The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-06-04

4 Sketch Of lIfe Behind the scenes In q
iaIl Newspaper ConiuosiVk .r00in.

r. J. Burd,,ta T51ii1iil : q ",
d .ISlug Niue" learned his letters right
from the boxes, and grew up and learned
10 set typo In ono Of those mustang Offices
whore they keep tbs type In u coiIee.sack
and chalk out the cMea on the door. lie
wasa't even a very fast printer; he didn't
often rush, and no never rold!rred for the
TAT on the hook" but took whatever came
along with equal patience and good nature,
whether Il was n ''pick.up" or a great take
Of blind copy, scrubbed In pencil on blue
ioolscsp on both nidss Of the paper and
marked solid, with never break or
paragraph from A 10 a. Bat no would
stand at. that old caso and pick up
typo oil night, pegglDg along on
Blfaisht BREWER Us TRANQUILITY aB though
he struck a display head on every take,
uo always nado lair bills, and alter a
while, as tho sixties began creeping on him,
the boys had q way Of .'soldefingo fol
him, and maybe you don't know how hard
II Ia Tor printer not to drop good many
type, and tumble for the boxea, and lot his
thumb get nost awlully sore, aud have 10
hunt for the bellows and blow ont bis case,
and ntudy the copy very cloaaly aud aud II
dreadlully hard 10 read, and that Borl Of
thing, when by rushing little be can get
a pickup as long as your arm and lead.
ed take with paragraph to every sentence.
Lat they did that for the old man, and lie
knew Ii by and by, and loved tho boys as
though they were his own, every last slug
oil them. -
And 80, year after year, he wrought
among the boys on . morning paper. liz
went 10 bed about tho time the rest OF the
world got up, and no rose about tho time the
rest Of the world cat down 10 dinner. LII
worked by every kind ofligh, but sunlight
There, then they bad lard oil lamps, tina,
smoked and epu,tered and smelled; ther
he Eaw two or three printers blinded by
explosions Of camphene and spirit gas
then kerosene came In and heated up lhl
newEroom on summer nights like d fur
mace; then the Gillco put In gas; and nov
the electric light hung from the ceiling ant
dVzzled his old eyes and glHred into then
from his copy. Tho sang on his way home
a policeman bads him "cheese that" ant
reminded him that he was disturbing th,
peace, and people wanted TO sleep. Blu
when no wanted to alesp, the reat oil tn
world, Tor whom he bad sat up all night (,
mako a morning paper, roareI and crashe,
by down the nolsy street under bis window
with cart, and truck, and omnibut; blare,
with brass banda. howled with hani.or
RRnp, talked and shouted; and oveI
the shrieking newsooy, with ghAstly sar
casn, m1rdered tue sleep Of the tired old
printer by yelling the name OF his own pa
per. Year after year the foreman rcare,
at him to remember tha. this wasn't IN al
ternoon paper; editors uhriekel down th
tube to have blind mau put oh that dea,
mans case; smart young proofreaderss crib
bled sarcastic comments on hls work on tn
margin oil hisproof.slip, long.wlnded co,
respondents learning 10 write, and long
haired poets who could never learn to spell
; wrathlully caSt oil their impcrfsctions upol
bis head. But through Il all he wrouel,
patiently, and found more sunshine tia,
shadow in tho world, lie had NOR
friends than enemies. Printers and fore
men and pressmen and reporters came an,
went, but he sslid, and he saw nsws.roou
and eanCium ti!led and empted, and lille,
and emp.ied sgain, and illled again witt
new and strange faces. 20
He was working one night, and whe]
the hours that Gre SO short In the bal
room and so long In the composing roor
, drew YEARLY on, he was tired. He hadn'
threw in full case. he said. Gao Of Ii
boys, tired 40 himself--but q printer i
never too tired to be good natured-olTsre
to change places with him, but the oil
man said there was enough In his case /
LAST him through hi5 take, and he wouldn'
work any more tonight. The type clicke,
in the silent room, aud by and by the Of
man said: -
"rm out Of sortp."
He sat down on the low window sill b.
his case, with his stick in lila hand, hi
: arms folded YEARLY in his lap. The typ
clicked on. A galley Of telegraph waited
"Will any oue tell me what gentleman
i, lingering with D 1872 called the foremeI
who Was always dangerously polished an
!. polite when he was on the point OF e,
ploding with wrath and Impotence.
Slug Nine, passing by the alley, stoppe
,, to speak to the old man sitting there 4
: quietly. Efl
The telegraph boy came running in wit
the last msniiold sheet, shouting: IA
Thirty" ~ az.
They carried the old man 10 the foreman
long table, and laid him down reverend,
and covered his lace. They took the stic
out oil his nerveless hand, and read his lat
lake:
BcsroS, Nov. e3.-The American barau,
Pilgrim went to pieces of MarbleheGl In
light gale, about midnight. She was Of
and unseeworthy, ind this was to hay
been her las. trip, $50. ass. 49, -