South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1892-01-22
Watterson's First, Take.

The last time Coloneli y nster-
son was here says the New York
Star he told story about his ex-
perience in Cincinnati:
l arrived ia Cincinnati one blux-
'ering winter night, be said. Z
was a ragged. hungry stranger.
Just out OF the Confederate army.
l had inst enough money TO paw
Tor a nights lodging, How welt
| remember wandering abont thu
streets OF the city. wondering what
the next day would bring me- {
oelieved had ability as a journal.
Isl and was satisfied that II I Ind
opportunity | could prove Il r
was In the act several times Of an
terlng the different morning news
paper offices and applying for work.
ont | was 80 down hearted that I
did not have the coura ze 10 d l;so (
| took good sleep that night sod
oid not get Up until late next day.
My case Was desperate ono.
and felt that | must SECURE en-.
pIoyment. | never felt mora d..
termined in my life. felt a II T
would face without culver. thu
sternest editor in the land. Ia
this frame OF mind started oat to
make tour of the different Office.
AT the first Office the editor. in
a blunt way, told me his staff WA
crowded, and then r,sumed hi,
work. visited al the newsn,
pers with. the same result -ex.a,,t
the Times. That paper b.d
large job printing office attachs
10 II, which did a great deal Of
theatrical printing ] aIso motto.
ed fh,.t the paper bad a miserablv
written dramatic column called
on Col. Stsrbnck, tho editor and
proprietor, and asked if there
were any vacancies on ms staff
there are never any vacancies
on a good newspaper, Bat there a.
always room for a good man sail
the colonel sbalJ never forget
that reply and it is one that hava
always madesto applicants -o1 the
Courier Journal I told C.oI
Starbusk that | could Improve
upon bis dramatic column AMI
proposed to write it for nothing Il.
ne would give me % per cent com.
mission on al the printing and
advertisements secured from the
theatres. lie declined the promo.
sItIon. As | was about 10 leava
nc said be would give me SIo
week to perform that service.
immediately found myseIf r'eb
! ,oid him | y ouId accept IL. BE
told me that | must not feel Of
tended IT ct the end of the wal
he found 1 did not suit. I knew T
would suit for knew the foII ex.
tent of my abilities aud I tod him
u L was not competent. I shonld
consider it an ofense if be did noe
discharge me. ~
This.was tbs first Of Tia ~o.s
and | started IN that day. I navev
undertook q t. Elk With more euth1.
slasm. | attended the theatres
every night. Before the emf ~
the week Col. Starbuck franklv
expressed bis approval. On Sat.
urday afternoon l went 10 the
theatres TO collect the money for
printing and advertising due tba
TINES At the National Theatre
AFTER collecting the money. I WA
haoded an envelope addressed -
me. Supporting it contained an
item OF news or ticket, but Il n
my pocket unopened. At Pike,a
another envelopes hearing my name
was presented to me, aud the Same
thing occurred at Woods Theatre
When l returned TO the offica Z
opened the envelopes aud found
that those presented 10 me ~ fbe
National and at Pike's each con-
tanned El0. The Que received a.
Woods coD'aIned IS. I tendared
nm the money. lie said That 4
did not belong. to him, aud he
would net accept It. I said Il car
teiniy did not belong to me ard
that | would not accept Il. I re-
turned the donation t0 the tba.t-
neal managers They said the
money bad been gwen in consids-
ration OF the favorable notices
had given their performances.
Colonel Starbuc< short TINA
'ttofwards male me manaw;n~
editor.