The morning call., 1891-12-27

BIS START IN LIFE.
Robert Bonner Tells How He Be.
gan His Business Career.

- at the age OF 10 | was an apprentice In
the Office Of the Hartford Courant. The
first year l received $50 and was advanced
SO year during the five years l remained
In the office. The paper was printed in the
morning. There was a railroad between
New York and New Haven this was from
1889 to 1S44) but there was no railroad be-
tween Hartford and New Haven. The type
Of the newspaper was set up the previous
day for the mornings paper, leaving space
of four or five inches for a postscript 10
case somebody's barn burned down, or
there was meeting OF the Common Council
During the evening the editor would write
up few paragraphs to fill this space. Two
men were in the habit of getting at the
office in the morning at o'clock, setting up
this matter, and. at o'clock, they would
put the paper 10 press and work off the
edition This men were paid. Yankee
| shilling 16b cents an hour. They arrived
| at the office at o'clock in the morning and
| worked extra time until Z.
las boy, that was the only opportunity
! had to get OyerwOrk. l was rather am
| bilious and l would get up early and go to
| the office in the morning. l was not paid
anything for it. but l wanted to see the
men work at the press and so get some
| knowledge OF the press-work.
zone of the men would say to me: Wont
| you go and get pail of water?' | would
| answer: Yes, l will get pail of water for
| you If you will show me how to lock up
FORM Robert, will you wash that roller
Tor me" Yes, II you will show me how to
| feed the press
=. when | was quite young I read two
| lines written by Ralph Waldo Emerson,
and l can say that they have had their eff
feet on my character all through life: "Oh,
| discontinued man, whatever you want pay
the price and take it, Gle, OF course, re-
| ferred 10 virtue and character more than he
| did to dollars. l wanted to get knowl-
| edge of the printing business, and l was
| willing to pay price for the Information.
would wash the roller for one. and for an
| other get n pail of water at the pump out
| side on the sidewalk.
After awhile one of these men wild
man was his nance was going to leave and
| go to his brothers office in New Haven !;
| bis brother was one of the publishers of the
| Palladium. The proprietor of the Courant
| said to him: Henry, you cannot 90 until
you get some one to take your place. You
know that there Is no one else but you that
| understands the press-work.' Henry said
to him: Robert understands 1t as we'll as |
DO, The proprietor wanted to know how
that could be, saying: He (RoherO never
got any pay for doing such work. Then
| Henry told him the circumstance of my be-
| Ing up there early every morning.
The proprietor then sent for me and
| asked me if l would like to have the job
and get a shilling an hour for extra time
AS matter OF course was delighted. In
| way l. COuiu IHdkb ABOUT Do q week
| overwOrk. That was a great deal more to
me than $1,000 week is to-day.
This is the way came to leave the
Courant office: could set type and make
up the forms. One day the foreman said to
me, Come. Robert, let us hurry up or we
will be late.' That was the first word of
fault-tnding that had ever been offered to
me. 1 turned to him and said: MIR. Wet
more. can set more type than you can, and
make up the forms besides. l have done it
every day. l went down to the proprietor
and complained of tho foreman finding fault
with me. was very sensitive about the
matter. He said: 'Oh, Robert, know you
are all right; You mustn't MUD
After my apprenticeship expired l
worked for eight weeks as a journeyman
The foreman spoke to me again about some
thing. The real secret of it was that he was
little jealous of me. l then went down.
stairs and Informed the proprietor that
would not work any longer III the Office, and
then left for New York.
I'm New York was assistant foreman