The Irish standard., 1888-06-16

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EHN mr. WIFI SS@Ms is a sma village,
sANlVsIsN |NN H ~ which: for sake of con-
{RS$$3 INkAkSW venience: we will cali
sSsssg E|YAsA Turleys Point. It is a
fGLl va ~ river town, and yet
MTAbTit/ An jT1ifsRH the river CAN scarce be
AEAa V/JiE!!l Ere5;tsSx seen from its streets:
fNGiHM El{ and many times the
WY y boats which still oc-
caa;ona:lv p;ov that muddy stream pass
nv without catching 81 glimpse OF the dull,
sleepy little hamlet. The town is III
valley, or rather lap OF land, among h1a5h
hills, with just narrow, opilque
p},cning between two ridges, revealing
the broad bosom of the river 70 view,
and is one Of the quietest places IN
The whole world. a small brook gl1des ny
the village, with just murnur enough TO
iuI one to repose; and from the streets the
notes Of the quail can be heard: accompa~
MED bv the tapping Of the woodpecker,
lust as they were a century before the foot
pf the white man trod their sacred haunts.
H,rlev,s Point was in a state Of helpless
decay Long before the days Of railroads,
L.. being :. steamboat landing, seemed 10
evince some signs Of prosperity, and had
grown and thrivsd, but when the railway
began 10 usurp and absorb river navlga-
lion, Bentonville, a rival town eight or ten
hliles below, having secured one OF these
modern highways Of traffic, bagan at once
10 prosper at the expense and detri1rent OF
Nurley's Point. Men having business In
lerests at the latter place adopted various
means to rouse the dropping energies OF the
Point, but their most herculean efforts
pculd not generate even an embryonic boom.
Slowly but surely it was going down. and
unless something was done to revive IFS
business interests it was only d question OF
tifne when the village would bs entirely de-
serted
'tWe must advertise, we must ADVERTISE
Yom Simmons, an ambitious politician and
Properly owner, often declared. The ques-
zion of advertising was given serious con-
FEDERATION by the leading citizens OF this
knoribund village. After mature tleiibcra-
tion, 1t was decided that Turkeys Point
must have a weekly newspaper, which was
70 be 10 rival of the Bentonville Gazette.
Tol.a Simmons was appointed one Of g. COM
rnittee of five to find a suitable person to
manage such an institution, and III few
weeks reported that by making some dona-
tions to the enterprise, they could secure q
young man with some experience and capi-
tai who was willing to Undertake the pre-
tarious business of establishing 81 paper at
Turkeys Point
Early one summer morning one OF those
lonely steamers, which still occasionally
wander I'D the Missouri, like the ghost Of
Its former glory, sounded the whistle and
yang the bell when opposite the Point, and
gracefully swung INTO the landing. The
stage-plaulz was thrown Out, and q young
man about four and twenty years Of ago
walked ashore. It was Mr.. Allen Gray,
the prospective editor Of tive new paper.
It was not Cor lack of home talent that an
editor had been imported to Tarley's Point.
Hhe village was not without it's literary
aspirants. There was Toney Barnes, the
poat, and Miss Leethy Hopkins, the poetess,
essayst, novelist and general " librarian"
and many others capable OF managing
weekly newspaper: but as neither Of these
persons possessed the required capital, it
was necessary to find some ono that did
Allen Gray had completed his education,
and had had some experience as a news
paper man. AT the time he came in con-
tact with Tom Simmons he was looking
about for a suitable location to publish d
weekly newspaper. This was his first visit
70 Turley's Point and he was bringing his
press, cases, chaises. rules, fonts of type
and all the manifold paraple,'nalia of
tountry printing office with him. Tom
Summons was at the landing to meet the
few editor, who was to revive Turkeys
Eoint and bring back It's pristine glory.
While the steamboat hands were carrying
the presses, fonts OF type and boxes ashore
Tom had taken the new EDITORS arm and
was conducting him up the ascent to the
village, all the while commenting Oh the
Golden opportunities that awaited the new
enterprise.
To Allen this prospect seemed any thing
hut encouraging; but he was young and
full Of hope, and determined to make Wig
oyous battle for position in the Western
world.
tsThis is your Office" said the voluable
Mr. Simmons, as they passed in front OF All
old, dilapidated building, which had at one
time been used as general store: "There
Is plenty of room here for your presses and
every thing. This is the best we can do
now, bnt when your business grows, you
know, we can build an Office to suit it."
BY this time the news had spread all
over the village that the new editor had ar
rived, and the little town, for the first time
Ia years, took on something like excitement.
Toney Barnes fastened to the building
which was to be the newspaper office, for an
introduction, and as soon as it was possible
Ror him to do so, secretly informed the new
publisher that he was poet. and Wa'lld
have one of his effusions in the very first
Issue of the new paper Allen hadn't been
long enough in the newspaper business to
feel the thrill Of horror which an older edit
OF would at coming in contact with
local poet Then Miss Leethy Hopkins, the
ancient maiden, was next to seek an intro
duction, and astound the new publisher
with the fact that she was versatile
writer. She wrote stories. poems in
rhyme or blank verse;" tragedies, comedies,
essays, and, in fact, every thing from az
epic to humorous paragraph Miss Hop
kins devoted her leisure hours, when not en-
gagged in literary work, to teaching the vii
iaee school. She was tall and slender, her
nose was on the Hebraio plan, her small eyes
seemed to glare triumphantly through her
classes. as she astounded the new editor
with her multifarious accomplishments.
Nothing could be done that day exceptget
the press and material into the building,
which was to serve as Office, press-room,
composing groom and general storage ana
mailing-room "A table at the front en-
ttraannvcce was to serY as tas editors d94sk,
1 md he had three chairs and one bench DO