The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1894-08-01
/ BIT OF NEWS.
JOHN II. BAReATE

Have you ever given me the
chances''
..No. But I know you couldn't !
dare say you've been counting on do
ing this, eh?''
The Younger man bowed.
And YOU have been laying in a
stock Of flowing rhetoric and fine spun
theories" the elder continued.
..Humph, The Times wouldn't pay in
a months time if We fed the public on
stuff Of that sort What it wants +
food Of another kind
whats 10 prevent my providing ii
a. well a. the other writers on the staff
l. my college education % he draw
hack to me- If it is"
The sentence was left unfinished,
and the cider man silently returned 10
his work Of CHANGING over some copy
spread on the desk before him. When
he had finished the last page, he turn
ed 10 the first page and wrote I'm. g"
across the top.
"What does that meang'' George
Stanton inquired.
Those letters stand for must CO."
.'Then whatever bears them goes"
His uncle surveyed him with a grim
smile.
1T Is likely to- he said dryly.
a'Then anything might write would
be printed, regardless Of its merit, if
YOU 20 marked ite''
Certainly But You must Temem-
her that an uncle indulgent TO faults
and the proprietor Of this paper-a
successful business enterprise are two
distinct personalities"
(Which YOU bear. / understand.
But surely literary merit cuts some fig
ure3"
'.Um-if the name Of the writer who
POSSESSES il is well known, il does"
Not Otherwise
The elder man shook his head en-
phatically. Il have no Use for it"
'.Why, that makes out the newspa-
per Of to-day money machine of the
lowest order" George Stanton ex-
claimed Indignantly. ''The brains of
the concern are subservient to the bus
iness office"
Exactly"
There WAS a pause, during which the
younger man tipped back his chair
against the wall and gazed distracted
~ at the ceiling. At length he brought
the legs Of the chair to the floor with
emphasis.
II still maintain that il isn't fair
that 1 should not be given trial" he
remarked.
Il suppose you have got batch Of
manuscripts all ready TO fire al me?n
The nephew's face flushed.
Il thought 80. Well, / don't want
them. Now, see here. What this pa
per wants isn't rhetoric, it isn't elo-
quenee, it isn't philosophy, it isn't lit
erary merit, as YOU call il. II is just
life-plain, everyday life. wouldn't !
publish the most beautiful flight of
fancy that WAS ever written. | have
no Use for that sort. But life-things
near local, per-Onal-give me those. |
If YOU keep your ewes 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 chance9'
Frederick Stanton hesitated
at i open 10 you the same a. il Is to |
all, +" he replied indifferentIy You
would he paid for space work at our
regular rates, providing We accepted it.
Mind yen, don't say will take what
YOU writen
But if il suits you'll IN. e it?''
If it suits" the other repeated a
little sarcastieally, with movement
which closed the interview.
\ week later the young man again
presented himself in his uncle's private
Office.
Il have followed your advice, Uncle
Fred, and taken life ror my subject"
He threw himself into a chair and /
gave a twist TO his head in the direc-
ton of the inner door. Ii was slightly
ajar, and he rose and closed it before
he resumed. ''lou see, what YOU said
about tragedies of life, and OF course / 4
inferred that you meant the comedies
a. well, being right under our hoses. as
il were, set me 10 thinking. Meantime
/ have found out the true meaning of
your mystic letters. Whatever hears
them must 20 I'm the columns of the
next issue, regardless of time, space or
other consideration. They are 80 pot
ent a. 10 require no explanation, no
suggestion from the moHlders Of public
opinion who preside in the editorial
den. Whatever an editor may receive
from proprietor initiated m x viii
De printed, even If il be the death war
rant Of the entire staff
is this lecture on the depravity of
the press in general, or my own paper
in Particular
Neither Ii II TO let you know that
] have been further enlightened since
We last discussed this subject. now
understand what exists a a mighty
factor in the management OF a news
paper, and / want you to put it on the
top Of that
He tos>ed some sheets of closely
written paper on the desk in front Of
his uncle.
''Humphr'
IF listen | may gather the very
material he wants, said. listened.
Eureka. flatter myself that I've got
something spicy and realistic enough
To salt even your'
Il told you that if YOU wrote any
thing fit 10 be set up in type il would be
judged impartially, and paid for at the
regular rates.
1T isn't the pay 20 much" George
replied eontemptuously.
Want 10 see yourself in print, /
suppose. Well, lets see what you've
produced.
He took up the sheets before him and
began to read them When he had
finished, he turned to his nephew i'm
surprise. His eye beamed with the
delight begotten Of scoops"
''Well, my boy, that's a corkerr' he
exclaimed heartily. ssANher,. did x-ou