The Washington critic., 1885-10-22
THE SCARF-PIN'S STORY.

On the editors desk, Uttered with
extracts, manuscripts, exchanges, notes,
writing paper and those other trines
which give n newspaper Office some
thing of individuality, there stands
round and sticky mucilagc bottle with
rakish brush handle protruding from
its gum lined mouth like the mast of
pirate craft, which, by the way, 1t re-
sembles in more ways than one.
Around the base of this useful utensil
there crept a nimblc and inqulsitive
roach. Long acquaintance with news
paper ofllccs-he had been in but one,
but they are all alke-had made him
fearless The editor was busy at his
work and minded him no more than he
did the predatory shears and the other
mute implements of the craft EXpe-
riencc had taught him that when the
editor was busy he paid no attention to
reaches, and right he was. Few news
papers, indeed, rccompcnse an editor
for the time expended in killing
reaches. He knew this, did this wise
little brown backed, ,multi-lcgged roach,
and he knew great deal more for not
even n roach can live in newspaper
office without learning something
Therefore when the fancy TO travel and
the opportunity in the shape of the
towering height of the mucilage brush
were presented to him he marched in
that direction with bravery that only
comes with an immunity from dan
ger long and certain Up the glutin-
Gus sides of the bottle he slowly
crawled, taking care not to adhere too
closely to the gluey surface, and by
dint of perseverance and industry he
was soon rewarded by reaching the
summit of the timber.
Back of the bottle, facing the editor
stands row of shelves, the depository
of odds and ends gathered from every.
where and nowhere, piled in haplcss
confusion In this mass of disorder
there lies a metal scarfpin, whose head
is fashioned in the image of a roach-a
queer, grOtesque, pop-eyed, whimsical,
japanese roach. 1t was this that
caught the insects eye.
What that" he remarked in sur
prise, for he fancicd in his egotism that
he knew how easy it is even for roach
to initiate its superors.
The scarf pin made no reply. After
waiting reasonable time for re-
sponse the little sightseer again OBJ
served, this time in louder tone of
voice.
"Hcllo you there! Who are your
Becoming impatient and not little
veXed at the evident want of manners
in'his strange contemporary, the roach,
with alacrity, rctraced his steps, and in
a few minutes he had mounted to the
shelf where the scarf pin lay,
We'll" declared the insect with a
trace of pompousness becoming his
long residence in the office, 81 never
saw you before Been here long?"
NO" responded the scarf.pin in a
hard, metallic voice, which was part
Of his nature, mot very long.
well" replied the roach, who was
at heart disposed to be gentleman
II am glad to see you anyway, al
though you weren't very cordial at
first"
NO" answered the scarf-pin, apol-
| ogetically, 81 can move my neck very
easily. 1t is rather stilT, to tell the
truth"
mo wonder" continued the roach,
Hospitality, "you have been exposed to
! the draft. Come with me to my room
under the inkstand. 1t is very cosy
there"
Cant, replied the pin stilly. 81
| can't move without being lifted.
"Rhcumatism p
"No. | don't suffer any pain.
think it is an organic trouble"
"Ah ~ mused the roach knowingly.
as if it understood what "orgNnjG'
meant. He had learned that silence is
| often taken for wisdom, had this imi-
tative little rogue "Well, you neeln {
be afraid of him" continued the in
sect pointing with one of his fcclcr5 to
the busy editor. "lle doesn't amount
to anything. You ought TO know him
once Why, do you know, he is Il
thief. He doesn't half earn his money.
| heard the proprietor say so to tho
oditor.in- chief Just the other day. lie
cuts out strips OF paper and then write
comments on them, which he think
are funny. The proof-rcalcr and /
know what an editor really amounts to
lust ask the proof.reader. lie knows. ="
you read his work, do youG" in
| Nlulltl lnc pm, Win NlSlult ItNilttl.
"Not |, returned the roach, with an
air of ennui, mingled with superior
wisdom. mo, sir. We newspaper
fellows never read what is printed in
the paper We leave that for the pub
lie. Then again he uses the shears
until they ache and the paste brush is
worn out with oyerwork, The only
thing about the desk that has an easy
time is the pen. He seldom uses that.
The pen lives down with me under the
inkstand, and we often talk about him.
lie agrees with me exactly"
81 have no doubt you are right, re-
piled the pin, politely.
But where did you come from p
"a girl bought me and gave me tc
him. h"
"Ah" returned the roach, re
fleCtiyely, "was she pretty?"
No responded the pin, but, hC
added, with enthusiasm, "shc wa,
more than that. She was beautiful
So he thought, and so | thought, too
You, see, | had chance to see grca
deal of her very closely. He wore mC
on his scarf And when her face wa,
bcnded over his and her eyes LOOKED
into his can tell you | nearly lost my
own heart. Yes" continued the PHI
after short pause, II am expert OF
feminine beauty. | have, | may SAY
without egotism, been greatly admired
by the ladies. | have often becn OF
exhibition in jewellers windows and
have seen my share of the world. If
had been made with two legs ar1 arm
instead of this long, golden pin, fee
sure | would have been a very grcaI
swell, Indeed know | would,
mo doubt of it, " observed thcroaoh
GLOW long ago was this p
about year"
"Ycs, l rccolect it now" replied
the insect. "iIe used to neglect hi
work at that time and wrote grca