The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1886-07-31
THE PROOF-READER.
A Valiant Member of IL Long-Abused Pl
fe.sion Rises to Protest.

Valiant Member of IL Long-Abused Pro-
fession Rises to Protest.
The proof-readcr has long shared
with the ''intelligent compositor' the
reputation for that total dcpravity which
has made writer say ''sce the pale
martyr with shirt on fire. when he
wrote in, "sheet of fire. and to ask
.'is there no barn in Guilford," when he
meant sis there no balm in Gilcad:' to
sreak of his love of 'alum water"
when he wrote "Alma Mater" and to
speak of IA mysterious dispcnsation of
Providence as "a mysterious disap-
pcarancc OF provisions.
The silence of the proof-rcader has
been taken us evidence of his guilt, Or
that he was proof against reproof and
as ind sposcd to correct his own errors
rs those of the types. But he has evil
dently borne contumely long enough
and he rises to ''hurl back the charges,
and to mail lies to the counter" and to
'thrust the base falsehoods down the
throats of his cowardly vituperators. :"
as the contributors to that popular peri
Odical-the Congressional RecOm-arc
in the habit of saying. The worm has
turned mt last, and rather lively turn
it is.
He expresses his wonder to the editor
of the Boston Literary WOrid that moth
ing has ever been said in praise of
proof-readers. OF course this might
surprise proof-reader, but any cXpe-
rienced writer for the press will not be
astonishcd ut it at all. The writer will
know that he has time and time again
written the most glowing eulogics of
proof-readers and their assistants; trib-
utes that statesmen might envy and
good men crave. But the proof-reader
has never allowed them TO appear in
print Where the writer has said that
the proof-reader was "a bencfactor to
his race it has appeared "as a bcnght,
ell scape-grace;' when he has called
the surface rs 1.-THE scum of the earth:"
when he has spoken of the lease and
comfort a good proof-reader gives
him, he is made to say an ''escaped con-
vict," and when he has referred to the
proof-reader' ''saintly grace, the pub
lie first learns of him rs ''snakc-in-
the-grass." That is why nothing has
ever appeared in print in praise of the
pfoof-reaucr.
This protesting proof-reader is not
willing to believe that every one of his
species is full OF malice toward all-
thors and hates the whole world. And
then the man actually goes on to speak
Il good word for himself and his kind.
AT this rate the barber will be defend
ing his talking; the mother-in-law will
clamor for q hearing; the plumber will
bs piping up in his own behalf; the
Chinese laundryman claiming right to
live an honest and cleanly life and tur-
keys speak their mind about Thanks.
giving. What is the world coming to!
However, since the proof-rcader ha,
been graciously allowed to say tn at hi'
souls his own, it is perhaps wortl
while, as mild amusement, to heal
how he puts the case. In the first place
he says that an author intent on wha
ne is writing, is necessarily careless
about his handwriting He can mo-
break the flow of his thoughts to dot hi
sis" aud cross his cts" Each author
has his own peculiar permanship. Th'
proof-reader takes up his manuscript
and tries to catch the purport of thu
authors thought. He has scarcely dom
so, when in comes another mass of proc
and manuscript of an entirely diff
ferent character and an entirely dif
fereat pen; and new thread ha
to be picked up until another interrup
ton. THIS is not for Il moment, but al
day, all the week, all the year, all hi
life. After puzzling himself until he ]
half blind, his brain weary, and worl
pushing upon him incessantly, a lette
may b. left out or comma inserted II
the wrong place, when slam-bang goe
avolley at the proof-reader He ha
seen conscientious, patient, worth,
proof-readers shrink aud cringe whel
an author visits printing office, les
something might have escaped their no
tice. He has seen an author scold
pr0of-reader for some tritling Oversight