, 1886-03-31

Il arrive in Cincinnati one clustering
winter night, a ragged, hungry stranger,
just out Of the rebel army, ! had lust enough
money to pay for n nights lodging. How
well ! remember wandering about the streets
of the city, wondering what the next day
would bring me. ! believed that I had abiL
ity as a journalist, and | was satisfied that
II had an opportunity I could prove 1t !
was In the act several times OF emit ring the
different morning newspaper and applying
for work, but was so down-hearted that |
did not have the courage to do 30. i took q
cool sleep that night, and did not get up
until late tho naxt day. My case was a
desperate one, and felt that | must secure
employment l never felt moro determined
in my life l fe.t as II / could face the
stsrnsst editor in the land without a CULVER.
In this frame OF mind l started out to make q
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. | visited all the newspaper with the
same result, except This Times osHce. That
paper had a large job printing office at
tached TO II. which did a great deal OF theat.
rical printing l also noticed that the paper
had a miserably written dramatic column.
j called on Col. Starbuck, the editor and
proprietor, and asked IL there was any
vacancies on his staff.
81 here are never any vacanies on a good
paper, but there is always room for a good
man, said the colonel $50
A BEGINNING AT sl2 A WEEK.
II shall never forget that reply, and 1t ID
one | have always made to applicants for
positions on The Courier-Journal / told
Col. Starbuck that l thought j could i'm.
prove upon his dramatic column, and pro
posed to write 1t for nothing II he would give
me - per cent commission on all the print
ing ana advertisements / secured from the
theatres He declined the propos ition. As
l was about to leave he turned to me and
said he would give me Sl2 a week to per-
form that service. What a change came
over me. I Immediately felt myself rich. I
told him would accept IL He then said
that must not feel offended II at the end
OF the week be found 1 did not suit and he
dismissed me. l knew I would suit, for I
knew the full extent OF my abilitiss and l
told him that II / was not competent /
should consider 1t an orsnse IL he did not
discharge me
This was the first Of thu week, and l
started in that day. / never undertook a
task with more enthusiasm I attended the
theatres every night Before the end OF the
week Col starbuck expressed his approval
On Saturday afternoon l went TO the thea
tres to collect the money for printing and
advertising in The Times. At the National
theatre, after collecting the money, / was
handed an envelope addressed to me Sup
posing 1t contained an item OF news or a
ticket, l put it into my pocket unopened
At Pixies another envelope bearing my
name was presented me, and the same thing
occurred to me at Woods theatre. whsn /
returned to the Office | opened the envelopes
and found the ones presented to me at ths
National and Pixies each contained $40
The one received at Woods contained IS. l
told Col Starbuck the circumstances and
rendered him the money. He said thai it
did not belong to him, and he would not &C
cept it l said 1t certainly did not be-
long TO me and that / would not accept it
J returned the donations to the theatrical
managers They sad the money had been
given in consideration OF the favorable no
tees ! had given their performances
Col Starbuck a short time afterward
made me managing editor. r-Watterson's
Letter.