Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-04-13
"REDDY'S' REVENGE.

The scene was small Missouri town on
Che Mississippi river. n tribe more than ono
hundred miles north Of 81 Louis; the time
well. not twenty years ago. WINS just
out OF mytcens, and had a tolernble knowl.
edge Of the printing business. Il was pres.
idential year. aud heated campaign was
ON. was publishing six column folio
morning paper set In long primer. The
use OF material aud press rcnted from
ono Of the two wcckllcs Of the town. Tho
Star u withhold the true nsne) was issued
N morning sheet because ! was able to
procure tho ST. Louis evening paper by
express between II aud ~ o'clock u. m. on
the day Of their publication. and by IN
dicious use Of the shears gave our little
public late telegraph news several hours
Ia advance Of the arrival of the next morn.
ing'- city papers. This was my ilr.t-nnd
lnstli)-faklng. Service by wire was out
OF the question.
was proprietor. editor. rcportorial staff
and general hustler Of The Star. The
force consisted ~ three young men, one
OF whom performed the duties Of foreman
and makeup, aud an apprentice. We
knew nothing Of unionism, aud ia "chapt.
meeting" had been mentioned we would
have started n hymn or taken up n collcc
ton.
one September afternoon. as was pre-.
pairing TO 70 forth In the capacity " ~.
porter. the foreman pokcd hls head into
the room which country editors dell ght to
call the "sanetun." aud sai,li
TON Just sent down word that he's got
aohill aud can't work tonight. ldon't SEQ
how wen hll her up unless you vet con.
siderable type yourself"
Don't believe | can do much, Abe"
replied. "Pvc got 10 attend the Grassy
Greek meeting, aud can't ret bick before
10 o'elock. do the best you can. and we'll
I'LL up with nils. from the weekly"
went TO the meeting, which was a big
blowout for The stars candidates When
Il was over drove tn town ~ East M a dna
regard for life aud limb would permit. It
lacked Just ten minutes 81 10 as 1 rushed
into the Office, exclaimlngi
ABE. you and Hank work away on that
local news, and III set the meeting from
my note-''-not an unusual proceeding
with mo In those days
threw on my coat and turned 10 the
corner OF the room In which the weekly
frames stood. where | expected 10 ind u
pair Of full oascs, wns astoundcd, TO state
II mildly, nj what ] saw. Prchcd upon
the only decent stool tho Office afforded,
~ithmy sweetbriar pipe Ia his mouth. was
n stranger. lie was distributing long
primer at high rate ~ speed
] can close my eyes aud sec him now.
He was the first ~ his Kind I ever Jaw. and
he impressed me NJ that shall never for.
get him. lie was nearly six fcct In height
-as learned When he got oil the stool
with round shoulders, age, somewhere he
tween thirty and hfty. Ills hair, which
hadn't associated with u pair " shears for
at least six months, was of that shade
which the boys always spoke of NJ r,,l, aud
his flrr was nearly covered with shaggy
beard and mus,ache of the same hue.
On one foot was n boot. ON the other
shoe, both badly down NJ the heel and
IA rusty rs n harndoor hinge. lll- tron.
sers. which were Enthusiastically frlngtd at
the bottom. were held up 10y one "gallus"
made OF bed ticking WAistc0at he had
none. His coat, which hung at the end Of
the frame, was double breasted frocs
that had once-nye or ak years before |
Hiw it--lcen n handsome garment, but IL
hal changed with Year,. How IL did
shinel On QUO side there was nm ontirc
absence Of buttons. On tho other side
were two, one cloth covered and one Of
black horn, nearly ~ large ms a silver dol.
lar. ! discovered later that when lie want
ell TO button this wonderful coat aud
"hrncc up n. he called IL, hc used two
little hickory skgwers US substitutes for
the absent buttons.
As completed my survey Of this queer
looking Individual he tossed the last letter
IN his hand into the cap q box. turned
on the stool, pulled cloud Of missouri
Tugs" smoke half across tho room, aud
giid In great primer yoicoi
''Ilullo, bossl You've been Sid tonight,
nnd I'm ON extrns. amt much on good
looks, I'm little of my feet Just now;
but | eau stand type on end fastcr'n u
foundry can east Il, and | haven't seen n
proof since got out o. my time. Want to
bee my cardN
didn't know just what reply to make TO
this odd speech, but after hesitating u mo.
mcnt said Yes"
lie reached for that wonderful double
breasted froek, and diving down into the
skirt pocket drew forth what had once
been piece Of white bristol board, about
the size Of an ordinary business card.
Though it had held lta own on size aud
was still bristol. II looked ~ II It had re-
oeiye, an impression from heavily linked
tint block representing u North river fog.
Minus the tint here Is the card