Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1889-10-24

Lately he had decided that he would
strike out for original me shods and thus in.
crease his salary. He had noticed now wei
1T paid to do the detectiv c-reporter styie cI
work, and so he thought he would DO some
OF it. lie had come on from I'M interior
city. and other newspaper men had toia
him that to get on rapidly he shoull ul
some difficult thing and then write IL up
Other people had tried in New YORK; pu'
failed becuu % they just tackled the old re-
liable stock of dim- museums, elevated rali-
road, Castle Garden, and the park-so he
Ought to do some daring and dangerous
act. after which he could write itup and gel
big pay for it.
He tried it gently by riding on street cal
all day and talking with the d liver and con.
'ductor. He picked cut good-naturtd
looking driver and bright conductor Oh D
broadway car and rode al one afternoon
with them. getting good stories from both
while he rode first on the front and then on
tn rear of the car. Each man told him OF
the hardships OF his position. The driver
said that, though young man. he had
| quite family at home. and that on his sal
ary he found it very difficult to clothe the
| little ones, to say nothing OF sending them
| to school. His wife was blind. having lost
| her sight from the effects of overwork with
| her needle at night without sufficient light.
| so that the little ones were practically or
| phans. He had II long, hard days work to
do. after which he had to cook enough for
the next day. and mend tho child en- 8
clothes while they were in bed. And yet
| the company docked him at every possible
point. and abused him if he dared to sit
down to drive on dull day.
| The conductor told a sad story of priva-
tion also. He said he had only one little
| girl. but she was u cripple. The child had
come one day to bring his dinner to him.
and on the way had been run over by "a
brewery wagon loaded with glucose beer
and Il tat driver. The conductor heard her
| scream and ran to her in time to snatch her
out from under the hind wheels. but the
| other wheels ran over her and injured her
spine. Now he had to leave her at home
| all day in charge of his wifes mother. who
was paralyzed on one side and an habitual
| druakard on the other.
Yes. he said, tho company docked him
for the time he was absent when he ran to
save his little girl though he only lost one
trip. He was not a complaining man. he
said. but sometimes it seemed hard. The
reporter made copious notes. and that
night made two columns OF the story for
the sabbath paper.
When it appeared all the papers made
fun Of him. because both the driver and
conductor of that car We're reporters. who
were also getting n aterial for their Jour-
mails. and when they saw that he was Sc
curing Information for publication they
proceeded at rapid rate to ill him up.
and. even as the reporter was listening TO
the smooth and fearful tale OF the driver.
the conductor was thinking what he also
would tell him.
In the afternoon the editor told MIN that
he would not do. You ought to know
better than that he said You have made
us a subject OF mirth. Tor the other papers
have got their stories direct from the
driver and the conductor Of the same car.
and the worst of it is that they tell all
about how they loaded you up with prop
erty facts and low. coarse lalsehoods. You
ought to know better than to show your
note-b book. anyway. unless you want to be
done up. Now, go and act at once. and do
something creditable. or go away and
tired of people who have no originality Of
thought Why do you not lead life of
shame or murder some one. and write 1t up
for us2"
The reporter said he would do the best
he could. He began by taking drink ut
| place where you can get cocktail, a
| fresh egg. and a bowl of bread and milk.
with music and a shave, for ten cents
When we stop to consider that the cost Of