The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-10-24
HOW TO BE A JOURNALIST.
BIu Nye Explains u Few Mysteries Of the

~ Art.
In writing editorials let the pupils be early
taught to sit erect, with the eye upon some
object about nineteen and one-half feet away
resting the right arm easily upon the mus
cles Of the forearm, thinking one thought az
a time and transferring it TO paper, then
thinking another. and so on till these chill
dren Of the brain get more and more seldom,
then wipe the pen carefully on neat little
olive green chenille penwiper, baltic the
head in tepid water, polish the brow with a
manicure set, and take brisk walk in the
open air.
Removing the coat in order to write the
following editorial paragraph is unnecessary:
1--WE call spcci1l editorial attention today to
the announcement on first page OF this issue.
to the effect that owing TO the prevalence OF
smallpox which are now quite thick to men,
school yill not take up till next Monday two
weeks"
Taking off the coat and vest and letting
down the suspenders in order to write barn
ing thoughts is gradually becoming more and
more obsolete as women become more and
more identified with journalism Aman may,
! II he wiA just as easily sit erect, THROW out
his chest ard pull in his tongue as TO cult
vate cccentricities and seek TO attract atten-
tim by assuming odd attitudes while at work.
| l know a good, scathing writer who goes In
TO bis Office about 10 O'Clock, locks the door,
1 takes of most Of his clothes, being wrapped
w in thought almost exclusively, sits ON tue
! fourth lumbar vertebra, braces his heels
against the wall a little above his head, ana
MS he works he screws the nails OF his boot
heels into the hard wall harder and harder
as he goes on. One day last summer, while
working with unusual vigor on an editorial
In relation TO the ever attractive, bright red
cancer in the crown princes throat, be was
surprised to see thirty or forty gold CONS faii
on his table ike blessed advance IN his
salary. Looking up he discovered that with
his heel he had bored a hole into the vault OF
tho First National hank, next door. Care
fully poking back the money, lie pasted
sheet OF paper over the hole and, marking II
Opened by mistake" he put his heels against
the drum of a light sorrel coal stove and
went on with his work
He is extremely eccentric in many ways,
being a thoughtful and painstaking liar.
But il is not necessary that we should seek
to enhance our greatness by assuming a dis
agreeable and offensive degree Of eccentricity.
| know an old newspaper man who keeps all
his memoranda on little corners Of envelopes,
margins OF newspapers, etc, etc, ana pre-
serves them in the crown of his high hat. lie
also forgets sometimes and puts burnt
matches, cigar clipping, and apple cores III
the same place while thinking Of something
else. One day his plug hat blew of as be was
crossing on a ferry and the next day there
was no paper publish d at his office.
/ A LARGE duodessimo note book concealed in
n shawl strap, with pocket inkstand siunS
10 the shoulder by means Of a Russia or ALI
gator leather case and strap, would be neat
aud convenient method for young reporter,
who otherwise might not be able to convince
people that he was reporter, 70 convey his
stationery from place toplacc. Ii would also
cheer and much encourage the party to DO
interviewed.
A Young reporter once came to me at my
hotel, or ut least a hotel which had paid for
several times, but had never really taken
possession ~ and, throwing back bis spring
oyercoat 50 as to show all the satin facing 70
advantage he asked me TO state my name.
] stated my name, rcsdeucc and religious
belief. He then drew forth notebook about
the size Of a family Pible, and wettins the
keen point II hexagOn pencil against the
rear OF bis pharynx, although | was in the
midst OF a personal conversation with
friend of mine in relation 10 the recent death
Of his little child, this young journalist told
me that De had agreed 10 write a column
aboGt me for his paper, and thus having
scared out Of me every germ OF thought and
shut up the great deeps, such as they were,
he filed his large red hotel register with cold,
disagreeable facts, from which lac made a
column and a half, touched up with his own
.corbutic humor, and closed by saying that
might be a fluent writer, but that | would
hardly be selected at once as a sprlghtly con-
yeIsationalst
The matter Of text books is a difficult one,
indeed, % treat, and fear have left little
space after all for even reference toit-
| believe that the student should al first
begin TO avoid an offensive parade Of the
fact that be IS connected with the press.
Those who announce in clarion tones among
strangers that they are journalists are gen
orally more proud Of the fact than the pro-
fession is. \ lawyer who talks loudly on
BOARD trains about the cases he Is engaged
upon is generally out OF u job and has 10 80
to Jail personally 10 pick up little petty lar
ceny cases 10 defend. So with the man con
nected with the press. His large display 70
that effect is generally an injury 70 bis bust
ness and ,alses the edge off his success. Bill
Nye in Chicago Tribune