Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-06-18
Journalistic Partnerships.

JOurnallStlc career, 1t was IN partner
ship with long-haired young man
village IN the northwestern part of
Missouri where he thought it would
be quite safe to start large daily pa
per, something like the New York
Tribune, only not quite SO heavy. The
village was away from any line of rail-
road, and the stage passed through it
only twice week, so we would not be
likely to be much disturbed by noise,
etc. My long-haired friend said that
he could not write if there was any
noise in the vicinity, but that in per-
feet stiffness he could compose enough
to fill paper like the Tribune, easily,
i'll four hours. He offered to put in
his brains against my money. Enough
twas done. l suspected that he had
no brains, and knew had no money.
The paper was startd-at least, the
first number of 1t was. 1t was not
monumental success. We bought ten
pounds of secondhand type and
chase; then my money gave out. The
long-haired young man from st. Louis
sat down and wrote poem on "F'ree-
DOM" It took him two days, and
then his brains gave out. We sold the
type to an old trapper to melt over into
bullets, divided the chase between us,
and parted. Now that l look back on
the transaction, 1 think | see where
we made our mistake. The lOng-halr-
ed young man ought to have put the
money into the concern, and ought
to have put i'm the brains. Curious we
didn't think of it at the time.
NV second venture was even more
discouraging. / ran across an "old
practical printer" who was out of
Job. He wasn't very old, though,
come to think, but didn't notice it at
the time. He said he could set eight
thousand ems of type an hour. 1 told
him didn't know what an semi was,
but 1 was ready to sail into any project
short of suicide, provided he would let
me keep hold of his hand. He sug-
gested that we buy out country print
ing-office somewhere, and start
weekly. L told him I had never had
any experience except with a daily
paper, but thought could soon learn
the ropes.
AS good luck would have it, we found
an amateur editor with a shand-press
and font of BREWER, which he was
willing to sell for $685., because he had
damned his fingers and was mad. Our
joint funds amounted to So 40; but the
editor said he would let us have the
outfit for that if we would give three
months note for the remainder. I
borrowed piece of paper and made
out the note. With some difficulty
We succeeded i'm renting a room in the
loft of a barn, after having cucumber
ed our press and outfit with a large
chattel-mortgage.
The next morning we began work.
After rummagiDg around in all the
corners Of my capacious brain, / finally
decided on q name for our paper-the
Perklnsville Cyctone-and carried it
over to my experienced practical print
er to set up. Then 1 spent couple of
hours writing an editorial on "The Is
sues of the Age" My printer was still
at work on the heading when / carried
him my copy. He seemed to be puZ-
zled. 1 suggested that he take proof
and see what the trouble was. AS he
seemed somewhat embarrassed, / re-
tired to my desk and awaited devel-
opments. Presently he handed me
the following imprint: "enolcyC elliv-
snikreP ehT." I turned it upside
down, and wrong end to, and then
squinted along it as 1 would along a
gun-barrel; but still it refused to be
luminous with meaning.
II think you must have made mis-
take and set this up in Greek" 1 sug-
gested, gently: "While [ am a great
admirer of the dead languages, and am
delighted to meet man whose classic
culture crops out so unconSciOuSly,
still, if may be pardoned for intimat-
ing "a much it seems to me that the
Inhabitants of this rural community
would much prefer to have their week
ly chronicle of events captIoned in the
prevailing dialect doesn't it strike
you SOP"
My partner admitted that the sug-
gestion contained modicum of sense.
"Well, them" continued: Suppose
you set up the heading as have writ
ten it, and then we will proceed to get
the first column of the paper"
The old practical printer went back |
to his case, and [ caught up my PEI |
and dashed off few spicy editorial |
paragraphs and funny sayings, to help |
fill up when the columns were too |
short. / then went over to see how he |
was getting on.
"Rello!" 1 exclaimed: "You have
got these types all upside down."
81 know it," he replied; "but can't |
seem to make 'em read straight, and / |
didn't know but what if / set 'em in |
upside down and then turned 'em ov-
er they might come out right"
"How long have you practised the |
art of type-setting?" asked, stepping |
off few feet and gazing at him.
About two hours and fifty-five |
minutes" he replied, CHANGING at the
clock.
"Great Johoshaph at! thought you
told me you were an old practical
printer"
$50 am"
"How so, may I ask?"
The metamorphosed disciple of Gut
tenberg turned his vacant countenance |
toward me aud laid the tip of his fin
ger on his nose.
81 have been engaged all my life,"
he said: ION little job of color-print
ing. Here it is"
We parted, and the Cyclone fell into
the hands of a receiver-the man who
received the chattel mortgage.
Since then have engaged in many |
newspaper speculations, and have had
more partners than good-looking girl
at country dance; but none of them
was quite so unique and interesting as
the long-haired young man from st.
Louis and the old practical printer. l
often wonder where they are now. L
think know, but don't like to tell.
It wouldn't be polite. Will somebody
please ring down the curtain?:-Puck.