Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1894-05-04
A BIT OF NEWS.

dSluS you MCllJ W COllcS6 lOT ludJ. L gu
can't write. "
"Have you ever given me the
chance?''
"No. But l know you couldn't. l
dare say you've been counting on doing
this, eh?" The younger man bowed
and 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 is food of another kind.
"What's TO prevent my providing it
as well as the other writers on the staff?
Is my college education to be a draw
back to me? If it isl
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 I'm g. d." across the top
What does that mean?" George
Stanton inquired.
llOSc lttltIS Sldlll lOI IuSt ~.
"'Then whatever bears them goes?'
His uncle surveyed, him with grim
smile lighting his face.
Its 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 - are two distinct
personalities -
Which you bear. l understand. But
surely literary merit cuts some figure?"
"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. eve no use for 'em."
"Why, that makes out the newspaper
of today 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 a 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
Il still maintain that it isn't fair
that l shouldn't be given a trial." he
remarked.
Il suppose you've got a batch of
manuscripts all ready to fire at me. "
The nephcw's face flushed. u thought
So Well, | don't want 'em. Now, see
here. What this paper wants ism t rhet-
oric, it isn't cloquence, it isn't philoso-
ply, it isn't literary merit, as you call
it. It's just life-plain, everyday life.
/ 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 i'll one
block of San Francisco than in the whole
of Shakespeare. "
"Then yOu give me the chance?"
Frederick Stanton hesitated. "It's
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,
dom say I'll take what you write.
But if it suits you'll IN. &. it?''
eff it suits =" the other repeated q
little sarcastically, with a movement
which closed the interview.
A week later the young man AGAR
presented himself in his unclc's private
office
eve followed your advice, Uncle
Fred, and taken life for my subject >
He threw himself into chair and gave
a twist to his head in the direction O.
the inner door. 1t was slightly ajar, anC
he rose and shut it before he resumed
"You see, what you said about tn,
tragedies of life, and of course l inferre,
that you meant the comedies as well
being right under our noses, as i
were, set me to thinking. Meantime
have found out the true meaning of you
mystic letters Whatever bears then
must 90 in the columns of the next is
sue, regardless of time, space or othe
consideration. They are so potent as t.
|
from the molders Of public opinion VIII
preside in the editorial den. Whateve
an editor may receive from a proprieto
initiated m. g will be printed, even
II be the death warrant of the entir
staff. "
SIS this a lecture on the depravity @
the press in general, or my own pape
in particular"
Neither. 1t is to let you know that
bave been further enlightened since W
last discussed this subject. l now un
derstand what exists as a mighty facto
in the management of newspaper, an
! want you to put it on the top of that.
He tossed some sheets of closely write
paper on the desk in front of the Other
"Humph!"
If listen l may gather the yer
material he wants, said. listened
Eureka! | tiatter myself that I've q