Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1892-01-22
DIR LIGHTNING JERRY.

Il am Lightning Jerry; I'm a typo
graphical tourist and | want to throw
in case or rush up few sticks il
order to get something TO eat" Tn,
country editor completed the sub head
"A Bucket Brigade Wanted, in pro
found article on The Pro .perity o.
Our Town, and looked up at the indi
vldual who had invaded his sanctum.
The visitor, who very much resembled
the venerable chap who posed for the
picture on the ST. Jacobs oil labels
continued: Il am not one OF the COM
mon prints who wander up and down
the country, but have worked in every
state and territory in the Union during
my forty years experience and pill
grimage." lie also volunteered the
information that ho could be 'holding
cases on one Of the leading morning
papers of the country were it not so
that electric lights went back on his
eyes" and added that he never
drank anything" The editor seemed
TO be little skeptical on the latter
point; at least he said: We'll, Light
ming, we are little rushed now (the
country editor always says we, and
can give you a job for a month, or UNI
til you get drunk. Go to the restau-
rantaround the corner and get square
meal, and when you come back we
will give you something to do" Thus
was an engagement made that lasted
nearly six weeks.
Old Lightning was verify n jewel.
He couldn't put up as much typo
perhaps, as he could have done shirty
years ago. but he set clean proof
and spaced superbly. He would quar-
rel with the copy. OF course. and that
frisky contributor, "Horny-Handed
GrSnger," who advocated mangel-
wurzels as food for stock, was his pet
aversion. The idea. he said. 'of
this old crank, who doesn't know how
to plant potatoes, except in the
columns OF a newspaper, wanting to
make stock food of roots just because
they have got a name that is on
hinges! Mangel-wurzels indeed! They
don't contain any oil and wine and
would't put flesh on anything. Corn,
wheat and other grain arc the only
proper food for animals" He was
also little severe on correspondents
who underscored every third or fourth
word, put 'howling points" at the end
OF every line and make break -lnes'
in the middle of sentences. "Whv is
1t y he would petulantly inquire. that
folks who haven't sense enough to
ride in a covered wagon imagine that
they can write something worth read
ing for newspaper"
He had a rich fund OF "reminiscences
and spoke as Familiarity of Horace
Greeley James Gordon Bennett
not the fellow" he always explained,
who owns the yacht and other
great newspaper men OF the old school.
as If they had been old chums of his.
His admiration for ''Old Matte Van
Buren," was intense. while he regarded
John Van Buren, as "a chip off the
old block, although q little wild"
His stock OF anecdote in regard to
country newspapers was largo and
varied and would have made him
wealthy. II it had only been hay.
which could be sold at three dollars
per ton. He said: THE toughest lay
out ever struck was down in Arkan-
sas in 81. The display type was
kept in smoking tobacco sacks, which
were hung on nails around the room"
He pronounced the editor of that paper
the ''best short hand speller and long
writer" he ever except
you" he added, in order to keep down
any feeling of jealousy that might
arise in the bosom OF the editor adj
dressed. He also visited 1.-The office
out West where they used billy-goat
Tor press and explained deliberately
how an impression was taken. The
form was placed against the wall n
sheet Of paper was put on it and a
certain 'monkeying of fingers by the
devil. T" the goat was induced to strike
i with his head. This naturally set
the press" back on his launches and |
gave the pressman chance to remove |
he printed copy and put on another
sheet They used an old goat for
The paper and sale bills and a kid for
visiting cards" he explained, and
'hOy mSfO Oho ShCdpS5b presses ever |
Jaw, too as it didn't cost anything to
Keep them. for they kept fat on old |
exchanges and empty ink cans"
Many tramp printers claim to have
'een this printing outfit and. no doubt
{ existed.
The old man was sincere devoted /
" the art preservative, and always
placed the business at the head. He
great attempt for the ''blaclS-
miths" who got out some OF the ex-
'hanges and spoke OF the good old
lays, when the 'cub put in two years
n washing and caring for rollers" A
'oung man, who was cashier OF bank.
Iad natural fOndness for the print
RS trade and possessed very excel
ent taste. He used to come into the
flee and set up jobs merely for prac-
Ice and amusement Lightning at
rst resented this but when he saw
be class OF work be could do, he
,rmed quite liking for him One
sy he broke the young man all up
v remarking with>great earnestness:
See here. young fellow. you are silly
n fooIing away your time In bank;
Oh would make a good printer.
Rt1t the fifnr finally cama urhan tha | ,