The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-03-20
BOOK Tint HeIped Him.

do I think that a classical education
helps to give a man a start in journa-
lism?" echoed the man whose experience
entities him to be heard with respect on
such topic. "In endeavoring to answer
such a question it would be hard to speak
excepting from personal experience.
Many contend, very ably, that a man
should start in early, instead of spending
the time at college. No man is able to
analyze the career Of another so closely
as to indicate exactly what turn of for
tune or circumstances has caused him to
achieve or fall"
What would your own career lead you
to say about the matter?" persisted the
young man who was seeking information,
relates the Washington Sar
Il don't hesitate TO say that it was the
possession of slight acquaintance with
the classics that gave me an opening. l
was fresh from college and was compare
lively without resources. I wanted to do
newspaper work and / hung around the
office of a metropolitan journal, despite
numerous rebuffsa and assurances that
there was no chance for me-"
did you tell them that you had just
completed your education?'
Il think 1 let some remark to that eff
feet drop. 1t was at a time when the
ability to write a startling story was
more of a recommendation to a man than
the ability to make sure that it was true.
This was especially the case in the office
which l was haunting. The city editor
was a man of abrupt manners, and being
quite low in my funds, and on the verge
of desperation, 1 resolved to give up try
ing TO win him by gentle difhdence. lie
was very busy when ! went up to his
desk and said.
We'll I've been here a good while now;
it's about time you were giving me an as
10 4 no
work, and he spoke only three words. 1t
was a st~ungentlemanly speech-one
which l should have resented under any
other circumstances. / smOthered my
pride and turned away from his desk very
much discouraged l don't know when
have ever felt more blue than l did on
that occasion. 1 was thinking of all the
study had wasted and of how little value
the books l had read were in such a crisis,
and then l had an inspiration. l recalled
as much as l could of Dante's Inferno"
which l had studied in the original, and
put it into coiloquial phrase l described
the scenes Of that great poem with the
graphic enthusiasm of a modern eye-wit
ness. 1t took me about two hours to fin
ish it. 1 held on to it until l knew the
city editor would be over his worry with
the paper and it was far after midnight
when l went up to him with a spectacu-
lar burst of speed and dropped my story
what! he exclaimed; are you back
here again?'
what did you think was going to hap
pen to me?" ] returned, putting on as
bold front as possible.
He seemed dazed and picked up my
manuscript. When he had read two or
three pages he looked up at me and said:
" This is live stuff
He finished it without another word,
but l could see that | was leading him
lively chase with the shades. Then he
wrote headlines for it, and, turning to
me, said:
"'Thats a great story. I'll have YOU
put on the pay roll and you can report for
duty tomorrow. A rival sheet has run in
several fakes on US and we'll beat 'em at
their own game. But I'd like to know
this: How did you come to do this?
" You sent me to get the story yourself,
1 answered.
" To the Internal regions?
" Yes, sir said !; in so many words Z"