The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1897-04-03
AGAINST Ills Will.
. The editor was disguised and no


The editor was disgusted and no
wonder!
It was the dull season, and the Scru-
tator was compelled to resort to much
padding in order to fill the daily meas
IRE expected by its subscribers; it was
even obliged to print copious extracts
from other publicatio ions a thing only
to be done as a last resort by any
s paper of spirit! Yet as this particular
time a celebrity, a real celebrity, came
for a few days stay to Oakhampton,
and refused to be interviewed.
Why he came was a mystery, but
that he had come was a fact, though
from the editors point Of view he
might just ais well have stayed away.
The celebrity's unobliging disposition.
on the subject of interviewing had pre-
ceded him; he was perhaps the only
man Of note in two continents who had
not submitted to the ordeal. In mo-
ments OF depreciation he was
wont to say that was his greatest
claim to distinction; but even his rep
utafion had not daunted the hopes of
our editor, who felt convinced that the
surliest disinclination must give way
before the charm and tact Of the most
valuable member of the Scrutator's
staff. But the tact, the charm had no
opportunity of producing their usual
effect; they night as well have been
nOn-consistent. Celebrity from the
IF q hot al c;&
down a curt message Of absolute re
fusal.
No wonder, then, as we said before.
The editor was disguised.
AS he meditated on the provoking
ness Of things in general and of the
celebrity in particular, he found his
thoughts running into such ELOQUENT
and we'll rounded periods that he in
Ftinctively drew pen and paper toward
him and wrote an editorial, which, if
the celebrity had read it, would have
made him feel very small indeed.
The article clearly proved that what
the Public demanded it must have flor
the Public spelt with a capital P was
as sacred to the editor as humanity
spelt with a capital I'D is to the fol
lowers Of Augusta Comte The indi-
vldual as such exists not for his own
sake, but for the sake of the Public in
one case, or of Humanity in the other.
The article further demonstrated that
celebrities would not exist without a
Public. (How could any one become
celebrated on deserted island, for in
stance0 II, then, it is to the Public
that the celebrity owes his being and
the Public manifest a curiosity as to
the opinions on things in general or
any celebrity in particular, the Public
has right to know these opinions, and
how could it know them better than
through the columns Of the Scutator?
But our editor was not always in
this displeased frame of mind. AS a
rule he was the most genial of men.
and such he looked that same evening
as he sat smoking his cigar ON the gal
4ery OF handsome house in Clarence
avenue. His companion was his niece
nice young girl, with a pretty face
and figure, and a mischievous look in
her dark eyes which was particularly
fascinating. She was discoursing about
the dearest wish of her heart-that she
should become regular writer for the
Scrltator. 7.'.l ~
But her uncle poo oohed the idea:
she was too young, too inexperienced,
too pretty, and at any rate it was i'm
possible to become a writer by simply
talking about it. why continued he,
do you not write something and show
me what you can do?"
Il have written several stories. as
YOU know, but you won't look at
them," replied the girl.
ON, no, the Scrutator does not want
stories. Write me an article on some
subject which will interest the public"
But what subjects do interest the
public, uncle, dear? You only laugh at
at ME it l suggest one.'
ON, come noW-you can't expect a
poor editor to suggest subjects for you
as We'll as read your articles. Make
your own choice. The world is all be-
fore you where to choose"
Ihats just what bewilders me; it
rs so hard to choose If only I had
something definite to go upon-or if
tcoaxinglyl you would just look at one
of my stories.''
But the editor vouchsafed no reply
to this, so his niece, went on: 'sMy
firm conviction is that I should make
a splendid interviewer 1 should en-
JOY it, too. At college 1 could ALWAYS
get the girls to tell me anything /
wanted to know r. =.
The editor laughed. ~,
Why not become a detective at
once?" said he.
Il wish could" sighed the girl. But
her uncle was not attending; he was
looking at a cyclist who was spinning
rapidly past the house.
That's the MANI he exclaimed:
s'that's Cambertonv g.
''Oh, that man!'' replied Kittie, for
she knew all about the EDITORS griey-
ance with the celebrity, she passes
here every day. l have met him sew
eral times lately when have been out
for my morning ride. I wondered who
he Was.''
We'll. | must go now" said her I'M
Gle, as he glanced at his watch. "Good
night, child" and then, as an after
thought, 'stell you what, Kittie if you
can manage to interview Camberton
I'll do anything you Ike and with a
laugh, as though he had made ire
mendous joke, the editor departed.
leaving Kittie to her thoughts, which,
as the poet says of the thoughts of
youth, We're long, long thoughts
Early next morning two cyclists