The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1894-06-02
A REPORTERS "STORY.''
How George Stanton Made q Dis
cCvery in Newspaper Work.

write for the Times! DO you imag-
inc you went to college for that? You
can't write.''
''Havc you yer given me the CHANGER
mo. But l know you couldn't.
daresay you've been counting on doing
this, eh?" The younger man bowed.
''And have been laying in a stock of
flowing rhetoric and fne-spun the
cries. the elder continued. ''Humpb!
The Times wouldn't pay in Il months
time if we fed the public on stuff of
that sort. What it wants is food of an
other kind"
WHATS to prevent my providing it
as we'll rs the other writer's on the
staff? Is my college education to be a
dra " back to me? If it is"
The sentence left unfinished,
and the elder man silently returned to
his work of glancinS over some copy
spread out on the desk before him.
When he had finished the last page, he
turned to the first and wrote I'm. e."
across the top.
'What does that meap?" George
Stanton inquired.
''Those letters stand for must CO."
''Thcn whatever bears them goes?''
His uncle surveyed him with grim
smile lighting his face.
ITS apt to-" he said, dryly.
'Then any thing l might write would
be printed. regardless of its merit, if
you SO marked it?''
''Ccrtainly. But you must rcmem-
Der that an uncle indulgent to faults,
and the proprietor of this paper-a sue
cessful business enterprise-are two
distinct personalities"
(Which you bear. understand But
surely literary merit cuts some figurc?''
''Um-if the name of the writer who
possesses it is we'll known, it does.''
Not otheryviSc?''
The elder man shook his head en-
rhatically. eve no use for en-
"Why, that m AXES out the newspaper
| of to-day a moncy-making machine of
the lowest order" George Stanton ex-
claimed, Indignantly. The brains of
the concern are subservient to the
business office"
''EXactly."
There was a pause, during which the
younger man tipped back his chair
against the wall and gazed abstractcd-
ly at the ceiling. At length he brought
the legs of the chair to the floor with
emphasis.
II still maintain that it isn't fair
that I shouldn't be given a trial." he
remarked
II suppose you've got a batch of
manuscripts all ready to fire at me-"
The nephew's face flushed. Il thought
SO. Well, I don't want 'em. Now see
here, what this paper wants isn't
rhetoric, it isn't eloquence. it isn't
you call tits just lifc-plain, every
day life. l wouldn't publish the most
beautiful flight of fancy that was ever
writtcn-I'vc no use for that sort. But
lifc-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 CHANGER
Frederick Stanton hcsitated. Its
open to you the same it is to all,''
no 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 IN. g. it?''
IF it suits" the other repeated,
little sarcastically, with a movement
which, closed the interview.
A week later the young man again
office.
I've followed your advice, Uncle
Fred, and taken life for my su ject-"
He threw himself into a 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 re-
sumed. ''You see, what you said about
the tragedies of life-and, of course, l
inferred that you meant the comedies
as we1l-being right under our noses,
as it were, set me to thinking. Mean
time, have found out the true mean
ing of your mystic letters. Whatever
bears them must go in the columns of
the next issue, regardless of time,
space or other consideration. They are
SO potent as to require no explana alton,
no suggestions from the molders of pub
lie opinion who preside in the editorial
den. Whatever an editor may receive
from a proprietor initiated m. g. viii
be printed, even if it be the death-war-
rant of the entire staff"
rs this a lecture on the depravity of
the press in general, or my own paper
in particularly
Neither. 1t is to let you know that
1 have been further enlightened since
we last discussed this subject I now
understand what exists as mighty
factor in the management of a news
paper, and want you to put it on the
top of that" He tossed some sheets Of
closely written paper on tho desk in
front OF the other.
"Humphi"
"'If ! listen may gather the very
material he wants. ! said listened.
EYrekaa ! Aatter myself that I've got