Huntsville gazette., 1885-10-17
AN EASY SET.
Good People to Get Along With,
But No Divided Allegiance.
CHAPTER 1.


CHAPTER 1.
One of the most prominent features
of the Weekly Spear was this announce
ment: "John N. Bristol, editor and
proprietor" l began my newspaper
career by establishing-or rather by
starting the Spear, in the little town of
Gnat Cove, Arkansas. The town was
so far from railroad that several of
its citizens who had ''rid on the cavah"
were looked up to as heroes of travel.
When it became known that I was "a
great traveller a number of prominent
men, who wore 'bed tick' suspenders
and wheat straw hats, called upon me.
The spokesman, old Mat Tyler, shook
hands with me and said:
''They tell me that you have been
round right smart?"
We'll" / replied, with be6tting
modesty, II have seen some little of
the country"
81 reckon So They tell me that
you've rid on the railroad?h
'Oh. yes. was once conductor OF
a gravel train"
"a whut sort of trainP"
"a gravel train-a train that hauls
gravel and other material for repairing
the road"
The old man began to weigh this
piece of information, while Nick Arm
strong. removing his lank leg from a
corner of my writing table. incredu-
lously shook his head
'.Ef that's the case," said old Mat,
'.you oughter know how to make a
newspaper. for it peers to me like a
man that ken take kere NV a railroad
cayah ken take kere Nv anything that
happens to come along. What air you
goin' to ak fur paper, Mr.. Brizen-
tineP''
''My name is Bristol
''Yas, that is fact sence you men,
ton it. A fambly of Brizentines used
10 live down here ON the north side o.
the Knob an l sometimes git the'r
names mixed; but you amt answered
my question. What're you goin' to ak
ter your paperp''
1.-Two dollars a year."
"Whutr' the old man exclaimed,
''you amt goin' to print it year, air
you?'
'tOh, yes"
''Wall, how must we pay?"
sin advance"
"Befo' we git the papers?"
"Yes."
"Wall. what skyority are you goin'
to giyeP" =
There is no need of security That
is the way all the newspapers do"
II didn't know. DO you reckon the
paper will help the town."
Undoubtedly it will"
''Wall, l didn't know. A man was
through here about month ago an
he said that they started a newspaper
in his town an it pretty nigh killed
the place, but l reckon we'd better gin
you a trial. Whut do you say, Arm
strongp'
81 amt particular" Mr.. Armstrong
replied. Don't know but it mout be
good idee to try him few falls.''
Mr.. Armstrong was the champion
wrestler of the settlement" and q
'few falls' was favorite expression
with him.
II reckon you're right, Armstrong, +"
old Mat rejoined. Then, addressing
me, he added: you'll find lis easy
set NV folks to get along with. It has
been said that we air too easy fur our
own good, an ! don't know but it's a
fact. Wall, start the shebang runnin'
jest as soon as you git ready. Don't
you want to dampen your whissulp''
This was polite invitation to take a
drink. 1 excused myself in self-de-
Tense, for the favorite beverage of Gnat
Cove, made of alcohol and water, was
mercilesS enemy to mankind.
$50 these are the men with whom l
must DEAL" / mused, as l turned to
my work. "They may prove to be
stubborn at first, but / must educate
them. have q mission to fulfill"
CHAPTER II.
The business of Gnat Cove was
not extensive. There were three gen
eral merchandise stores. one carpenter
shop and blacksmith shop. Any one
would have said that was fool for
attempting to publish a paper in such
community, but /, Of course, knew
better. Gnat Cove had prospects. 1t
was on the line of prospective rail
road. and, every one said, would soon
be the county seat. In Arkansas the
rural county seat Is ever on the eve of
being removed. To hear the local
celebrity talk, stranger would think
that the courthouse was built on
wheels. freceived some little financial
encouragement from the merchants
and the lawyers, all of whom adver-
sised in TIE Spear, bYt soon diseoy-