Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-05-06
"REDDY'S" REVENGE.

The scene was a small Missouri town on
the Mississippi river, a trfe more than one
hundred miles north of st. Louis; the time
well, not twenty years ago. | was just
out of my teens, and had tolerable knowl-
edge of the printing business 1t was pres
idential year. and a heated campaign was
on. was publishing a six column folio
morning paper set in long primer. The
use of material and press | rented from
one of the two weeklies of the town. The
Star q withhold the true nance was issued
as a morning sheet because | was able to
procure the st. Louis evening paper by
express between II and u o'clock D. IN. on
the day of their publication, and by a ju-
dicious use of the shears gave our little
public late telegraph news several hours
in advance of the arrival Of the next morn
ing's city papers. This was my first-and
last(0-faking. Service by wire was out
of the question.
/ was proprietor, editor reportOrial staff
and general hustler of The Star The
"force" consisted of three young men, one
of whom performed the duties of foreman
and makeup, and an apprentice We
knew nothingo of unionism, and if a "chapel
meeting" had been mentioned we would
have started a hymn or taken up collec
ton.
One September afternoon, as | was pre-
pairing to go forth in the capacity of re.
porter, the foreman poked his head into
the room which country editors delight to
call the "sanctum," and said;
tom just sent down word that he's got
a chill and can't work tonight. Idon't see
how Wen fill her up unless you set con
siderable type yourself"
Don't believe / can do much, Abe"
replied. give got to attend the Grassy
Creek meeting, and can't get back before
10 o'clock. Do the best you can, and wei
fiji up with ads. from the weekly"
went to the meeting, which was big
blowout for The Stars candidates WheI
it was over drove to town as fast as a due
regard for life and limb would permit. II
lacked just ten minutes of 10 as | rushed
into the Office eXclaiming;
abe, you and Hank work away on that
local news, and III set the meeting from
my notes"-not an unusual proceedin
with me in those days
threw off my coat and turned TO thu
corner of the room in which the weekly
frames stood, where | expected to find 4
pair Of full cuses. was astounded TO stat,
it mildly, at what / saw. Perched upoI
the only decent stool the Office afforded
with my sweetbriar pipe in his mouth wa
a stranger He was distributing Ions
primer at a high rate Of speed.
| can close my eyes and see him now
He was the first Of bis kind [ ever saw, an,
he impressed me so that / shall never for
1. ,gTf. clio in, 10.
as learned when he got of the stoel-
with round shoulders; age, somewhere be
tween thirty and fifty His hair, whicl
hadn't associated with Il pair Of shears 70
at least six months, was Of that shad
which the boys always spoke Of as red, an,
his face was nearly covered with shagg
beard and mustache Of the same hue.
On one foot was a boot, on the othe
a shoe, both badly down at the heel an
as rusty as blrudoor hinge. His trou
sers, which were inartistically fringed a
the bottom, we're held up 10y one 'gallus
made Of bed Sickiug Waistcoat he ha
none. His coat, which hung at the end q
the frame, was double breasted froc
that had ouce-ive or six years before
saw it-bcen a handsome garment, but
had changed with years. How it di
shinel On one side there was an entiT
absence Of buttons. On the other sid
were two, one cloth covered and one Z
black horn, nearly as large as "A silver do
lar. | discovered later that when he wan
ed to button this wonderful coat an
"brace up" as he called it, he used tw
little hickory skewers as substitutes fC
the absent buttons.
AS | completed my survey Of this quet
looking individual he tossed the last lettt
in his hand into the cap G box, turne
on the stool pulled a cloud Of "Missou
Tugs" smoke half across the room, an
said in great primer voice:
"Hullo, bossl You've been slid tonigh
and I'm on extras. amt much on goo
looks; Pm "A little of my feet just nov
but / can stand type on end EASTERN
foundry can cast it, and / haven't seen
proof since got out o. my time. Want
see my card"
l didn't know just what reply to make
this odd speech, but after hestating m
ment said Yes"
He reached for that wonderful dOub
breasted frock, and diving down into IL
skirt pocket drew forth what had ont
been a piece of white bristol board, aboJ
the size Of an ordinary business car
Though it had held its own on size an
was still bristol it looked as if it had T
ceived an impression from "A heavily ink'
tint block representing a North river 70
Minus the tint here is the card: