St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-05-13
TOLD BY COL. WATrERsON.
Penniless Rebel Soldier i'm Cincin
nati..His First Position.

The last time Col. Henry Watterson was
in New York he told story about his ex-
perience in Cincinnati. He said:
81 arrived in Cincinnati one clustering
winter night. ragged, hungry stranger,
just out of the rebel army. I had Just
enough money to pay for a nights lodging.
How well remember wandering about the
streets of the city, wondering what the
next day would bring me. L believed
that [ had ability as a journalist, and l
was satisfied that if [ had an opportunity 1
could prove it. was in the act several
times of entering the different morning
newspapers and applying for work, but l
was so downhearted that did not have the
courage to do so. 1 took good sleep that
night. and did not get up until late the
next day. My case was desperate one,
and felt that must secure employment.
l never felt more determined in my life. I
felt as if 1 could face the sternest editor in
the land without culver. In this frame
of mind 1 started out to make
tour of the various offices. AT
the first Office the editor, in a
blunt way told me that his staff was crowded
and then resumed his work. l visited all
the newspapers with the same result, ex-
cept the Times office. That paper had a
large job printing Office attached to it.,
which did great deal of theatrical print
ing. l also noticed that the paper had a
miserably written dramatic column. 1
called on Col. Starbuck, the editor and pro-
prietor, and asked if there were any yacan-
cies on his staff.
'''There are never any vacancies on a
good paper, but there is always room for a
good man. said the colonel.
ST shall Dayar fnruat fhat ror11, onJ Il,
one have always made to applicants for
positions on the Courier Journal 1 told
Col Starbuck that thought l could i'm
prove upon his dramatic column, and pro-
posed to write it for nothing if he would
give me 25 per cent. commission on all the
printing and advertisements secured from
the theaterS. He declined the proposition.
AS l was about to leave he turned to me
and said he would give me S12 week to
perform that service. Whata change came
over me. Immediately felt myself rich.
told him 1 would accept it. He
then said I must not feel offended
if at the end of the week he
found did not suit and dismissed me. 1
knew I would suit, for l knew the full ex-
tent of my abilities. and l told him that if
l was not competent l should consider it an
offense if he did not discharge me-
''This was the first of the week, and I
started in that day. 1 never undertook a
task with more enthusiasm. L attended
the theaters every night. Before the end
of the week Col. Starbuck expressed his
approval. On Saturday afternoon 1 went
to the theaters to collect the money for
printing and advertising due the Times. At
the National theater, after collecting the
money, 1 was handed an envelope adj
dressed to me. Supposing it contained an
item of news or ticket, I
put it in my pocket unopened
At Pixies another envelope bearing
my name was presented me and the same
thing occurred at Woods theater. When
l returned to the office l opened the envel-
opes and found the ones presented to me at
the National and Pixies each contained $40.
The one received at Woods contained SIS.
told Col Starbuck the circumstances and
rendered him the money. He said that it
did not belong to him and he would not
accept it. ] said it certainly did not belong
to me and that l would not accept it. l
returned the donations to the theatrical
managers. They said the money had been
given in consideration of the favorable no.
tees 1 had given their performances
Col Starbuck a short time afterward
made me managing editor"