St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1885-05-30

pE6EHuueu W 2Sb IAO RCiAON2s
watched him but pretended not to know
him. Then Knox went to the office and
wrote full report. The next day the
Northwestern Press men We're astound-
ed. SO was Knox, or so he pretended
to be. The second meeting was held IN
secret as was the first, William Henry
Smith was called up and hauled. over
the Goals in royal shape. Knox stored
the points in his memory. When the
meeting adjourned for good he babe the
country editors goodbye, SAID ne was
going back home, went to the Her0t0
Office and wrote his report. The next
day two of the country editors called
upon Ballantyne and asked him how he
had got his report. They were astound-
ed when told that a Herald reporter had
been in the room all the time. One OF
them offered one hundred dollars to see
the man who had taken them' up SO
neatly, but Ballentyne was not giving
points away just then. "
'.Did you ever hear the facts ABOUT
the famous public be id interview
No! Well | will tell you all about it, tor
happened to be in Chicago when 1t
was published and can give you the eK-
act facts. There used to be-and may
be still for all know-a young fellow
with more than the average amount OF
gall, who knew good thing when ne
saw it, but was not sharp enough TO
know how to make the most OF his ad-
vantage. His name was Clarence
Dresser. Well, Dresser, by some hook
or crook, had wormed himself into the
confidence of George M. Pullman, ana
his ambition was to make railroad re-
porter of himself. Vanderbilt came
West on q pleasure trip-busIness, OF
course, having its share of interest with
him. He stopped at Pullman to inspect
the town and the huge car-Worhs.
Dresser followed him, and accompanied
by stenographer, succeeded in gaming
| an entrance into Vanderbilt s car. When
Dresser got his hooks on a man ne
hung tighter than deVil-fish. Wander
bilt gave in and, with the stenographer
! behind him, Dresser set to work. In
the course of the interview, Vanderbilt
said, in response to a question. oh,
the public be d-d?' The steno-
grapher had it down as soon as
| It was uttered. When Dresser
had finished his interviewing he bowed
himself out. Then he went to the Chi
cago NeUs office. He was supplying
all the papers in Chicago with suburban
news, and had intended manifolding the
Vanderbilt interview. Colonel Nate
Reed was night editor of the NeacS at
the time. He glanced through the in
terview as Dresser wrote it. When the
famous words were read Reed jumped
at least ten feet. Did he say those
words?' he asked, excitedly. Dresser
declared that Vanderbilt had and
showed the stenographer' report. Reed
was wild. He saw the scoop would be
the biggest one of the season, and he
locked Dresser up until it was too late
for him to give it to the other papers.
The NeeUs alone had it, and the inter-
view taught Vanderbilt to fight shy OF
newspaper men. Dresser went to Sar-
atoga some time later, and actually had
the nerve to send his card up to Mon
eybags. He was not admitted, how
ever. =
Every Western newspaper man of
experience remembers the great, yet
simple hearted Platt Lewis, continued
the veteran, as he Lit a fresh cigar and
sat back in his easy chair. sPlatt was
one of the best known boys in ST. Louis
wears ago, and later was city editor of
the Detroit NesOs, from which position
he was forced to retire by sickness.
Well, Platt was VIGOROUSLY near
sighted, but never would acknowledge
it. He preferred to go pacing along the
street not recognizing a soul to wearing
| spectacles. Platt married lady al
most as near-sighted as he was One
day PIatt was off and went to the
theater with his wife. He became pre-
occupied during the performance and
forgot all about his better-half. When
the curtain fell for the last time, Platt
got UP and walked out. Mrs. Lewis
i followed and called to him once or
twice. This annoyed Platt, who was
totally forgetful of the fact that he had
taken his wife to the theater. He
stepped up to policeman and asked
him who the woman was. 1t so hap
pened that Mrs. Lewis had come within
range of his limited vision by this time
and he recognized her. Another time
when Platt was reporting church
meeting, his wife called at the church
to wait for him. She was shown seat
near the reporters table, and sitting
down began watching Platt's work, as
many wives will do. Platt got nervous
under the scrutiny, fdgeted around a
few minutes, and then leaning over to
one of the other boys, said in an audible
whisper: Say, -, who the deuce is
that woman looking at mep What can
she want?' He was not Gained until
his wife had spoken to him personally =
w N. Phillips, IN american Journal
ist.
Putting Her Foot an Him.