Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1885-04-25
The Editor Sleeps.
HIS DREAM.

once upon tlmea village edltol
sat in his quiet sanctnm indus
riouslyperusing the political editor
ialS in his city exchanges. Al
length that which he read began tc
have IFS legitimate effect; the edi
tor nodded once, twice. thrice; his
eyes closed; the city daily fell from
his nervous fingers, and three flies
lit upon his bowed head and bal
anced all, swung corners. crossed
over. and promenaded all around
TO the music Of the rhythmical eli.
torial snore. The village editor
was asleep; and sleeping, the vii
lage editor dreamed.
He sat at his desk with weary
fingers and aching head. The last
local item had gone into type, the
last inside reading notice had been
set up, and the Youngest appren-
tice stood grimly bv, with lines OF
lmpatience upon his brow and a
daub of ink under his left eve,
waiting for copy. Suddenly there
was a step without, the door
opened. a man entered, and taking
a vacant chair in front or the edit
or's desk. to which the editor has
politely called his attention, and
said:
"My dear sir, my name is John
W. Smith. | am a subscriber ia
yonr paper, as you well know, and
being in town to-day, l thorght =
would take the opportunity to call
and tell you that I liked your paper
all but one thing. You don't print
enough matter on the tariff Qnes
ton. Poetry and stories and funny
paragraphs and local items may do
well CROUCH to fill up paper with
in ordinary times, butjust now the
country is awake to the tariff gues
ton, and if you want to keep your
paper alive, you've got to give your
subscribers light on the tariff. You
should not have less than three col
umns Of editorial and five columns
of extracts OH the tariff every issue.
That's all I've got to say, and
hope you'll bear in mind. BY the
way, | owe you two years. sub
scription. and one Of these days III
call in and pay it. Don't forget to
let yourselfloose on the tariff; good
bye"
AS the man who wanted more
light on the tariff passed out, a lit
tie, demonstrating person came in
and took the vacant chair.
"Ah," he said, with a little smile
that didn't look strong enough to be
out. sab, my dear man, I see YOU
are absorbed in thought,as an edit
OF always should be. And that
reminds me that You are negIectine
almost totally neglecting science
Too much of politics, too much Of
politics, my dear man; your paper
will never grow in circulation while
you neglect science for politics.
You shouldlevote notle than -four
columns a week to science. That's
all / came to say. Be in some Ola,
and pay you my subscription. Good
day; but don't forget to give us
plenty of science"
The footsteps Of the man who
wanted science had not gone be
You'd the editors hearing when {
third visitor entered and took the
vacant chair as if he were accus
toned to sit in it.
81 am sorry to notice thatyou arc
neglecting politics just at this i'm
portant PERIOD" said, kindly but
gravely. "You should strive tC
keep the vital principles of our par
ty constantly before the people.
like your paper in all but its lacl
IN this respect, and some day, per
haps at the beginning ofnext year
| will subscribe for it. see itnoW
every week in Browns Office. Il
you would write about five columns
of fresh political editorials every
week you'd see your paper goins
right mp in circulation. That's what
| told Brown yesterday, and he
agreed with me. A story and
scientific article occasionally, and
little local matter and some mar
riages and death notices to please
the women are all we'll enough, bu
7 can tell you that country paper
to amount to anything and have
any influence, has got to be full OF
political matters. That's all ] wan
to say now. When you want an.
points OH politics III glad to hell
You out. And, by the way, dom
forget that I'm a candidate for tn
Legislature; good day.
The next visitor who took TIL
vacant chair that satin front o
the village editors desk, spoke q
follows:
~ stepped in to-day, sir, to te
you that l do not want your pape
any longer. In some respects it ]
a good paper, but you do not prin
enough news matter. You shout
have a full page of news at leas
| don't care anything about You
protective tariff and your tariff fu
revenue only, or anything of tha
so #. want the news when I TAX
the paper. / want full account