The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-06-07
THE COUNTRY EDITORS LOT,
HiA Path Is Literally strswn with Thorns,
but He Finds an Occasiopal Rose.

HiG Path Is Literally strewn with Thorns,
but He Finds an Occasiopal Rose.
"Yes," said the man who had been a
country editor, with dreamy voice and
eyes gazing rehectively on the ceiling,
''yes, the life of country editor has
its attractions. 1t also has its draw
backs. l spent about a dozen years in
a country printing Office, beginning as
a devil and gradually drifting down
ward until 1 became editor-in-chief,
business manager, advertising solicitor,
collector, and reporter for country
daily.
My first venture ON my own hook
was with a paper that had died on a
fellows hands in a town about as big
as circus tent and about as rococo as
an Egyptian mummy; and during the
two or three years of my struggles there
l got enough experience in the trials
and tribulations of journalism to make
me old before my time
al printed the paper from old nails
on an army press, and four impressions
were required for every sheet. As the
paper had about five hundred subscrib-
ers the work involved was simply
frightful, particularly that part of it
which did as sort of relief from the
strain of editorial effort which / sus-
tanned while not setting type or chas-
ing delinquents.
"'What part did you do?'
''Well, worked the roller. Turning
a grindstone is holiday dream of 81
Gillian rest in comparison. Ihad my
hanhS aS aaIlousad % fha f,oor - q
horses foot after the blisters wore
away. The physical sufferings that
l bore were tritiing when compared
with the agonies Of doubt which racked
my mind when l let it run upon the fll-
ture. Upon my shoulders rested not
only the heavy responsibility of pleas
ing all the people who read my paper,
but the burden of large family de
pendent on my efforts. Starvation was
the alternative of success, so you may
well believe that trod the thorny way
regardless of my bloody feet and the
jeers of enemies that added difficulties
where they could not accomplish dis
aster.
''Ahi those were hard and cruel days
days of grinding toll followed by
nights full of dread for the morrow
But they were not wholly dark. In
deed, in looking back upon them /
scarcely remember the shadows that
lay across them. As child boards up
only memories of summer days and
birds and flowers, forgetting the long
winters and the leatiess trees, SO Itreas-
ure only the brighter and happier feat
ures of that varied experience.
Generally speaking, the country ed
itor is man of some consequence in
his community. His position, no mat
ter how preearious it may be from fl
nancial point of view, is such as to
command certain social recognition.
He finds himself invited to all the par
ties and balls and picnics and we'd
dings. He is a mourner at every funer-
al, a guest at every feast; he is the Sec
retary of every public meeting, the re-
ceptacle of the condolences of all who
aspire; his advice is sought by the
young, and he is the especial protege
of all the old. His trousers may be bag
gy at the knees, but the big man of the
village, mindful of the power of the
press, stops to talk to him in front of
the postoffice and shows him about
town in his carriage. The Hon. John
Quincy Adams Smithers, NJ. c., comes
down from the city to look after his
fences around Podunk, and he makes a
bee-line for the editors sanctum, where
he cracks chestnut and passes around
fat-looking cigars that exhale the very
odor of luxury. The presiding elder
also honors the EDITORS dingy den with
his pious presence; the president of the
local railway company sends him pass
that is, he used to; all the farmers
fetch him the biggest ear of corn, the
first watermelon, the prize pumpkin, or
the banner sheaf of wheat; and, more
than all and better, the Village beau
ties call in beyies to view the mys-
teries of the art preservative and dirt
with the EDITORS assistant. That is the
treat of all treats, and what wonder
if the editor gets to dreaming dreams
and weaving faneies with a woof OF
golden hair!
aNo; / didn't fall victim myself
but I'm an exception, The average
country editor marries young. The
pressure is all that way and so the edi-
tor one day leaves out the well known
personal that Miss Mary Tibbitts, the
bewitching blue-eyed daughter OF Col
Ezra Tibbitts, illuminated our sanctun
with her bright presence for few min
utes yesterday and in its place We
read the announcement that we were
married last night, at the residence Of
the brides parents, to Miss Mary Tib
bits, daughter of Col. Ezra Tibbitts. il
the presence of q brilliant assemblagt
of relatives and friends etc.
"By and by he succeeds in scrapins
together little money, and he branch
es out, very likely going to the county
town as a partner in one of the organs
If he has developed the right sort o
stuff he succeeds fairly we'll in his larg
er field and makes money. Perhaps a:
the years go by he is elected to an OF
fee or given the postmastership; ne ae
cumulates property, lives IN q aecen
little cottage surrounded by books ant
papers and odds and ends of bric-a
brac, dying at last, full of years an.
honors, regretted by all.-Chicdgo MAJ