Evening star., 1897-01-09
A BOOK THAT HELPED HIM

''Do I think that q classical education
helps to give a man a start in journal
ism?" echoed the man whose experience
entities him to be heard with respect on
such a topic. TN endeavor:ng to answer
such 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 fortune or circum-
stam es has caused him to achieve or fail"
What would your own career lead you
to say about the matter?" persisted the
young man who was seeking information.
Il don't hesitate to say that 1t was the
possession of a slight acquaintance with
was fresh from college and was compare
lively without resources. I wanted to do
newspaper work, and 1 hung around the
ONCE OF metropolitan journal, despite
numerous rebuffs and assurances that
there was no chance for me-"
Did you tell them that you had just
completed your education?'
Il think let some remark to that effect
write startling story was more of rec
omn endation to a man than the ability to
make sure that 1t was true. This was es-
pec1aliy the case III the office which I was
abrupt manners, and being quite low in
my funds and on the verge of desperation
resolved to give up trying to win him by
gentle diff1dence He was very busy when
l 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
assignment He did not look up from his
work, and he spoke only three words II
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 I have
ever felt more blue than did on that oc-
casion. l was thinking of all the study l
had wasted and of how little value the
books had read were in such a crisis, and
then 1 had an Inspiration. t recalled as
much as could of Dante's Inferno, which
l had studied in the original, and put it
into colloquial phrase. 1 described the
scenes of that great poem with the graphic
enthusiasm Of modern eye witness. It
took nee about two hours to finish 1t. / held
on to 1t until I knew the city editor would
be over his worry with the paper. and it
was far afte" midnight when l went up to
him with spectacular burst of speed and
dropped my story on his desk.
What! he exclaimed: are you back
here again?'
What did you think was going to hap
zen to me?' 1 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
I could see that was leading him a lively
chase with the shades. Then he wrote
headlines for it, and, turning to me, said
That's a great story. I'll have you
put on the pay roll and you can report for
duty tomorrow. rival sheet has run in
several fakes on us ard we'll beat 'em ut
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,
I answered.
To the Internal regions?
Yes, SIR said I; in so many words "