The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-04-22
WATTERsON INFERvIn WRRs.
Once Credited With Three Pages of
Talk, Which He Did Not Utter.
L.. 81. lranhaaota.. D..

W - - - - 1890
Once Credited With Three Pages of
Talk, Which He Did Not Utter.
From the Washington Posi-.
Henry Watterson explained not long ago
ths reason for the profound aversion which
he holds for the practice of interviewing as
applied to himself. 1t is a well-known fact
among newspaper men that, until a com
psratively recent period, Mr. Watterson
was one of the most approachable of men.
His amiability was always a thing to be
commented on. With the men in his en-
ploy he has been and still is known as the
incarnation of kindness and good fello wship,
and there are numerous traditions in Louis
vile regarding the distinguished editors
little games OF draw on Saturday nights
with his reporters in the Courier journal
Office, latter the first edition was up" OF
late, however, Mr.. Watterson has exhibited
a distinct timidity when away from home
in the matter of receiving INTERVENE rs, and
has shrouded himself in an icy mantle like
unto that erstwhile worn by Mr.. Edmunds
of Vermont.
"As matter of fact said Mr.. Waiter
son q short time ago, when he was asked to
give the reason for his newly acquired I'M
penetTabillty, 81 never could see any reason
why the editor of a newspaper, visiting
bOulB OtuSA ClbJ Slltsl LIS " HLl1 btlOuku = GA-
pected to give in some other fellows words
his views on public questions. Until a
couple of years ago used TO say this in so
many words to the boys who sent their cards
up to my hotel room, and | would generally
tell them that when / had evolved any great
and heavy thoughts that l wanted the pub
lie to assist me 10 carrying l preferred TO
publish them in the columns OF my own
newspaper. They generally managed to
VI a "a column n n ha fau1 HaSs11-
tory remarks which would make, however,
and though I often had occasion to deplore
the solcltous idiocy OF my conversation as
reported in the newspapers, aud to wonder
whether was at last verging upon a paretic
state, could only grin and bear it.
JOURNALISTIC ENTERPRISE"
"A couple of years ago got the grip in
louisville and had to so TO bed. l wasn't
Oa my death-bed by long shot, but the ed
itor of certain New York newspaper
thought was. for be seut one of his men
down to Louisville to get the story OF the
fiIal shutting off. The young man was also
charged with the task of securing from me
in advance of my death a word of-mouth
account Of my life and works. was
propped up on pillows. full Of that tired
feeling which grip dltfuses. when the young
man came into the room. W hen he told
3Ine that he was good shorthand man, and
that be would take down from my lips q
verbatim account Of my journey from in
fancy to old age, just turned my face TO
the wall and didn't say q word. After q
while the young man got up, took his hat
and went out. This happened on Tuesday
and in two or three days was up and
about
wv hen Che edition for ths following Sun
day Of the New York newspaper by which
THIS ingenious young man was employed
reached Louisville almost had a relapse
Three pages OF the supplement were
devoted to an autobiographical account Of
my meteoric career, told in my own words,
and profusely illustrated with cuts, which
not only represented me as an imbecile
infant IN tho throes of summer COM
plant, and pictured my beauty as q boy
youth, man and patriarch, but illustrated
aud Illuminated many incidents in my life
OF which had previously been quite ig-
noraut. For example, | once told some one
IN burst Of confidence of my early musical
nominations, and Of how my parents had
decided that should become pienofore
vlrtuoso; how l had at one time met AIDE
Ina Patti, when, as young man, was
pursuing my studies in New York city, and
now had been compelled to abandon my
musical practice on account Of an In Jury TO
some Of my ingers-all of which was
true enough.
TIE UNSPOKEN INTERVIEW.
The New York reporter had gotten hold
OIL this framework and around it he erected
an ornate eiifice OF the renaissance period
that was something thrilling to see He
made me say in wishy >washy words, such
as men like Greek gods with long, wavy
mustaches' use in Mrs South worth's novels,
That | had fallen violently In love with
Mime Patti when l was quite boy and
That had never fully recovered from the
shock L experienced when found that my
suit was hopeless-that, in fact, had en-
tered the confederate army, with an intense
Eearning to be found on the battlefield face
upward to the stars. solely because Nine.
Ia ii wouldn't have me.
After had maundered on through two
pages OF the stuff about the tempestnous
events OF my own life | was supposed to
nave become dlscursive and began 10 talk
soout the limitations OF the infinite and @
lew little thinss like that. / joined issue
with The greatest men of this or Of any
otner age, In all countries and chimes, on
Tue subject OF the inspiration OF the Bible,
auu lett myself no religious ground to stand
uIon except the Confucian. Then | took
Whack at Mr.. Gladstone's home rule bill,
jumped upon my best friends i'll the Demo-
cratic party, expressed the firm conviction
that the south was about to appeal again to
arms, predicted that the pope would resume
temporal sway over Italy III three years,
hammered Bismarck on general principles,
aud finally flew at my own throat by swear
ing that the Louisville Courier Journal
was "a tizzle and 1iasco. on the brink Of
suspending publication, aud that it had
a.! been brought about by my own reckless
and criminal Encouragement.
The most disgusting part of the BUSH
ness was that all OF my friends in Louis
vllle and even the members Of my own
family, pretended to believe that l had
actually said all of this rot, aud for long
time afterward, when 1 came across these
friends, they would look at me In a sorrow-
Iul kind of way and say: Old man, you
are IN need OF rest. Hadn't you better go
TO the mountains Of Guatemala for few
yearsP
u write my own interviews now"
Catch q Tartar