Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1890-02-14
Was a Writer But no Fighter.

the Wings and Democrats were ever ready
la 20 dogn t. the sand bar and burn pow
der for the sake Of imPeached honor, there
was published in Little Rock Democratic
newspaper known as the gecLly Intern
net Ii was edited by Colonel Blunt, a
man with nerves as strong as wire and
whose pen was as aggressive as latter day
commercial trust. He had fought several
ducls, had been severely wounded aud had
crippled one man and killed another.
one day, during rather quiet political
season, a tall. "gangling' fellow went 10
the Cata1fel office aud applied for
work.
What can you do" the Colonel ask
ed
~ can DO almost anything on newapa-
per have done great deal of work in
the East. and | am regarded as one of the
hest local reporters in the country"
What's your name''
''.Iohn wilson
well. Mr.. Wilson. to tell you the truth,
| am in need of a local reporter There
are many opportunities here for fine writ
ing. Are you what is known as fine
writer-a man who can paint striking piet-
uresf"
Eyes, sir"
"All right, you may go to work. Ny
paper has been dropping for some time on
account of the political calm that is now
ruining the country. l cannot leave my
perch of political dignity and descend to
the street-indeed, am a sower of seeds
OF ideas rather than reaper in the the
harvest field of events, You understand
me, | suppose
Yes, sir"
"AlI right. Now, | want you togo out
and write up everything you see; that is.
everything you can touch with interest.
Make you work thrilling7-use glaring me
taphors--give to yourself an interesting
identity, for journalism spersonal in thi.
State'
NJ MAS \ FIEE WRITER.
Wilson was really fine writer, with an
imagination that might have awakened the
envy of a novelist and with fancy that
might have challenged the admiration of a
poet. He wrote short stories and bright
sketches, produced comic rhymes and hu-
morous paragraphs
The Colonel was delighted. "You are
the man have been hoping would come
along, he said to Wilson. ''You can keel
my paper up during the calm, and / can
make it roar during the storm, We are a
team, sir, and know that subscriptions
will soon begin To pour in
Weeks passed and the paper seemed to
grow brighter with each issue, bat no sub,
seriptions
Wilson, said the Colonel, you are do
ing excellent work. but somehow it doesn t
amount to anything. Your matter is all
right, but you have not succeeded in estab-
fishing an interesting identity. Our peo-
are peculiar in this respect. Just about
the time you came here little bench leg
ged, stub n0sed, red headed fellow took
charge of the Whiggist Horn, published
around the corner He can't write ten
words of good English but he has estab-
lished an interesting identity and subscrip-
tions are pouring into the office"
How did he manage its' Wilson asked,
in a rather detected way.
''Why, he caught the people. Although
possessing no literary ability, he knew that
something had to done, SO he went out and
whipped fellow"
Whipped fellowl" Wilson exclaimed.
Yes, sir; went ont, jumped on man
and whaled him. Then the people began
to talk about him, and as his interesting
identity was thus established, they wanted
to read his matter and, naturally enough,
subrcribed for his paper"
DIDN'T LIKE THE OUTLOOK
Whipped fellow" said Wilson, re-
flectively. But look here, Colonel,
don't want to be killed. l don't mind
whipping a fellow, but don't want fel-
low to shoot me or to challenge me, for if
/ should refuse the challenge should be
disgraced.'
''There is no danger of a challenge LO-
cal editors are not challenged Being
challenged is distinction that belongs to
the editor in chief As for being shot,
why, you must take your chances. In
fact, there is not much danger if you han
die yourself rightly. Knock the fellow
down, and if he has pistol take it away
from him. And then, my dear sir, the
subscriptions will pour in and your fortune
will be made.
Il will study about it, Colonel
''Yes, but while you are studying about
it, subscriptions are pouring in upon our
rival sheet Ny gracious alive, if this were
not a season of political calm Id show you
a subscription list"
Colonel, will go and see what can be
done"
Thank you, my brave boy" said the
Colonel, graspng his hand, "thank you.
Go out and wool some scalawag and then
come and take dinner with me"
HE WENT
Wilson went out, and after walking
about, meditating, went into a saloon.
Pretty soon there was terrific commotion,
and shortly afterward Wilson, limping
painfully, came out and fastened as best
he could to the Office The Colonel was
waiting for him.
"Wby, my dear fellow, what is the mat
tcrf' the colonel exclaimed
Wilson sat down. Il have had a siege
said he ''an awful siege, but j fear that it
was the other fellow that established the
intereStinG identity | went into n saloon