The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1886-04-23
New YOrk's Speaker.

A writer in the Albany EUening Jour-
nal enlarges upon Speaker Husted's use
of the gavel, declaring that she under
stands it as no one else does; as if he
was born with one or had gavel given
to him Mt the age when other babies get
their rattles. He does not hammer with
il, like blacksmith with sledge, as
most men do who use gavels, but plays
it like musical instrument. Suppose
Carlisle saw man in the gallery with
his hat on. He would have to talk
about it and order some Turnkey to have
offending hat off with his little hammer.
The gentleman in the gallery will I'M
cover-BANGr he says, with such a
sudden, startling, desk-shivering rap at
the end of most authoritatively- toned
sentence that every man in the gallery
puts his hand to his head and the Of
fender, finding his hat on, whisks it off
quicker, perhaps, than he ever did any
thing in his life. 1t is just so about a
vote. Forty or fifty men might think a
motion to adjourn was not carried, but
they don't think so if Hustled says it is,
bangs down his plallet, and whirls out
of his chair in one instant, or, if they do,
what can they do about it; or suppose
the other thing: Suppose Speaker Hustled
does not want to adjourn and wants to
give the opposition a little courage to
bring few more voters to their feet, or
to call for count-somehow he will
make that felt in stammering, uncer-
tain trip of the hammer. Imagine the
house in disorder just as the chaplain is
about to pray. Members will please
take their seats'-BANG- (pause), bang
-Qonger pause). bing-and the house
is as still as the tomb"
How Newspaper Work is Done.
Henry w. Grady relates the following
in the Atlanta (Ga.) Constitution: "Can
l venture on the incident here that
throws an inside light on journalism
At 2 o'clock on the morning of General
Stephens death an editor of the CO'aSti-
tuition, who with two stenOgraphers had
prepared the narrative of the night, was
with the watchers in the blue room of
the mansion. The Constitution had to
90 TO press at $3.50 to the minute. 1t
was not believed that Mr.. Stephens
would die before that hour. COnse-
quently the narrative had been written
in the present tense. If death should
occur before the paper was put on the
press there were perhaps hundred
places in the story where the past tense
would have to be substituted. A force
of proof-readers sat with the proof be-
fore them, every contingent point
marked. Thirty printers sat at their
desks awaiting orders. The telephone
between the mansion and the office was
open, and the night editor sat with the
phone to his ear. At 1928 DIR. Steiner,
rising from his knees with reverent
face, said He is deadr Before the
whispered words had left the room the
word dead flew along the telephone
wires and reached the listening night
editor. Before the watchers in the par
lor knew that the great soul had taken
its flight dozen proof-readers were
ploughing through slips with swift PEN
ellis, thirty printers were clipping the
mornings that held the present to the
past, and in just seven minutes the press
was throwing off the story of the life
and death OF Georgia's martyr states
man"