Evening star., 1895-08-29
OLD PRINTERS STORIES.
Type in a Bag and Chalk Mar
Case.

Type in n Bag and n Chalk Mark
Case.
From the New Haven Register.
There was one story which big Injun"
told, which may rank first in the collection.
1t was prompted by the boastings of fellow
compos as to the number of thousand ems
they could set in day. big Injun" was
something of liar himself, as well as
rapid compositor.
"Pshaw," he said to the boasters, you're
not in it with me, not even little bit.
can paste up a bigger string than any of
you in a day, but that amt what started
out to tell you 1t Is of my experience one
night in a printing Office down south. 1t
was during the war. 1 had struck de-
serted town-'twas nearly deserted I can
tell you-and 1 picked out a vacated print
ing office to bunk in. 1t seemed more home
like. you know. 1t was a good quiet place
to Sleep barring 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.
II tossed around for while, and finally,
to relieve the monotony, I thought I'd
stick little type and make believe / was
getting out the morning paper. I love to
work, you know. l found r battered COM
posing stick, but there wasn't handful of
type in all of the cases. The owner had
evidently dumped 'em all before he fed.
didn't suppose he had carried the metal
away with him, SO 1 rummaged around,
and finally found the whole office outfit in
a bag.
Then I was happy. I threw off my coat
and went to work. didn't want to dis
arrange things too much. SO 1 didn't bother
to put the type into a case, but set 1t from
the bag. I had nothing to make a light
not even a candle. but there was a bright
moon, and I carried each type to the WIN
dow to identify it, except the upper case
letters, which could tell by feeling of 'em.
1t was setting type under difficulties, but,
timing myself by the village clock, I put
up 1900 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 aver
age printers string" Of BREWER in an hour
was 1000 ems.
Talking about setting type without
case" put in Rocky Mountain" Jones,
reminds me of little experience Of mine
out on the fringe of civilization. I had
struck a little town with printing office.
Leastwise they called it a printing office.
It didn't look very promising. but I sailed
printer The boss looked me over, and told
me to go to work. Where's the type?
says I. Over there in that bag says he.
ed says he, or words to that effect. Here
handing me piece of chalk, go and mark
one out on the floor, III you're SO blanked
particular
1ou ulun stay long, L guess, remark
ed Holy" Joe, so named because Of the
odor of sanctity, not to mention other
odors; "'tisn't well to stay until you are
fired. I was never fired but once, and that
was done so slick that I forgave the chap.
1t was in an office down in Texas. I had
stayed little longer than usual, seeing as
how needed a new pair of shoes. and had
got so acclimated that I enjoyed an indi-
viduaf nail in the 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. suspected the devil and went
for him. I didn't do it. he said. Who
dld?' asked. The foreman says he, and
that means that you're bounced I didn't
wait for any more ceremony"