Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-05-28
RAW JOURNALISTS.
The Efforts Of Ambitious Young
Sters at interviewing.
Some Specimens of the Ridiculous Figures
Cut by the Journalistic Buds in
the Prese of Promi-
nent PerSonageS.

The.tests to which reporters stamina
Is at times put are often severe and
haught not always with success, says the
Chicago Post. Among them, one which
fairly tries the soul of the young one is
first assignment to interview some
prominent parsonage who has just ar
rived. 1t is seldom that any other in
structions are given to him.
''So-and-So's at the - hotel. Inter
view him for a column" says the city
editor. And the young man, who has
heard of the renowned visitor times
without number, will without doubt
Immediately forget all he ever knew
concerning the gentleman in question.
He will perhaps begin to feel that his
youthful ideas of Journalism were the
outgrowth not of sound Judgment but
of dreams superinduced by an overload
ed stomach. Pride, however, prevents
his resigning; and into the presence of
the great man he goes, his mind
blank, and with that empty feeling
which comes to one unaccustomed to
associate with celebrities.
During the recent visit of ex-United
States Senator Warner Miller to Chica-
on him at the Auditorium. The New
Yorker received him graciously and Of
fered him seat. The bud took it. His
mind was still blank and a pinch did
not start an idea. The silence was be-
coming a torture, when through the
open window came the voice of news
boy far below:
'tAn about Gen. Sherman dying"
not up ON politics. But he thought he
said:
Senator, do you think that the death
Of Gen. Sherman will materially change
the complexion Of Ohio politics?"
The establishment that came into the
senator's face at the question was inn
mediately chased away by smile as he
replied that he hardly thought it would.
The bud thanked him and withdrew.
Several years ago when Ben Butler
arrived in the city another bud was dis
patched to see him. He found the gen.
eral smoking in the center of his room at
the Grand Pacific hotel, gazing with one
eye through the jackson street window
and with the other through the window
that faced Clark street. The young
bud was attacked by stage fright, but
after bit he collected himself enough
to ask the general the popular question
of the day:
"What, general, do you think of Kel's
purchase by the Bostons?"
The general surveyed the bud with
his left eye, and in a severe tone in
quired:
"Who in thunder is Kel?''
Deeming himself unequal to the task
Of coping with such ignorance, the bud,
| suddenly recovering his self-possession,
! bowed stifhy and, without deigning to
| answer, withdrew.
When Hamilton Fish last came to
| Chicago another bud from the same pa
per, CHANGING to be the only reporter
| available, was sent to tap the distin-
| guished person This bud managed to
retain his self-possession, but he was
not well acquainted with his victim,
whose active career antedated his own
by nearly a quarter Of a century Mr..
| Fish was in decidedly uncommunica-
tive mood, and to a dozen queries he
returned monosyllablic replies. This
| ended the buds store of questions, and
| he turned to go, when thought struck
| him.
| "Mr. Fish, he 1nnOcently inquired,
stwere you ever in politics."
The question struck Mr.. Fish with
the force of an electric shock. He sprang
to his feet and, with mingled wrath.
amazement and disgust pictured in his
| face, cried:
"Wha-a-t? Was I ever in politics.
Why, young man, was once vice presi-
dent of the United States.''
| And, like the guests of Macbeth, the
bud stood not upon the order of his go
ing, but vanished with the echo of the
/ Numbered words.