The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-08-04
THE PROOf-READER.

Valiant Member of a Long-Abused Pro-
fess;on Rises to Protest.
The proof-reader has long shared
with the Intelligent compositor" the
reputation for that total depravity which
has made writer say ''see the pale
martyr with shirt on fire." when he
wrote in, ''sheet of fire;' and to ask
sis there no barn in Guilford," when he
meant sis there no balm in Gilead;" to
speak of his love of "alum water"
when he wrote "Alma Mater" and to
speak of "a mysterious dispensation of
Providence" as "a mysterious disap-
pcarance of provisions.
The silence of the proof-reader has
been taken as evidence of his guilt, or
that he was proof against reproof and
as ind:sposed to correct his own errors
as those of the types. But he has evil
IDENTIFY borne contumely long enough,
and he rises to ''hurl back the charges,
and to mail lies to the counter" and to
''thrust the base falsehoods down the
Threats of his cowardly vituperators,
as the contributors to that popular peri
odical-the Congressional Record-are
in the habit of saying. The worm has
turned at last, and a rather lively turn
it is.
He expresses his wonder to the editor
of the Boston Literary World that moth
ing has ever been said in praise of
proof-readers. Of course this might
surprise proof-reader, but any expe-
rienced writer for the press will not be
astonished at it at all. The writer will
know that he has time and time again
WI ten the most glowing eulogies of
proof-readers and their assistants; trib-
utcs that statesmen might envy and
good men crave. But the proof-reader
has never allowed them to appear in
print. Where the writer has said that
the proof-reader was ga benefactor to
his race" it has appeared "as benight-
et scape-grace;" when he has called
him the '.salt of the earth" it comes to
the surface as .'the scum of the earth:"
when he has spoken of the "ease and
comfort a good proof-reader gives
him, he is made to say an escaped con-
vict," and when he has referred to the
proof-reader's SANITY grace" the pub
lie first learns of him as a "snake-ln-
the-grass. That is why nothing has
ever appeared in print in praise Of the
proof-reader.
This protesting proof-reader is not
willing to believe that every one of his
species is ''full of malice toward au-
thors and hates the whole world. And
then the man actually goes on to speak
good word for himself and his kind.
At this rate the barber will be Defend
ing his talking; the mother-in-law will
c.amor for hearing; the plumber will
be piping up in his own behalf; the
Chinese laundryman claiming right to
live an honest and clearly life; and tur-
keys speak their mind about Thanks
giving. What is the world coming TOP
However, since the proof-reader has
been graciously allowed to say tn at his
souls his own, it is perhaps worth
while, as q mild amusement, to hear
how he puts the case. In the first place
he says that an author intent on what
he is writing, is necessarily careless
aSout his handwriting. He can not
break the flow of his thoughts to dot his
"i's" and cross his SITS" Each author
has his own peculiar permanship. The
proof-reader takes up his manuscript
and tries to catch the purport of the
authors thought. He has scarcely done
SO, when in comes another mass of proof
and manuscript of an entirely DIFF
ferent character and an entirely diff
ferent pen; and new thread has
to be picked up until another interrupt
ton. This is not for a moment, but all
day, all the week, all the year, all his
life. After puzzling himself until he is
half blind, his brain weary, and work
pushing upon him necessarily, letter
may be left out or comma inserted in
the wrong place, when slam bang goes
volley at the proof-reader! He has
seen conscientious, patient, worthy
proof-readers shrink and cringe when
an author visits printing Office, lest
something might have escaped their no.
tice. He has seen an author scold
proof-reader for some tritinv oversight