Mexico weekly ledger., 1884-09-18
Short Talks with the Boys.
By M. ouad.

SuOTt 1AIkS WIN INC DOyss
By NJ. Quad.
II am eighteen years old, have
lair education and want to be q re-
porter on daily paper.
This is a specimen of hundred
letters received per year, saying |
Of the scores who apply in
person. The average applicant has
dim idea that reporter comes and
goes as he pleases, is on hand at
races, balloon ascensions and BAN
quets-has good time at the theater,
museum and festivals, and is an in
dividual who takes a great deal Of
comfort in witnessing conflagrations,
accidents, etc.
You must have natural aptitude to
be a mechanic. Why, then, should
you imagine that any sort of a head
will do on a reporters shoulders?
There are reporters born for the pro-
fession; there are others who learn it
as a trade. 1t is the first who make
success.
To be good reporter one should
be fairly educated. He should be
we'll posted on general subjects. He
should have good memory, clear
head, lots of pluck, and the determi-
nation to withstand temptation. His
style of writing should be easy and
smooth. Let him relate his incidents
and happenings in plain, everyday
garb. But there is much beyond
this. He must have what the boys
term "a natural nose for news" One
reporter will pass a broken-down
wagon and simply realize that an ac-
cident has occurred. Another will
investigate and perhaps find a runa-
way and broken leg in the same
thing. One reporter will pass within
a block of where some terrible acci-
dent has occurred and find no hint Of
it. Another will be drawn to the
spot as if by magnetism. One will
see three or four gamins running
across the street and simply realize
that he sees them. Another will
scent fire, accident, row or robbery
in the movement.
The reporter who learns his pro.
lfession as man learns to file a saw
tumbles into bed at night with feel
ing that he is done with the world fol
the next seven or eight hours. Th'
reporter born for the place also sleeps
but the first sound of the fire bel
pulls him out of bed. Footsteps
running past his window mean grea
deal. The one is satisfied to let new
come to him through official record
or by chance. The other make
friends with the police, firemen, let
ter carriers, and indeed with a
grades and classes of men. II he
: a good fellow he can get 500 men t
4 act as news-bringers. While mul
4 der, arson and robbery are publ
/, news, and soon find their way t
t police headquarters, from which an
reporter can receive particulars, ther
e are scores of incidents and accident
to be picked up and published Ion
before they are officially reported
r One citizen may know of a chill
$ being scalded in his neighborhood
I another of a theft; another of an a.
t cident to workingman; another {
q a runaway in which a person was il
r jured, and so on through the lis
And the successful reporter mu'
have considerable knowledge of b,
e man nature, and his mind must col
y tain sieve through which to sift h
! information. Nine men and wome
y out of ten who give informatio
e either to reporters or detectives e.
e aggerate. If a household awakes
q the morning to find that thieves hay
= paid them visit certain results vi
n follow. The loss will be exaggera
o ed; there will be talk about the fan
y lily being chloroformed; some neigl
6 Dor, who was sound asleep at Il
:, time, will remember of seeing strans
men about or Of hearing stran,
noises; suspicion will be directed
dozen different persons; three
at four women in the same block W
IL assert that attempts were also MAJ
70 on their back doors or kitchen wi
y dows. In brief, instead Of plai
vi simple fact, the reporter will fiji
E his item so mixed and confused th
y he must sift and analyze and thrt
r. out until common sense tells hi
l. that he has arrived at the true fac
y The reporter is trusted as to |
III facts. He must be man worthy
IN his trust. He must trust others to
er certain degree. He cannot make
ne journey of three miles to verify t
s. statement that man fell off SCI
n fold and broke his leg, but he m,
Id know something of the man "
gives him the news. Neighbors Oft
IS revenge themselves on each other
IN giving false news. A man may hs
no fallen, but perhaps sprained an
'u- was all the injury received. Y
u must have the acumen to sift tn
Is things. In seven cases out OF ten
US the average man gives you the inf
'p- nation that "a man up on Bls
ISL street tumbled off his shed this mo
ms ing and broke a leg and four ri
ke, the real facts will sift out:
ell 1. He was not on the shed, but