Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1886-02-19
Meek Little Simeon Nix

who was the meckest MANI asks the
catechism, and promptly answers itself
by saying, Moses
The catechism is wrong. II is proba.
bly, eXcusable, however, for the man who
wrote It was doubtles, unacquainted with
little Simeon Mix. If this should come
( to the eye of the author Of that cheerful
specimen Of orthodox literature, | hope
he will revise his work in this respect
The information as to meelncss should
be given thus:
Question Who was the meekcst man?
Answer Little Simeon Mix.
Because there never could have been a
man quite as meek as little Simeon was
His name was at the head of the Grass
vile Beacon Light as editor. publisher
md proprietor, and so he was; but he
mad no more to say about the way things
should be run in the establishment than
The tinkers apprentice next door had.
Mr.. Joshua Boggs, the foreman of the
l
office, was the Beacon Lights dictator
Nobody ever thought of going to little
Simeon to have anything put in or left
out OF the paper, because they knew that
Mr. BoggS would more than likely kill the
one and put in the other, so they always
asked Mr. Boggs if SO and SO could be
noticed or if such and such thing
couldn't be passed over Little Simeon
never put his copy on the hook with anv
thought that it would 60 in as he wanted
t, if it went in at ali, and he never vent
lred to put copy out if Mr.. Boggs was
looking. lie moved about his establish
ment as If he were an interloper, liable to
De ordered out at any moment He al
ways spoke to and Of his foreman as 'Mr.
Boggs, but the foreman was never more
respectful to little Simeon than to call
aim "Sim." He generally addressed
aim Is "You sap-head" Mr.. Boggs
ruled the destinies of the Beacon Light
with an iron hand, and little Simeon per
formed the functions of editor, publisher
J and proprietor with fear and trefnlasnss
The publication day of the Beacon
Light was Tuesday, and it was little Sim
cons well-known desire to have the pa
per printed on Monday night. Conse-
quently Mr.. Boggs issued the paper
promptly on Wednesday afternoons. A
paper dated on Tuesday, and not coming
out until Wednesday, did not strike little
Simeon as being good journalism, but, of
course, he could not think of suggesting
such thing to Mr. Boggs. One night
an idea struck little Simeon, after he had
gone to bed 1t was such bold one
that it scared him. Why not change the
late of the paper to Wednesday? That
was the idea. But to carry 1t into exer-
cution was what required the nerve. 1t
would never do to let Mr. Boggs know
IF it. Little Simeon rolled and tossed
Tor hours on his couch, so burdened was
ne with his idea. Finally he. crept out
Of bed, dressed himself stole from the
house, and went by round about way,
through dark back streets, to the office
Of the Beacon Light He unlocked the
door, and, with trembling limbs, tip-toed
into the office. 1t was his own office,
but he felt like a thief The forms for
thepaper were made up and on the stone
ready to go to press the next day, which
was Wednesday. Little Simeon struck a
match, and crept up to the stone,
Law said he, Mr.. BoSgs knew this
he'd be mad enough to KLINE I've a
notion not to do it, now y
But he did. lie lifted out the word
Tuesday" and the date, and placed
"Wednesday" and the corresponding
date in their place Then he left the
office as stcalthily as he had entered, and
flew back home as if the terrible Mr..
Boggs was in close pursuit Little Sim
con slept not wink that night, and half
dressed himself twice with the intention
OF going back to the office and undoing
the bold work he had done. The next
morning he had no courage to 90 to the
office and sent word to Mr.. Boggs that
he was i'll. The paper come out all right,
dated Wednesday. On Thursday little
Simeon went to the office with fear and
trembling. He expected a blast from
Mr.. Boggs, and admitted himself that he
deserved it. But he nearly tainted when
Mr.. Boggs greeted him with a pleasant
smile, and said:
"Ahl Good morning, Simmyr'
Little Simeon was filed with remorse.
Mr. Boggs hasn't found me out yet, :"
said he It'll come by and by"
But it didn't Nothing was said by
any one about the change in the Beacon
Lights publication day. Little Simeon
began TO feel better and look upon his
little moonlight coup a. q master stroke
of genius. The ssIi week the Beacon
Llght new puhdnsslon day came round,
but no Beacon Light appeared. Mr..
Boggs had resented the unheard of
tfrontcry of little Simeon Mix in. inter
ering with the management of the paper.
lie brought the Beacon Light out on
Thursday, and on Thursday it came out
thereafter, dated Wednesday
Mr. Bogg's disapproval of his employ
er's ideas in journalism was 50 universal
that little Simeon was at last forced to
use subtertuge and strategem to make
his personality felt in the conduct Of the
Beacon Mgfn. This was suggested 10
him, however, by Billy Puterbsugh, the
dew! Of the Establishment, Billy was