Morning journal and courier., 1885-11-06
The scarfPtn,s sterx.

The Scarf.Pfn,s Story.
 [Benjamin Northrupin in the New York Graphicl
 On the editors desk, Uttered with extracts, manuscripts, exchanges, notes, writing paper, and those other things which give a news paper office something of it's individuality, there stands round and sticky mucilage bottle with a rakish brush handle protruding from it's gum-ined mouth like the mast of a private craft, which, by the way, it resem- bles in moro ways than one. Around the base of this useful utensil there crept nina- bic and inquisitive roach. Long acquain-. tance with newspaper ofices-he had been in but one, but they are all alike-had made himself 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. Experience had taught him that when the editor was busy he paid no attention to reaches, and right be was. Few newspapers, indeed, recompense reaches. He knew this, did this wise little brown-backed, multi-legged roach, and he knew great deal more, for not even @ roach can live in newspaper office without learning something. Therefore, when the fancy of 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 danger long and cer- tain. Up the glutinous 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 re- warded by reaching the summit of the tim Der.
 Back of the bottle, facing the editor, stands row of shelves. the depository of odds and ends gathered from everywhere and nowhere, piled in hapless confusion. In this mass of disorder there lies metal scarf-pin, whose hand is fashioned in the image of a roach-a queer, grotesque, pop-eyed, whimsical Jap l anese roach. It was this that caught the in 1 sect's eye
 'tWhat's thata" he remarked in surprise, for he fancied in his egotism that he knew all l there was, so easy is it even for 8 roach to | initiate his superiors.
 l The scarf pin made not reply. After wait l ing reasonable time for response the little sight-seer again observed, this time in a louder tone of voice:
 l ''Hello, you therel Who are you?' Becoming impatient and not little vexed ! at the evident want of manners in his strange contemporary, the roach, with a1acrity, re- ! traced his steps, and n few moments he had mounted to the shelf where the scarf pin lay.
 "Well," declared the insect with trace of pompousness becoming his long residence in 1 the office, Il never saw you before. Been here longs'
 'No," responded the scarf-pin in hard, metallic voice, which was part of it's nature, "not very long"
 "Wen," replied the roach, whs was al ] heart disposed to be gentleman 'I'm glad to see you anyway although you weren't very | cordial at first
 "No, Unanswered the scarf-pin, apologstical ly, "I can't move my neck cry easily. It i
 rather stiff, to tell the truth"
 ''No wonder" continued the roach, hospit
 ably. "you have bee1 exposed to the draft
 Come with me to my room under the ink I stand. It is very cosy there. :"
 aR,s 5a'lbsffn befng shf fted "
 "Rheumatisrn?'
 t'No. don't suffer any pain. I think il
 is an organic trouble"
 "Ah!" unused the roach knowingly, as if il understood what organic" meant. He haG learned that silence is often taken for wis dom, had this initiative little rogue. "Well you needn't be afraid of him." continued the insect, pointing one of it's feelers to the busy editor. ''He doesn't amount to anything
 You ought to know him once. Why, de you know he is thief. He doesn't earn half his money: heard the proprietor say so te the editor -in-chief just the other day. Ht cuts out strips of paper and then writes com ments on them which he thinks is funny Tn, proof-reader and I know better. If yor ever want to know what an editor reall, amounts to just ask the proofreader. HI 1 knows."
 "You read his work, do you,'' inquired the pin with visible respect.
 stNot l." returned the roach with air O
 ennui, mingled with superior wisdom. ''No sir. We newspaper fellows never read wha
 is printed in the paper. We leave that fo
 the public. Then again he uses the shear
 until they ache and the paste brush is wor1
 out with over-work. The only thing abou 1 the desk that has easy time is the pen. H'
 seldom uses that. The pen lives down witt | me under the inkstand and we often tall
 about him. It agrees with me exactly"
 q have no doubt you are right" replied
 the pin, politely.
 "But where did you come froma'
 "A girl brought me and gave me to him.
 "Ah!'' returned the roach, refectively
 sswas she pretty?"
 s'No," responded the pin, "but," he added
 with enthusiasm, ''she was more than that
 She was beautiful. So he thought, and so thought too. You see, had a chance to SCI
 a great deal of her very closely. He wor
 me on his scarf. And when her face wa bent over his and her eyes looked into his can tell you I nearly lost my own heart .tYes," continued the pin after short pause , 1 ssI am an expert on feminine beauty. have may say without egotism, been greatly ad mired by the ladies. have often been O ) exhibition in jewellers windows and hay seen my share of the world. If had beer D | made with two legs and arms instead of thi
 long, golden pin, feel sure l would hay . been very great swell. Indeed l know would.' :, ssNo doubt of it,'' observed the roact l | "How long ago was this?'
 : "About year."
 fYes, recollect now," replied the insect
 ssHe used to neglect his work at that time l and wrote great deal of what he calle
 poetry, but it wasn't My friend, the pc , l said at the time, it was such mawkish stu | it often used to make him sick, and one da ] he came near being discharged for having 0 poem about Phillis-whoever she was-se |. | up instead of @ joke about the ice cream nlal :, ! He also bought some handsome clothes and u tall hat, and he used to shave every day an Q wear gloves. The paper weight told me or g day when I was out he saw him look at hin 8 self in & pocket mirror and smile as thoug ! he was the most contented man-with hin
 self-in the world"
 "Well, how did it end?'
 @ Badly replied the pin with sigl @ ebadly. One day she returned him h c presents and went to Europe. I thought fe T a time he would go crazy with grief" A 1T noticed it too," answered the roacl d tsHe used to sit down at the desk and writ s while the tears stood in his eyes, and th
 editor said he did the best work he ever die
 have often noticed continued the insee
 wisely, ssthat when an editor laughs when s writes the readers cry, but when he cries th public laughs. Funny, isn't it?" T "Yes," responded the pin absent t-minded IS ly, for very few pins, like very few editor
 have sense of humcr, ''but think it mus "a be broken off now. l haven't been worn ft is taree months, and believe she was marie IS to foreigner, so the lamp on his dressin! F case told me, and it read the letter, I thinl