The Van Buren press., 1895-12-07
OLD PRINTERS STORIES.
Type in Bag and . Chalk MARI

Case.
There was one story which ''Big In.
jun told which may rank first in the
collection. 1t was prompted by the
beastings of fellow comps as to the
number of thousand ems they could
set in day. big Injun" was some-
thing of liar himself, as well as a
rapid compositor.
"Pshaw,n he said to the boasters
'.you're not in it with me, not even a
little bit. | can paste up bigger
string than any of you in day, but
that amt what l started out to tell
you. 1t is of my experience one night
in printing Office down south. 1t
was during the war. | had struck a
deserted town-'twas nearly deserted
l can tell you-and picked out va
Gated printing Office to bunk in. 1t
seemed more homeike, you know. 1t
was good, quiet place to sleep, bar
ring the rats, but somehow ! couldn't
sleep. Strange bed, perhaps, though
the floor wasn't any harder than usual
and had fairly good press blanket
for a covering.
81 tossed around for awhile, and
finally, to relieve the monotony,
thought I'd stick a little type and
make believe l was getting out the
morning paper. l love to work, you
know. l found battered composing
stick, but there wasn't handful of
type in all of the cases The owner
ba5 ayi1aut1,, I 5,,p,pad ia,, oil bafo,a
he fed. | didn't suppose he had car
ried the metal away with him, SO |
rummaged around and finally found
the whole office outfit In bag.
"Then was happy. threw off my
coat and went to work. didn't want
to disarrange things too much, SO
didn't bother to put the type in a case,
but set it from the bag. had nothing
to make light, not even candle, but
there was a bright moon, and | carried
each type to the window to identify it,
except the upper case letters, which
could tell by feeling OF EN-. 1t was
setting type under difficulties, but,
timing myself by the village clock, l
put up two thousand ems of BREWER In
an hour"
No one attempted to match this
story, and what the printers thought
of it may be inferred when it is known
that the average printers string" OF
BREWER in an hour is one thousand
ems.
Talking about setting type without
a case,' put in "Rocky Mountain"
Jones, reminds me of little expert
| ence of mine out on the fringe of civ
| ilization. | had struck little town
with printing office. Leastwise they
called it printing office. 1t didn't
look very promising, but | sailed in
and inquired if they wanted a first
class printer The boss looked me
over and told me to go to work.
Where's the type?' saysI Over there
in that bag says he. Where's the
| case?' says l. Case be bowed, says
| he, or words to that effect. Here,
handing me piece of chalk, go mark
one out on the floor, if you're SO
blanked particular.
"You didn't stay long l guess" re-
marked "Holy" Joe, SO named because
of the odor of sanctity, not to mention
other odors; tisn't well to stay until
you are fred. / was never fred but
once, and that was done so slick that
| | forgave the chap. 1t was in an Of
fee down in Texas. | had stayed a
little longer than usual, seeing as how
l needed new pair of shoes, and had
got SO acclimated that enjoyed an in
dividual nail in 'te wall on which to
hang my hat. Well one night came
in and found my nail driven clear into
the wall up to the head. l suspected
the devil and went for him. i didn't
do it, he said. Who did?' I asked.
The foreman says he, and thai
means that you are bounced. l didn't
wait for any more ceremony. New
| Haven Register.