The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1885-09-29
\ REPORTERS LIFE.
w hat the Pencil Pushcr Must Suffer
and Bear.

what the Pencil Pushcr Must Suffer
and Bear.
Atlanta Capital.
People have an ilea that a newspaper
reporter leads n sort of go as-you- please
existence, having 4 good time generally
and not caring if corn is 80 bushel.
Putting on this sort of nOnchalent style
is part of a news gatherer's profession
but after n while il becomes natural to
him, and no casual observer can seper-
ate it from his true character.
4 reporter sometimes has IL hard time
of it. He has got to know everybody.
He must he a good Judge of human ma
ture and know when to slap u fellow on
the back and say; "Old boy, how's Your
grip" and when to touch his hat
and say; Good morning. Colonel
Ii he finds a man riding Il hobby he
must get on behind and help him ride if
he's carried to the Dismal Swamp. y
good reporter must always have an opin-
ion of his own and express it feai lessly
when it comedies with the opinion Of lin
lluential citizens.
When any great local issue arises, he
must find II good seat on the fence and
get over quick enough on the right side
to say Il told you so"
lie must never acknowledge that he
doesn't know Il thing when asked about
it. People look upon n reporter as Il
walking encyclopaedia, and to keep up
his reputation he must give a knowing
answer to every question propounded to
him.
When an obliging friend tells him a
bit of news, the professional rcportorial
racket -raiser never says oh. yes, | know
all about that" lie must make the .. f.
think that he is under life long obliga-
ton to him.
\ reporter has got to gympathiZe with
every man that has the toothache; laugh
heartily at stafe jokes; curse out prohibi-
ton to the saloon keeper: talk religion To
preachers; kiss dirty children to plese the
mothers and smoke a | ct. cigar, which
some dude gives him for puff mo Joke
meant)
He must be endowed with the cheek
of mule, and at the same time know
how to assume the m0desty of a timid
girl
He must be possessed with a rare com
bination of brains and legs. His talka-
tive powers r,ust equal the famous Kan
tiple's, and yet he must he able to shame
n nous" on quiotnoss when it becomes
necessary lotto every society. bali, re-
w., ,,,l~ me, t,ng. corptr.,tlon ;trnusciueut,
military organization. serenading party,
base ball club, tournament, festival,
street parade, jubilee or political
scheme, he must always be anxious to
enter. but know how to give the thing
the shake at the proper moment.
A successful reporter must, above all
other things, be an imaginative ge-
MUS.
Bare facss are great things, but they
are only the groundwork for big item
a good piece of news needs dressing
same as a Christmas turkey, but a re-
porter must use tact in putting it on.
Don't "boil an article down." but stretch
it out and make everybody that reads it
think you have boiled it down
The aspirant for pen-pushing honors
must be full of grit" and as full of
apologies as he is of grit. The two make
very comfortable combination in the
business
He must look happy at wedding,
funeral at burial gay at a party, shock
ed at suicide, Mortified at Il murder
and jovial ut a banquet. With hoodlums,
loud and boistereous talk and conduct
must be his forte; in the parlor no must
have the appearance of having been born
to wear 4 coat with n pair of tails.
And he must be truthful. Selah !
Daughters of Grace Greenwood, Lydia
Thompson and Joaquin Miller will act
this season. 4 son of Wachtel is to be
in the ITALIA company. and son of Sal
vini is in the Fanny Davenport support.