The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1893-04-25

One of the writer's earliest and most
treasured newspaper recollections is
that of General Lucien Eastin, of
Glasgow. For many years he was
editor and publisher of the journal in
that historic old town hard by the
hanks of the Big Muddy.
He was also credited with having
printed the first newspaper in Kansas.
His printing Office was sheltered by a
huge elm tree, and his subscribers
were obtained among the rowing red
children of the plains. 1t is unneces-
sary to even intimate that the de-
linquents among them were never
pestered by this young faber-slinger
Of the frontier, and they went to their
happy hunting grounds, still in arrears
for that elm tree journalistic enter
prise.
As a specimen of noble manhood.
physically and morally, Eastin' s
counterpart would be hard to find
in any profession in Missouri
to-day. He stood quite six feet in
height, he was portly and massive.
and his white beard fell in Homeric
fashion far down his breast. His
presence was at once winning and
commanding.
TheGeneral YVES not gifted writer.
but he bad the native newspaper in
stinct, especially for country Journal
ism. HIS editorial page was strong.
reliable and interesting. The journal
was always a welcome exchange in
every sanctum and in thousand house-
holds, not so much. perhaps, because
of any unusual merit it possessed, but
simply by reason of the charming
personality of its editor and his ex-
tensive fraternal acquaintance.
General Eastin was for term or
two president of the old Missouri
Press association, when il numbered
many of the foremost writers and
publishers in the West. There was
Barrett, Blair, Garrett, Eakin. Swift
Ter, Reagan, Carter, Hutton, Turner,
Thompson, Tom Carter, Phipps. Buck
Kelley, Knott. Walden, J. Il. Will
liams, Gillespie, Boucher. Ed. Ca
ruthers, Eugene and Rose Field, Tom
Lingle, Thad Gardner, Theo. Fisher,
Charmichael, James +. Payne, Pat.
DOMAIN, Leseuer, David Nation, the
Camerons, Lewis Lamkin, Bob San
didge and host OF others-sOme liv
ing and others dead these many DAYS.
With his lovely old-fashioned wife
"a woman of engaging manners and
delightful personality-the General
attended regularly the annual meet
ings of the Missouri editors.
But those days and years have be-
come only a record and remembrance
of the past, and in the same plot of
ground repose the ashes Of this grand
old couple. who loved with an ardent
love their friends of the paste-pot and
quill.
Isaac n. Houck, who did the most
of his newspaper work in Fayette,
Howard county, was a practical printer
and for many years, a trenchant edi-
torial writer. He was tall, slim,
sandy-haired, sandy-bearded, and care
less about his attire. His disposition,
journalistically, was pugnacious, and
he lacked discretion in many things.
He could fight an enemy bitterly,
though he thereby deprived himself
of useful and pleasant friendships.
Houck, at heart, was really demo-
crat, though his political career varied
as weather-vane. He was anything,
from a mOssback bourbon to crank
independent.
The writer remembers an unpleas-
ant and yet notable incident, in which
Houck and Senator George G. Vest
were principals. 1t was during the
campaign when Mr.. Cleveland and
the lamented Thos. A. Hendricks
headed the democratic presidential
ticket.
Mr.. Vest, in the presence of Mr..
Hendricks and an enthusiastic audi
ence, at the old court housein Boonville,
one night, was in the midst of one
of his greatest effort. Hendricks.
who sat near the judges bench, at
times became almost convulsed at the
anecdotes and humorous portrayals of
the Little Giant" from Missouri.
Presently Mr.. Vest made some
statement which greatly offended the
Fayette editor, who, considerably
heated by Vine Clad liquor and the
density of the crowd, rushed at Mr..
Vest with the unmistakable intention