The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-05-15
A BIT OF NEWS.

"Have you ever given me tho
chance?"
"No. But I know you couldn't
dare say you've been counting on doing
this, ch?" Tho younger man bowed.
"And have been laying in stock of
flowing rhetoric and fine spun theories
the elder continued. 'FHumphl The
Times wouldn't pay IN a months time
if we fed the public OH 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- draw
back to me? If 1T Is -
Tho sentence was left unfinished, and
the elder man silently returned to his
work of glancing over some copy spread
OH the desk before him. When he had
finished the last page, he turned to the
first and wrote IN g." across the top.
''Nhat docs that mean?'' George
Stanton inquired
"Thoso letters stand for must go. ~
''Thcn whatever bears them goes2''
His uncle surveyed, him with grim
smile lighting his face
cts apt to-" no said dryly.
"Thcn anything 1 might write would
be printed, regardless of its merit, if
you so marked itg'
Certainly. But you must remember
that nh uncle indulgcnt to faults and
the proprietor of this papor-a successful
business enterprise = nro two distinct
personalities''-
(Which you beu. l understand. But
surely literary merit cuts some flgure7"
"Um-if the name of the writer who
possesses 1t is we'll known, it docs -
"Not othcrwisc?'
The elder man shook his head en-
phatically "I've no use for 'em."
"Why, that makes out the newspaper
of today money making machine of
the lowest order" George Stanton ex-
claimed Indignantly. ''Thc brains of
the concern arc subservient to the bust
ness office -
Exactly"
There was pause, during which the
younger man tipped back his chair
against the wall and gazed abstractodly
ut the ceiling. At length he brought the
legs of the chair to the floor with en-
phasis
81 still maintain that it isn't fair
that I shouldn't be given a trial." he
remarked
81 suppose you've got batch of
manuscripts all ready to fire at me. "
The ncphcw's face flushed II thought
So Well, l don't want 'eln- Now, SEQ
here. What this paper wants isn't rhet-
oric, 1t isn't eloQucncc, it isn't philoso-
ply, 1t isn't literary merit, ae you call
it It's Just life-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, personnl-give mo
those. If you keep your eyes and cars
open, you'll find more tragedy in one
block of San Francisco than in tho whole
of Shakespeare
"Thcn you give mo tho changer
Frederick Stanton hesitatetl. 'Its
open to you tho same rs 1T is TO all, he
replied indi1fcrcntly. "You would be
paid for space work at our regular rates,
providing we accepted it. Mind yous
don't say III take what you write. -
''But if it suits you'll m. &. it?'
eff Is suits. the other repeated O
little snrcastically, with movement
which closed the interview.
A week later the young man again
presented himself in his uncle's private
office.
"I've followed your advice, Uncle
Fred, and taken life for my subject. "
He threw himself into chair and gave
q twist to his head in the direction Of
the inner door. 1t twas slightly agar, and
he rose and shut it before he resumed
'You SEQ, what you said about tho
| tragedies of life, and of course inferred
that you meant the comedies as well,
being right under our noses, as it
were, set mo to thinking. Meantime I
have found out the true meaning of your
| mystic letters Whatever bears them
must go in tho columns Of the next IS
sue regardless of time space or other
consideration. They arc so potent as to
require no explanation, no suggestion
from the molders of public opinion who
preside in the editorial den Whatever
al editor may receive from proprietor
initiated IN. &. will be printed, even if
1t be tho death warrant of tho entire
staff "
sis this lecture OH tho demavity Of
the press in general, or my own paper
In PARTICULAR"
Neither. 1t is to let you know that I
have been further enlightened since we
last discussed this subject 7 now I'M
derstand what exists as o mighty factor
In the management of newspaper, and
I want you to put it on tho top Of that. "
He tossed some sheets Of closely written
paper on the desk in front of the other.
| ''HumDhP,