Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1894-05-15
A BIT OF NEWS.

Write for The Timosl Do you i'm
agine you went to college for that? You
can't write )"
Have you ever given me the
chance?''
mo. But I know you couldn't I
dare say you've been counting on doing
this, eh?" The younger man bowed.
''And have been laying in n stock of
flowing rhetoric and fine spun theories, :"
the elder continued. ''Humph! The
Times wouldn't pay in months time
if we fed the public ON stuff of that sort.
What it wants is food of another kind. I"
whats to prevent my providing it
as we'll us the other writers on the staff?
Is my college education to be q draw
back to me? If it is''-
The sentence was left unfinished, and
the elder man silently returned to his
work of glancing over some copy spread
on the desk before him. When he had
finished the last page, he turned to the
| first and wrote ''m. e." across the top.
''What does that mean?' George
Stanton inquired.
''Those letters stand for must 60. {"
"Then whatever bears them goes?"
His uncle surveyed, him with q grim
smile lighting his face.
''It's apt to, :" he said dryly
"Then anything might write would
be printed, regardless of its merit, if
you so marked it?''
Certainly. But you must remember
that an uncle indulgent to faults and
the proprietor of this paper-a successful
business enterprise two distinct
personalities
(which YOU bear. understand. But
surely literary merit cuts some fgure?"
"Um-if the name of the writer who
possesses it is well known, it does"
''Not otherwise?"
The elder man shook his head en-
phatically. I've no use for 'em.'
''Why, that makes out the newspaper
of today a money making machine of
the lowest order" George Stanton ex-
claimed Indignantly. "The brains of
the concern are subservient to the bust
ness office. -
Exactly"
There was pause, during which the
younger man tipped back his chair
against the wall and gazed abstractedly
at the ceiling. At length he brought the
legs of the chair to the floor with en-
phasis.
"I still maintain that it isn't fair
that 1 shouldn't be given n trial, J." he
remarked
''I suppose you've got batch of
manuscripts all ready to fire at me. :"
The nephew's face flushed. ''I thought
so. Well, don't want 'em. Now, see
here. What this paper wants isn't rhet-
oric, it isn't eloquence, it isn't philoso-
| ply, it isn't literary merit, as you call
/ it. It's just hfe-plain, everyday life.
1 wouldn't publish the most beautiful
flight of fancy that was ever written.
I've no use for that sort. But life
things near, local, 'personal-give me
those. If you keep your eyes and ears
open, you'll find more tragedy in one
| block of San Francisco than in the whole
of Shakespeare. "
'Then you give me the cllance?"
Frederick Stanton hesitated. cts
open to you the same as it is to all, +" he
replied indifferently. 'You would be
paid for space work at our regular rates,
providing we accepted it. Mind you, I
don't say I'll take what you write. -
'But if it suits you'll m. g. it?''
eff it suits" the other repeated a
little sarcastically, with a movement
which closed the interview.
A week later the young man again
presented himself in his uncle's private
office
GIVE followed your advice, Uncle
Fred, and taken life for my subject :"
He threw himself into n chair and gave
| twist to his head in the direction of
| the inner door. 1t was slightly ajar, and
he rose and shut it before he resumed.
You see, what you said about the
tragedies of life, and of course inferred
| that you meant the comedies as we'll,
being right under our noses, as it
were, set me to thinking. Meantime
! have found out the true meaning of your
mystic letters. Whatever bears them
must go in the columns of the next is
sue, regardless Of time, space or other
consideration. They are so potent as to
require no explanation, no suggestion
from the molders Of public opinion who
preside in the editorial den. Whatever
an editor may receive from a proprietor
initiated I'M. g. will be printed, even if
1t be the death warrant of the entire
staff -
Is this lecture on the deprayity of
the press in general, or my own paper
in particular?''
Neither. 1t is to let you know that
have been further enlightened since we
last discussed this subject 1 now un-
derstand what exists as mighty factor
in the management of a newspaper, and
want you to put it on the top of that .
He tossed some sheets of closely written
paper on the desk in front Of the other.
GGT4u,nr,bf fs1
"If I listen I may gather the very
material he wants, I said I listened.