The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-03-05
Didn't Know the ~Ed,oms..


After an hours talk the editor said that he
would board me and give me IS in cash for the
week, and IL l suited and seemed to fill the
place we would make some arrangement for
the future, says the Chicago Journal The first
thing brought in and wrote up was an article
headed: "A Close Call-Atteulpt to Shoot the
Postmaster" handed the copy to the editor,
and he read about half a page and threw it
into the waste basket
! III was afraid of that" he observed as he
turned 70 me. You see, a stranger cannot
know the idioms of town"
Il fail TO see any ldiom about that" replied
IL a clear case Of attempted murder"
Great mistake my boy, great mistake. The
man who did the shooting is my brothsr-in-
law. who owns half this office. Considerable
idtom about that. I should say Besides. any
citizen Is liable 70 shoot at the postmaster any
day. It's a sort OF privilege we enjoy
went out and skrmished around again. and
had the good luck TO drop into q saloon just as
row started. One man was stabbed and two
more had their heads broken. made about q
quarter OF column OF this affair and handed in
my copy.
UNI Row down at the Bald Eagle saloon.
emf' muttered the editor. Sam Andrews
stabs q mani"
YES, sir"
"And Tom Keni and Joe Sharp are badly
hurti"
Eyes, SIR"
''It's no good, 4" he said, as he tossed the copy
aside. II owe sam 500 borrowed money, and
Tom and Joe are regular subscribers. Besides
that, haven't we got half column ad Of the
Bald Eagle on the second pager That's another
idiom. my boy. was afraid you would make
failure OF Il. d"
was down at the heel, and / wanted that
place bad. l went out and wandered around
again, and was on the hotel steps when the
stage came IN bringing the dead body of a
man named Pete Burbank. He had tried to
hold up the outfit and had been shot by one of
the passengers. | was writing this up under
three display heads when the editor came in
and asked:
"Well. what have you got hold Of nowi"
"Biz thing. Road agent tries to bold up the
Rossville stage and is shot dead. Body Just
been brought in.''
"Get his nameg"
"Yes; it's Pete Burbank"
Can I touch that item" he said, as he shook
his head in solemn manner. "Pete's a
brother Of our mayor, and the mayor has a
mortgage on this Office. He'd foreclose on me
quicker'n scat As l told you before, every
town has its own individual idioms and a
stranger is quite apt to walk on somebody's
reehnss How are you on politics?"
"Well, you might write me something on the
Mexican question"
That even ng handed him In half a column
on the situation" There was just them Bit
ter feeling along the border, owing 60 the raids
of Mexican cattle thieves, and fattered my
self That had touched things up in good style.
Sorry, my boy-very sorry" said the old
man, as he looked over the copy. "You say
here that these raids must cease or Texas will
rise in arms?"
Yes"
''And war may ensuey'
"Yes"
And you advise Texans TO demand satisfac-
ton at the point OF the bayonety'
"Ofcourse."
1T won't do" he said, as he dropped the copy
Into the waste basket. THE only bank we
have In town is owned by a Mexican, and I've
got to borrow $40 Of him to get the next bundle
of paper. II printed this article he'd shut
down on me and bust the concern. You see
every town has its idioms.''
us there anything in the town which hasn't
an idiom attached"
We'll yes; but being a stranger you proba-
bly, couldn't find IT, Sorry for you, and I'd like
to give you sit for a week or two, but you
see how it is. l expect Col. Joe King in to-
morrow with his mule train, and If you'd like
me to speak good word for you"
But I'd probably find another idiom In that"
I interrupted.
That's so, you might. Come to think of it,
Col. Joe King has killed five men, and he lives
With four squaw wives, and you'd probably he
Just burned idiot enough to ask him why he
didn't git religion and change his ways"