Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1897-05-27
A BOOK MAJ heLpeo HIM.
Would he sporter Took City Ediscss
Advice with Great Results.

"Do l think that classical education
helps to giyea man IA start in journalismH
echoed the man whose experience entities
him To be heard with respect ON such a
topic. "ln endayoring To answer such u
question IL would be hard TO speak except
ing from personal experience. Many con-
tend, very ably that man should start
In early instead of spending the time at
college No man is able To analyze the ca
reer of another SO closely as To indicate ex-
actly what turn of fortune or circum-
stances has caused him To achieve or fall +"
"What would your own career lead you
10 say about the mattery" persisted the
young man who was seeking Information.
81 don't hesitate To say that it was the
possession Of slight acquaintance with
the classics that gave me an opening.
was fresh from college and was compare
lively without resources. 1 wanted To do
newspaper work, and L hung around the
Office of a metropolitan journal, despite
numerous rebuffs and assurances that there
was no chance for me-.
"Did you tell them that you had just
completed your educationY"
II think let some remark TO that effect
drop 1t was time when the ability to
write "a startling story was more of rec
concentration to man than the ability to
make sure that it was true. This was es-
pecially the case in the Office which i was
haunting. The city editor was man of
abrupt manner, and being quite low in my
funds, and on the verge of desperation, /
resolved to give up trying to win him by
gentle dif1idence. He was very busy when
went up to his desk and said:
"Well I've been here good while
now; it's about time you were giving me
an assignment. He did not look up from
his work, and he spoke only three words
1t was "a most ungentlemanly speech-one
which l should have resented under any
other circumstances. / smothered my
pride and turned away from his desk very
much discouraged. | don't know when /
have ever felt more blue than did on that
OCCASION was thinking of all the study
had wasted and of how little value the
books l had read were in such crisis, and
then had an Inspiration. l recalled AS
much as / could of Dante's Inferno,
which had studied i'm the original, and
put it into colloquial phrase. described
the scenes of the great poem with the
graphic enthusiasm of modern eyewit-
ness. 1t took me about two hours to fin
ish it. held on to it until knew the city
editor would be- over his worry with the
paper, and il was after midnight when
went up to him with IA spectacular burst
of speed and dropped my story on his desk.
"'Whatp 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;
"'1his is live stuff.
"He finished it without another word,
but l could see that l was leading him a
lively chase with the shades. Then he
wrote headlines for It, and, turning to
me, said:
That's 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 your
self, answered.
To the Internal regionsY
Yes, sir, | said, lin so many words. "
Washington Star.