The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-02-02

1t Wa, Good Joke. but His Astronomy
Was OF.

1t Was Good Joke. but His Astronomy
Was OF.
! He was very young man. That was
shown by the nervous way in which he
fondled the misplaced eyebrow which
! his sister termed his mustache. But there
was light in his eye which proved that
he realized the seriousness of life.
/ He entered the editors Office in hes
itating sort of way, which seemed to in
dictate that he had a poem concealed
upon his person.
We'll, young man." said the editor
after his visitor had been induced to sit,
''what can do for you this morning.
81 came in to see you about ABOUT
an idea, sir. that-that came into my
head this morning while NASHVILLE l
was riding down to my Office" replied
the youth. DO you care for ideas, sirg"
''Once in awhile we do the editor
replied. "Of course in these times men
can get along without them, but occa-
sionally, if they happen to be real and
not ideal ideas, we do not mind hearing
about them"
Would you. mind telling me-" the
youth then said. putting his hand in his
inside pocket and half pulling out there
from small memorandum book, which
no sooner saw the light than it was
showed back into darkness again
"would you mind telling me if there is
any way in which an idea could be copy
righted?"
"Why do you wish it copyrighted"
the editor asked
'EWell-you know I'm new to this idea
business, and | don't know just how
safe | am IN submitting my wares to-
TOTO the people who-er-to the people
who buy such things. You can't sub
nit an idea without giving it away, you
know" he added with a smile, depre-
eating the glance of Indignation which
even he could see in the editors eye
"Well, what them" queried the WELD
er of the blue pencil. IF you give your
idea away, why do you want it copy
righted? Are you an Indian giver?''
The young man was startled. This
view of the situation had apparently
never occurred to him before, and SO
suddenly did it come upon him now that
he did not know whether to be impressed
by the editors logic or to be amused by
his joke.
"Why"- he said, and then he stopped.
81 don't know why" the editor OBJ
served quietly. "But you may submit
your idea to me with perfect IMMUNITY.
| admit am an editor, but I'm no brig
and, and your idea shall be as safe in
my hands as it would be if it were
guarded by platoon Of police armed to
the teeth and backed by the militia"
"Thank you," said the visitor, with o
glance of gratitude. You are very en-
couraging. may as well tell you that
if you like my idea may have others
indeed desire to have others, for /
really think the business is delightful
one, and | am, oh, SO tired Of the line l
am in now"
what is your Liner"
81 am messenger for Wall street
firm, but I'd infinitely rather go into
journalism if | could make it pay
Here" he said, looking nervously about
him to make sure that no one but the
editor was listening and letting his
voice drop to whisper-"here is the
scheme. was reading The Times as 4
rode down town this morning, and ]
found this"
Here he handed the editor clipping,
which read as follows:
sATURN's RINGS DISAPPEAR.
MADISON, Wis.-According to Professor
George @. Comstock, of the Washburn observ-
atory, in this city, the phenomenon of the dis
appearance of the rings of Saturn has just oc-
Cured.
"Well, what of it," asked the editor,
handing the clipping back to the visitor.
sit occurred to me that we might
make joke out of it, the youth replied
eagerly. Then he smiled as he added,
"You see it, don't you?"
Il can't say do returned the editor.
"Why, we might have Epson Downes
meet Chappie Hicks on the street, and
say, All, Chappie, see by the papers
that Saturn's rings have disappeared;
and then Chappie would say, 'Aw, same
old scheme to advertise a starch?
Pretty good, eh?'
luop AcJllIAc0 tnO CN1UOI
"Only one objection to it. Some idiot
would probably say that Saturn isn't
star but a planet"
''You wouldn't let little thing like
that stand in the way of good joke,
would your asked the visitor
81 wouldn't, eh? Well, Just would"
replied the editor.
''And you think I'd better stay as
messenger in Wall street,"
mo; I'd advise you to kill off all the
idiots, and then try the joke business
again"
But what'u | live on MEANWHILE"
asked the visitor family.
Cheek" replied the editor. 'You
have face full of it."
And the aspiring humorist passed sadly
out into the day.-Harper's Bazaar.
Photographic Painter.
~