The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1886-06-17

sAOAAos WIZ hOW PdPOl was dUlf cuIbcu,
newsy and bright, and was received by
the citizens with as much favor as
the Millennium itself Mr.. Petit came
across the Independent in the homes
OF his friends, in stores, offices
and places of public resort, and he
scowled darkly. He would show this
rival editor that Hopeville needed only
one paper-the Millennium that
an attempt to establish another would
be at the expense of a continued and
bitter strife. So he went to his office
and wrote the following, which ap-
peared in the next issue of the Mitlefs-
iatYa:
I'VE have been asked whether the rumor
vile is based on fact. We can not give q
positive answer, though we have noticed a
sickly looking sheet pasted on bulletin
this sheet is tho on onv 1eee AS
saw, we presume it represents the whole CIR
culation of what our correspondent has per.
haps heard called weekly paper. 1t is
doubtful whether another issue Will appear,
as we understand the alleged editor has al.
ready become disgusted with the want of
success that has attended his efforts to force
his dreamy rubbish down the throatS of the
Intelligent citizens of Hopeville."
The Miltenium was published every
Thursday and the Independent on Sat-
urday. Mr.. Petit watched eagerly for
the next issue of his rival, and as soon
as he had secured copy, looked all
over the paper for reply to his para
graph. Not word. The Independent
came out brighter and newsier than
ever, with well-considered, conserva-
tive editorial comments on the leading
topics of the day, particularly those of
local interest, but without the slightest
indication that it had ever heard either
of the Millennium or its editor.
The next week Mr.. Petit tried it
again. He published paragraph in
which he limited mysteriously at paper
having appeared in Hopeville with the
secret object of poisoning the minds of
the people against all the most cher
ished institutions of the town. He even
went so far as to imply that the editor
had reasons for hiding himself from
those who had known him formerly as
the resident of a large city some five
hundred miles away, finishing his re-
marks with the prophecy that in less
than month the Millennium would
again be the only paper in Hopeville,
as it was to all intents and purposes at
the present writing.
But the Independent continued to
ignore MIR. Petit, and grew in circula-
tion and prosperity from week to week.
A tall, thin, pale man was the editor of
the Indepe'dent-a man who stopped as
he walked. and whose speech was fire.
quently interrupted by peculiar spas
modic noise in his throat, like a
strangled cough. He was not talka-
tive man. possibly because of the
strangled cough. He was seen but lit
tie on the streets, and always, when he
was out, appeared to have business in
some direction which engaged all his
attention until he withdrew to the
Office of the Independent to busy him.
self either in writing matter or putting
it into type.
''The Independent man, Stillman, is
a mysterious sort of fellow was the
opinion of the principal grocer of
Hopeville; ''but he gets out mighty
good paper and will make it warm for
the Millennium yet.
Henry Petit continued to write
caustic paragraphs for the benefit of
the Independent, and every week ran
up and down from nonpariel to four
line great primer gothic in his badger
ing of Stillman's paper, but without
making any apparent impression on
that apathetic journal.
1t was after he had written a particu-
larly abusive and spiteful article that
Henry Petit waited for the appearance
of the Independent on Saturday. Surely
he could sting the editor into saying
something. Saturday came, but--no
Independent Ha! the interloper. had
found that he could not live in town
where the Millennium prohibited his ex-
istence.
Il thought should drive him out"
chuckled Mr.. Petit ''Wonder where
the editor is?'' he thought. .'Guess he
is ashamed to show himself now that
his miserable paper has suspende d."
But it had not suspended. On Tues
day it was published, with an apology
for its tardy appearance. Mr.. Petit
was red-hot, and the whitening sarcasm
contained in next weeks Millennium
again tested the acrimonious qualities
of every style of type in his Office. The
Independent was published on time on
the following Saturday, but was only
half its usual size. 1t again contained
an apology, but no explanation.
'.It dies hard, said Henry Petit, as
he finished an exulting editorial to the
following effect:
The wretched conglomerationo of bad gram
mar, drivel and typographical errors, called
newspaper, published in an obscure part
of Hopeville, has about run its course. 1t
comes out at irregular intervals and appears
the few buyers of the ridiculous mass of
rubbish to give only half what 10 paid for.
When given full size the paper can be used
for wrapping small parcels; half of it is of
no value whatever. In justice to the above
mentioned few. it should suspend publica-
ton at once.
In spite of this the I,sdependent was
issued every week for six weeks longer.
Sometimes it was a few days late;
sometimes it appeared half size, and
again largely made up of old advertise
ments and stereotype plates long out
of date. 1t was evidently struggling
hard for existence. At last it did stop.
Henry Petit waited until Thursday,
and then joyfully announced to his
readers that the Hopeville Independent
had not come out and would probably
not appear again.