Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-05-18
THE NEW REPORTER.
BARLEY Campbell's Beginning il
Pittsburg Newspaper Work.
STRUGGLE WITH HIS FIRST ITEMS.
His Early Fondness for the Theater and
all Things Theatrical.
A SUCCESS as A LOCAL HUSTLER
WRITTEN FOE THE p1sPArcH.i

affairs in Pittsburg in those times were Sc
to very different standard from the stan
dard of the present time. The DIsPATcH
had two reporters. but most Of the othel
papers had one; and he, in his own hard
worked person, was city editor and full
city staff was the comprehensive staff oi
the paper which took the new reporter.
On the day spoken of John W. Pittock,
then well-known newspaper man, came
into the office where was working accom-
panied by youth who impressed me as
rather the most peculiar young Pittsburger
had seen. He was very tall, very lean,
with remarkably long legs and arms which
he seldom allowed to remain at rest and
with manner which had not yet passed
beyond the awkwardness of the trying time
| when youth and manhood are trying to
settle things with each other. His voice,
when he spoke, was pleasing, in spite of a
little aggressiveness in its tones. But the
most noticeable thing about him was his
face. It was rather handsome face, with
line, strong and clearly cut features-a face
which would command attention and which
gave an odd impression of being good deal
older than the body belonging to it. Evi-
| IDENTIFY the brain back of it had done q good
was likely to do good deal more; and its
thinking was prompted BY quick and
active intelligence, whether disciplined or
undisciplined was another matter.
YOUNG hartley CAMPBELL.
This young man Mr.. Pittock introduced
as BARLEY Campbell. He explained that
Mr.. Campbell was anxious to give up work
in the brick yards and take up the more
o1 nff ha 40
was ambitious to find a place at the top of
the newspaper ladder, but he was not ambi-
tious to begin at the top, which was a very
promising popularity. What he wanted
was chance to become q reporter-to de-
velop and train his "nose for news" under
patient and friendly advice; and his friend
(and mine) had brought him to me in the
hope that would undertake the task of
guidance and instruction in return for such
assistance as the young aspirant could give
in the daily work of the paper. was will
ing enough to comply; for thought this a
promising as we'll as an interesting subject.
In the talk before routine newspaper work
began, BARLEY confded to me that already
he had done much writing, but no publish
ing; which is q very different affair. He
was an ardent Democrat, and had spoken
on the stump more than once for his party;
although think at this time his first vote
had not been cast. He know that his prac-
tice in oratory would be Of little help in his
newspaper work. But he had hopes about
his practice in writing. Writing is writing,
and what he had done would help him in
what he had to do. Yes, writing is writing;
and gymnastic exercise is gymnastic exer-
else; but the man who can swing heavy
clubs can't always dance on his toes. What
kind Of writing had he practiced?
The answer came in that large and COM
prehensive manner his friends learned to
know 80 well; and was accompanied BY a
wide sweep OF both his long arms:
"Oh, novels-several novels; some plays;
lot of short stories; some political ESSAYS
that can be turned into editorials later on,
perhaps"
That same day he brought me big bundle |
OF his manuscripts. with the request that I |
would ''go through" them. With patience |
and with a certain interest read them all. |
They were such as q very youthful and |
wholly undisciplined mind strongly DOS
sessed by the writing instinct would be sure
to turn out. Here and there, all through |
them, were CLEANS of brightness. The youth
who had done the work would be able after
awhile to do WORK worth considering; but it
would only be by dint OF patient effort and
he demanded the verdict; and he evidently
did not believe a word OF it!
But he very speedily convinced himself
that putting novels and dramas into manu-
script did not count for much as prepara-
tion for work on the local columns OF daily
newspaper. He was profoundly in earnest
about going TO work and wanted his first
task set for him at once. Therefore he was
given the notes of few trifing police cases
already gathered into the reportorial note
book, and was instructed to make brief
of each one, and to do it in the
most commonplace manner at his COM
mand. For there was not an item in the lot
that offered suggestion OF picturesq ueness.
After al absence Of half an hour in quest Of
more news l returned to find the young re-
porter still struggling with the first Of those
grabbed and obstinate police items. And 1t
mad brought him close to the verge Of des-
oeration.
THE FIRST STRUGGLE.
His coat was off; his thick curly hair was
tumbled all over his head; he was
.rouched far over the table like schoolboy
battling with his first pot-hooks; one arm
vas thrown clear across the table. and one
eg was stretched at length on the floor be-
lind him-an attitude more eloquent of
lespair he could never, in later years have
prescribed for his most forlorn stage hero.
He lifted flushed and perspiring face as {
came in. Then he laid down his lead {
'encil and got upon his feet. He straight :
ned himself up slowly, as if some unaccus-
omed physical work had stiffened his mus :,
les, and stretched his arms upward until !
lie and the ceiling were close neighbors
And then he sighed, such q sigh as only ,
hose who are weary and well-nigh hopeless J
an ever accomplish
"oh" he said. "This is hardi The
ardest thing ever did It's so different,
ont you see? When I'm writing fiction !
~ Imagination can soar, as il were. But l
'hen 1t has to be tied down to writing the
acts OF petty police cases, why-that's diff
,rentP
The intensity Of disgust and hopelessness !
4 those last words was something have
OF often encountered. But he was apt and =
lucky and persevering. And 50 In very
lort time the writing Of police items ceased =
, be formidable thing In his experience. u
he getting Of them was still less formid-
BILE, and that was true Of all sorts OF news. u
HAD A NOSE FOR NEWS.
He certainly did develop O surprising fac G
lty for finding out what was going on; and Il
so for finding out what people thought
bout any particular subject, whether they b
ere disposed to tell their thoughts or not.
nd here his previous experiences among I
le politicians did prove of use to him. He
as discovered to have an Unexpectedly W
rge circle of acauaintances among politi-
ans and officials, and he seemed to find 1t
tile difficulty in extending 1t to any pro-
ortions he might desire. And l doubt II
Iere was ever reporter in Pittsburg who N
,uld cover more territory in the same CON-
,ss of time than BARLEY Campbell. He
ould come in, fresh and lively, from a y
ny nf an hnur mr. fwa rH LII hsa nota- BIZ