Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-04-22
HE PLAYED THE FIDDLE.
And got Twenty New Subscribers by 1t.
Atlanta Constitution.

AIiAHCd COHStlIuLlOu
The yarns that newspaper men never
talk about except sub rosa illustrate the
strange yicisitudes to which the man who
embarks on the great sea of Journalism
is subjected | know not long since that
there were several of US cOngregated to-
gether in favorite haunt, and we nat
orally began to spin out weired legends
connected with that profession which lay
nearest our hearts. Said a veteran editor:
"Some year ago | was editor, proprietor,
typo, mailing clerk, bookkeeper, press
man and devil and Tom Walker of a
country weekly. Perhaps weakly would
be the proper way to spell it.
"Well, subscriptions were coming in at
the rate of two every three weeks, and l
was waiting for the forlorn hope of a
three-lined ad. to assist me in whistling to
keep the ghost off, when lawyer-the
lawyer-Of the village in which The An
tagOnistic Agitator was published pro-
posed that we go over to Ragged Edge
and attend court. | agreed, if he would
go halves in the team, so we bulldozed
the owner of the only buggy and set out
on our journey.
Ragged Edge was a city set upon
hill. The court house square was ten
acre lot, and the jail was built far enough
from the streets that the citizens were not
disturbed by some fractions criminal en-
gagged in the illegal occupation of jail
breaking. Around the square were several
dwellings, two or three general stores and
a grocery.
Il put up at the only hotel in the place,
which was a cross between an inn and
farmhouse, and when ate supper | did
so with timid feeling, for | still had
conscience then, knowing that unless
Providence interposed [ would leave the
town indebted to the landlord the amount
of my bill, minus one years subscription
to The AgitatOr aud half column puff.
After supper / strolled down to the
grocery. In and around it were assembled
ten or fifteen jurors, Etigants and court
bummers. On a barrel in one corner of
the room sat a fiddler, saving away for
dear life, while the audience chatted in
low tones, so as not to embaraSs the must
clan.
I introced myself as the editor of the
AgitatOr, and all looked at me in a sus-
picious way as if they we're uncertain of
my calling. Two or three outsiders came
in to get a good look at me.
Having learned to play the fiddle in
my youth the thought struck me to try it
on that audience, and when the fiddle
stopped for rest l took up the instru-
ment and.began to rasp out a few notes.
"'Do you play the fiddle, mister?' asked
the grOcery-keeper.
"A little l replied.
"'Play the dickensr muttered a fellow
as he took fresh chew of tobacco.
"That remark got my blood up, and
tuning the rickety instrument began to
give them : Old ROsum the Bow
"By the time [ got through the boys
were all silent, and the crowd had increased
until there was no longer standing room
in the building.
"'Give US another That's bully My
treat, come on and have somethin',' were
the remarks heard on every side.
after the drinks began again, and it
was late before they let me off.
boys, that Teller deserves something,
said the man of groceries, chip in, now,
and take his paper
''And III be blessed if I didn't get
twenty new subscribers before left the
house."