book. Crosses it again be-
fore he sits down. If we run out of
paper the pressman believes it is a
sign that the paper won't be out. If
printer asks for money before pay
day, it is sign that he hasn't been
on the paper quite one week. 1t is
also a sign that he'll never do it again.
If the pressman asks the printer for a
dollar, it is sure sign the printer
hasn't a cent. When the foreman
finds handful of pie in with his
quoins and picks up a side-stick and
starts down the room making loud
remarks, it is a sign he is going to
land for the devil. Oh, newspa-
per Office is the most superstitious
place you can come to.
"And yourself" said the Old Sub
scriber. "Now, do you believe in
sny of these things.?"
"I?" said the Solemn Editor, 81
think it is about time-???
The old subscriber nodded thrice,
put on his hat, rose to his feet, and
I the Old one and the Solemn one
passed slowly, but not too slowly
down the winding stairs.-BoJert Bur
ddtc in the HdlrLeye.
A BROOKLYN lady, whose husband