The age-herald., 1897-08-19
WHEN HENRY GRADY ''
 WAS A REPOR I ER

Sne D1iildnt soulheFn Ordlor Wnost NV England banquet speech in New York electrified the nation, win find it dlfii- cult to imagine him in the ordinary, ev- cry day role of a newspaper reporter.
 About ten years before the young Gsor- gian's debut in the metropolis his busi- ness misfortunes made it necessary for him to begin life again at the very bot tom of the journalistic ladder
 At the time Atlanta did net offer many inducements to a newspaper man, but MT. Grady was plucky and hopeful. He believed that better things were in store for him, and so he went to work as re- porter on the Constitution the only daily in the city which gave promise of a bright future.
 The owners and editors of the Consti- tuition were business-like, matter-of-fact men and the new member of their staff was so young and boyish that they made the mistake of understanding his abili- ty.
 Grady was assigned to various routine matters, but he took very little interest in his work, and his copy was not above the average.
 It was whispered among the older
  depended upon for regular work, and that he could not write well unless the occasion and the conditions suited him.
 He is a very poor newspaper man, said the leading editorial writer one day, and there were men around him who were glad to accept his verdict and cir culate it.
 Poor Grady. In those dark days he 1,1- make the best of an uncongenial environ ment. Bold. impetuous and magnetic, he had a royal contempt for routine and red tape He was willing to work, but he wanted to see the chips fly. He wanted to make a hit when he wrote a column article, and he could not get interested in any piece of local news unless it made what he called good story.
 Then he felt like a fish out of water among his new associates. He was genius; they were men of talent. He was of imagination all compact" a prose poet and orator. while his CO., workers were men of facts and figures. He was dreamer, surrounded by prac- tical drudges. He loved poetry and TO- nance and had lofty ideals. Naturally the suffocating, bookkeeping atmosphere about him mad seT indifferent and list less
 One night there was to be a grand street carnival and the masqueraders were to Tide through the main thorough fare from one end of the city to the oth- CT.
 Will you write up the procession and describe it's leading features?' asked the city editor
 Grady replied that he would attend to 1t. It would b. jolly. ha thought, to keep up with the glittering pageant and report the various street incidents.
 The idea tickled his fancy so much that he collected dozen good fellows to take in the affair with him and share his en- joymentof the frolc. The party met that night and started with the procession about o'clock
 The city was crowded with strangers and it was a gala occasion. Music and mirth rulsd the night. and even the old est inhabitants entered into the celebra- ton with as much enthusiasm as any of the youngsters.
 Grady's story of the carnival ought to have been a good thing, but 1t was never written.
 
 self at the office that night, nor did he send in any copy
 The next day at noon he bobbed up serenely and explain d to the city editor that in the excitement and hilarity of The evening he had forgotten all about the assignment He had followed the procession until he was tired and sleepy, and finding himself in front of his
 
 embraced the opportunity to take a much needed nap.
 The city editor was on the point of fainting when he heard this. He report ed the matter to the editor-in-chief and an explosion followed.
 The absent minded reporter received his discharge that day and went home in a Respondent mood Fortunately he had a friend on the paper who under stood him This was Joel Chandler Har- ris. who was destined to become famous little later as Uncle Remus" When MT. Harris heard of the trouble he went at once to the editor-in-chef and told him that if he did not recall Grady he would lose a very valuable man.
 But" said the other, "he misses his assignments and turns in unsatisfactory work"
 ''I don't wonder at it." answered Har- ris. "He knows more in a minute about making a newspaper attractive than the other fellows know in year, and yet l this fine artist and genius is assigned | to the common drudgery of the business l by fellow who knows nothing about 1 the essentials of journalism. Tell Grady | to return and let him select his line of l work''
 l This tim ly advice was followed. The 1 discharged reporter came back and his | special articles soon became the most l popular feature of the paper. Even then his employers did not know | the possibilities and potentialities of their impulsive and s5lf-wlled subordi- nate.
 An exciting political campaign plunged the state into turmoil from the mount aims to the sea and the leaders of the democ.atic party hsld long consulta-