The morning call., 1893-05-28

EA Il give you truthful account OF those
unique occurrences which made
that journal so famous.
As 1t was occupied the same room with the
City Editor, sat opposite him at the same
leather-covered table.
1t had been a weary, weary night for him,
and could see by the lines between his eyes
that he felt discouraged.
And in all consciousness had little blame
for him. for things did go all 10 skies and
seVens that night. The wonder is that we h al
as good a local paper in the morning as "the
old man" himself gave us credit for.
The trials OF the City Editor had ben many
He had sighed over the police reporters copy
when he saw that the dramatic point OF the
story lad been slurred over in favor OF min
ute description of.the pistol and lengthy argu-
ment as TO the exact time ''the fatal bullet en-
tered the skull" / heard him groan aloud
when the Board of Trade man turned in a
column OF routine aad two "sticks" OF the per-
sonal quarrel between the President ana Trea s.
urer. l can say feelingiy that he almost wept
when he read the waterfront copy. 1tgave ten
lines to The sufferngs of four men imprisoned
on an Iceberg and half a column 10 descrip-
tion of the armor-plate for fenoyatlng an old
cruiser.
Once or twice tried to cheer him up bit by
pointing out happy sentence OF the baseball
.
humorist. But it was no use; he was bound to
be gloomy.
II don't see how the old man can expect US
TO keep ahead of the Enunciator when he limits
US to this kind OF reportorial material" he
said, petulantly.
And 1t didn't smooth his humor much when
reminded him that we were getting out the best
local paper In town, as even the business office
admitted.
ut all comes right down to this, Mr.. - Qhe
City Editor always addressed me as "Mister"
when things were going wrong; "either the old
man has got to give US better local material or
I'm going 10 give up the ship.
You know what l wdnt-men who don't have
10 be told everything and who know a good
story when they see il and know how TO make the
most OF il when they have 1t. The day has gone
by for the encyelop dlcal aud statistical news
taper. l w0n'l run d local sheet like the Enun-
clator, ana thals what we're drifting into. I've
got my own reputation 10 think Of"
BY he lime had pointed out 10 him that our
staff comprised the best talent in the city and
was paid as well as newspaper men are paid
anywhere In the West, The nights WORK was
overland the last page of copy read, the fore
man was locking up the last form, aud the City
Editor leaning back iu his chair a-thnklng and
a-GhlnLing.
: To the rat, tat, tat OF the mallet on the type
pIduoT uc ClONeu HIS eyes. dnu SO lar as i cOulQ
see. went off into dreamland.
L left him seated thus, knowing that the
Night Editor would rouse him when The forms
had gone down.
SO much OF the occurrences OF thar evenlful
night can vouch for What Is now TO follow
must refer you 10 the City Editor himself for
proof as it was himself who told me them, and
L have put Them down IN as nearly his own
words as could remember. Said he 10 me:
II must have been nodding, l guess, when
you went home; for little later, when the
Managing Edi or came In, lie had to rap on the
desk to attract my attention.
1.-Two distinguished looking gentl men were
with him. He Dade them both have seats, and
then to'd me he had been speaking to the Old
man aJout my troubles, aud had advised HIN
to give me free scope In employing the very
best men thai money could procure. He gave
me little taffy about the good local paper we
were getting out, and said tile old man appre-
ciated our efforts. and that alter coDsulta ion
give me carte blanche, in the management of
The local department. 1 was To pay any salaries
necessary and secure The very best material in
the void.
" The old man had settled on this policy,
the Managing ditOr SAID, and was willing TO
give the fancv-pliced Talent six months trial.
If, at the end of that time l still Complained, lie
something lacking IN the City Editor.
"'These TWO gentlemen,' said the Managing
Editor, whose services have already been able
10 secure for you will be al your command from
now on. Allow me 10 Introduce 10 you Mr..
Thomas Hardy, late OF London, England, nd
hi. Jules Vernon, French winter
"'Oui City Editor, gentIemen.'
"Botn gentlemen rose. alI. Hardy stroked
his long, thin musIacne. and inclned his head
n
double.
"Of course. was a little bit surprised, but was
too much eeiighted at the good news to ponder
much Oh its sIraugeness. Besides | knew how
eccentric the old man was sometimes.
81 shook hands with both The new men and
complinented etch little. You know that's
my way with new men. | told Nit. Hardy thai |
had read some of his work already and thought
it quite clever. NJ. Vernon seemed pie eased when
] SAID had heard his name mentioned as being
that Of very good writer.
lyon see,' said the Managing Editor, the
Noeiferator is going 10 lead in Western Journal
ism. Perhaps you'tl find these gentlemen lit
lie rusty III news-gatbefing, but We don't care
Tor thai, you know. What thr newspaper OF
Today wants are features, stories of dramatic
interest in everyday lie. humorou, scenes and
tales OF the unique and uncommon occurrences
which are nowadays so common The Manag-
ing Editor smiled AT his own wit and after as
suring me that William Dean Howells aud
Hdmlin Garland, Frank Stockton, Pierre Lott,
Henry James. Frances Hodgson Burnett,
Robert Louis Stevenson, Rudyaid Kipng and
w. Ciaik Russell had all signed contracts and
would be on in a few days he wish me luck
with the new staff and said 'good-night.'
'Of course went home jnbilant. l thought
II was particularly nne stroke In scouting
Mrs. Burnett local staff needs female re-
porter. you know. and good ones are so hard to
gei What touching scenes of low lf she would
write! What yatheic pictures of the wrongs
and abuses of The mill girls she could get upi
And then, James! He would be an invalu-
able man. The society column should no
longer be dull and dry, for Henry James keen
VIII and satire were proverba.
''Thomas Hardy would make the model
police reporter. | had no doubt but his pen
alone would be sufficient o make the Vocifera-
Tor famous. And there was W. Clark Russell; !;
be should do the water front; the very man for
the place.
Frank Stockton should be he court re-
porter What unique romances would he
weave out OF the tiresome criminal trials and
civil hearings! Stevenson would make the
best detective reporter. reflected. He should
run down all the mysterious murders aud abb
duclions.
IL would tut HoweIls out on street scenes
used on all kinds OF work as occasions de-
m nded.
"Pierre Lott should run the military and
naval columns and Rudyard kipling could
grind oul good short stories. He should write
a plp., a. Ii a..