The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-08-28
RUNNING As NEW SIP PER.
Why an Obituary Was Printed
instead Of Salutatory.

It had been the dream of my life to
own, edit and publish newspaper. /
was not particular as to whether it was
daily, weekly or monthly; simply
wanted to run it, and try my hand at
molding public sentiment, as my
Grandfather had done before me. He
WIS q good editor and ran % weekly
newspaper as long as his creditors would
let him, and when at last he died Of his
debts the sheriff gave him an obituary
of which any editor might be proud.
Well, when I had saved up sixty dol
lars my opportunity came. a friend of
mine who owned hand-press and a
box of type offered to trade the outfit
for my watch and the sixty dollars. Tho
watch was an old Waterbury, so it did
not take long TO wind up the business,
and soon found myself in full charge
OF flourishing country newspaper.
With great pride l prepared my sa-
lutatory, but while was in the act OF
putting the finishing touches to it, and
had juss penned the usual words: "We
are here and here to STAY" prospective
subscriber stalked into the sanctum and
seating himself calmly upon the editor
ial desk, said:
'sThat's your salutatory, is it? Now,
you're q stranger here, and may be
you'd like few hints as to what the
people want? Well, I'm the man to
give 'em to you. Let's see what you've
wrote there?"
He suited the action to the word and
took the editorial from my reluctant
hands.
''It won't do" he said, when he had
labored through my ponderons sem
fences. 81 see you don't understand
this people very well. You know,
there's more Baptists in this community
than there is Methodists. In fact, we
Just rule things, and if you don't put in
a good word for the Baptists you're q
ruined man. BY the way" he contin-
ued. mistaking one of my rcd slippers
fora spittoon and flooding i with tobacco
juice, ''what church do you belong to,
anyhow"
was almost afraid to tell him, but
ventured to hint that had leaning
toward the Nethodists.
keep it quiet" he said, almost in a
whisper, for the Methodists amt no.
where around these diggin's. They only
have preachin once month, and they
amt got but one man on the town coun-
Gil, while the Baptists is got one mayor,
four aldermen, one express agent and
two telegraph operators. o, we're in
the lead, tell you; so you'd better
keep your weather eye open, and look
to your interest. That's all I've got to
say"
And he left me to my sad reflection.
But I was not left entirely alone, for
ere the footsteps OF my Baptist friend
had died into an echo, a tall, slim man,
wearing nervous smile and a pair of
spectacles entered and tip-toed toward
me.
81 saw old jenkins coming out just
now" he explained, as he sat down on
my ink bottle, land III bet know what
he was up to. He was trying to tell
you how to run the paper-now, wasn't
he?"
admitted that his language had i'm
pressed me in that way.
Don't mind word he says" said my
new adviser. Hes crazy on the subject
of religion, and don't know what he is
talking about. What you want to do is
to praise up the Presbyterians. They're
getting stronger and stronger every day
going to build brick church and a
public school next week, and before six