Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-02-01
Turning the Town Upside Down.
From tho Nsto YORK. So

rum ffto AVotS tofN p"Ns
had been devil in the Bagler office, in
a town in Iowa, about four months when
the editor was one DAY called away. The
man who was acting ~ compOsitor, press
man, job printer, collector, solicitor, and
SO forth, seized the opportunity to go of
on spree, and l was thus left in sole
charge.
just after dinner, as was washing the
roller and cleaning up generally, in walk
ed the first old sSprinter bum had ever
seen. The duds on his back weren't worth
a silver quarter, his hair was long and
unkempt, his face covered with dirt and
brlstles, and his breath scented the room.
He was ragged, dirty, homeless and PEN
niess, and had been let out of the county
jail. eight miles away, that morning.
"Howdy, boy" he said as he came in
and without a second glance at me he
took a seat at the desk and attacked the
remains of my lunch. When he had eaten
the last crumb he picked his teeth with
the editorial pen, peeled of his old coat
and commanded:
''BOy, hunt me up job stick"
| obeyed, and as he took it be walked
over to the rack, slung in two or three
lines of display type, and then stepped to
the small-pca case and set up the body Of
a circular reading;
HE HAS ARRIVED!
THE w0RLD-BENoWNBD PROF. PETERS!
VENTRILOQUtSr! MESMERIST!
PHRENoLoGIsT!
DROF. PETERS has engaged Snvderis Hall
l. for the evening of Sept. p, 1883, (to-mor-
row evening". and will give the citizens of
GARNER City an exhibition OF his wonderful
phrenology. win initiate the notes of all
birds. Will speak to you in sixteen langua-
ees Will wager 500 to IS that he can mes
merize any per on IN the audience. Can read
f.. -
forfeit $500 II he fails in a single cise. Medas
from all the crowned heads OF Europe. Fiat
tering press notices from the leading newspa-
pers OF the world. Everybody turn ont. Ad-
mission only 25c. Children free.
He placed this matter on galley, pulled
proof and corrected it, and then cut
lot of print paper to the right size and
said to me:
''Get up the roller and roll for me-"
| complied. and he worked of 300 OF the
circulars. He was not only a good COM
positOr, but he wrestled that old hand
press around like man who had never
done anything else. When we had I'm
ished, he said:
Take the tin pail and get me quart of
beer. Tell 'em to charge it 10 the Office"
l was afraid Of the man, and | got the
beer and paid for it out Of my own money.
He drank the whole quart with only one
breath.
snow, then, take these circulars out
and distribute 'em," he said as he put
away the pail. ''Be good boy and I'll
give you two tickets to this great enter
tainment."
That was inducement enough, and in
two hours, with the help OF another boy,
had billed the town. When | returned,
the "bum" had washed up, combed his
hair, and mad on a new suit OF clothes.
He had gone to a clOthier's and bought
them and had them charged to the office,
claiming that he had been engaged as
foreman. Further than that, he had been
and engaged the hall / had been back
only five minutes when the booty COM
positor came in. He had scarcely en-
tered the door, when the "bum' rose up,
waived him back, and traglcally ex-
claimed:
"GO hence! This is no place for the de-
PRAYED! How dare you enter my Office in
your present condition."
The ''comp." backed down stairs
drunken tnaa ever, and after the stranger
had questioned me as 10 when the editor
would return he went to the hotel and en-
gagged the best room. ! had heard that
some body held a mortgage on the Office,
and It struck me that this must be the
mans agent. was young and green, and
had never seen display oftramp printerss
gall.
Next morning he took possession OF the
Office. When the now sobered eompOsitor
arrived the "bum" selected copy for him,
and bOssed him around, and there was no
rebellion. He wrote and set up several
editorials himself, made up the outside
pages Of the paper in neat manner, and
worked OF two jobs for which So 70 cash
was paid in. During the day two sub
scribers paid IN "a, and all the money
went into the strangers pocket.
The editor was 10 be gone two days, and
the man took such complete possession
that we believed In his right, and did not
kick. During the day be got a hat and
new pair OF boots the same way be got the
clothes, and he drank three quarts of beer
at our expense.
Prof. Peters circulars filed Snyder's
hall that evening 70 OVERLOOKING, aud II
was the old bum who stood at the door
aud took the money. When the last per-
son had passed IN, the doorkeeper slid
into the darkness, and the people sat there
for half an hour before they realized that
they had been duped. Then a grand man
hunt was organized, but It was too late.
This bum had stolen a skiff and dropped
down the river, just about $3.50 ahead Of
an