The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1893-10-14
THE mUSCIau'S STORY.

eS, uOn KNOW DuL Wllut inc COL
onel is right; we see some very curious
things in this profession of ours. ! am
often tempted to think that it would
make "a very interesting story il a reporter
would some time simply write out IN ac-
count Of single days experiences and
tell all he sees without adding even
tinge of romance. First Of all the very
variety Of the life has certain charm
for the uninitiated, who have an idea
that it must be delightful to be behind
the scenes in everything, as they like to
put it. As though it was always pleas
ant to see things stripped OF all romance
Now, il is right there that take issue
with what the colonel has just said. II
is not well TO have everything laid bare.
/ would rather have some Of the gilt left
on my gingerbread. | want n little ro-
nance in mine | would like TO go all
through life and have some Of the illu-
sions of youth left when get through;
and here | am not yet thirty, not by
several years, and the few ideals that /
managed to bring with me through col
lege have been escaping ever since so
fast that / have hardly been able To see
them go. That's why am tempted to
quit journalism thanks, mean the
newspaper business, OF course. Now |
have story to tell that illustrates the
point ] am making. Talking is not much
in my line, however, and / have often
thought ought to write what have TO
say. Still, if somebody will stand mug
of ale, III tell it anyway. Thanks,
Judge, here's to you, and here goes.
Well, to begin with, | suppose you
boys all remember that fellow Harrington
who died n couple of weeks ago and had
such q big funeral. The papers gave
good deal of space to il at the time,
for his family amount to good deal,
even If he didn't, peace to his ashes. He
was pretty lively youth, and they do
say that the way he made the patcrnal
ducats fly was caution to fathers, aud
I've no doubt he has furnished the text
for many sermon to wayward youth
since he left us. He set n fast pace and
long, but he had n good time while it
lasted. The way | came to get onto his
story was n very natural one.
The day after he died our editor called
me into his room and told me he
wanted me to do the funeral and to give
il good write up, you know.
''He never did anything particular"
remarked the man of the shears and paste
pot, "but his father was friend of the
governors so guess we can stand about
half a column if you can get it in early
enough. The ceremony is Mt . o'clock
You can write your stuff up IN the organ
loft, and if you have one of the boys
come up there after your copy you
ought to be able to get good story
down in time for the second edition.
There's nothing on the book for you
this evening, so you needn't come back
to the Office
II was great show, and ! ilatter
myself that we had fairly good account
Of it that afternoon. Pretty much ali Of
the West End was there, and | could
have filed half column with the names
Of prominent people in the congregation
If had wanted to.
was through my work and had my
work on its way TO the office long before
the ceremony was over. but | stayed on
because | wanted to see just how far the
minister would go in his remarks about
the rest of it is all well enough, but |
think they carry it too far sometimes
Then, you know, up at that church they
have an organist who can fairly make
that big organ of his talk, and cry, too,
when he feels that way; and like moth
ing better than to sit up there in the
loft when he is playing away SO that he
fairly forgets that there is anyone else in
the church. After the congregation is
all gone he sits there by the hour and
plays to himself as though it was his
only pleasure and solace in life.
He's a queer old chap. don't sup.
pose he ever had much fun out of life,
but somehow like him, and every time
/ am sent up there TO report the Bishops
sermons, | make it point to stay awhile
afterward with my old friend. could
stay there for hours and hear him talk
to me with his music. There is hardly
ever anything lively or hopeful about
il, but il touches me in some sensitive
place, and makes me feel sure that there
is some story in his life. IL only one
could get at 1t. IL would make a good
special, | know, and am going to try
TO get it, sometime. lie has no family
Of that | am certain. but somehow he
seems to take the greatest interest IL
young people, and I've noticed that h,
always played his best at weddings. IL,
does not often talk much. but that day
after every one had gone got him start
ed by asking him if he had known any
thing about the young man who wa
dead. A. first he did not seem incline,
to talk, but, finally, after he had beef
wandering over the keys for some time
making music that was indefinitely sad
as IL il were full Of tender memories, h
turned part way about on bis stool an,
told me story that shall never forge,
do not know whether IL was true, bu
at any rate il was worth the hearing. f.
it taught me lesson that was worth III
learning. 1t showed me that there ar
two ways at least OF looking at the sam
thing and who can say which is II
better wayi