The herald., 1897-04-11
THE TRAMP PRINTER

People are often surprised at the range
of knowledge shown by the tramp"
printer, and do not reflect that the man
who has spent fifteen or twenty years at
the ease" setting up letter by letter and
word by word the thoughts of the best
minds of the world must absorb and re-
tain some of them, especially since he is
often obliged to study out the meaning
intended in order to translate the hero
glyphics in which the said best minds
delight to express themselves.
The worst copy" generally comes from
catalogue writers, their language being
technical to the subject in hand, one word
giving no clew to the meaning of the
next if it happened to be the same sub
ject.
One of these tramp printers, whom we
will call Mike (because that is not his
name) had just spent three months in one
of the big book printing offices in Louis
vile working on the annual catalogue
of an electrical appliance concern, and at
the end of his engagement knew more
about ampheres, volts, ohms, armatures
and resistance than the man who wrote
the catalogue.
1t was cast-iron resolve when he
went to work that he would stay sober
and save his money as long as the job
lasted. AS he worked he evolved a
scheme by which he would make living
easier than earning it by sticking type !"
When the catalogue was competed
and Mike and the other ''eXtras" were
paid off, he bought him a silk hat, suit
of clerical cut and a paste diamond and
started out to work his schemes.
When he got off the train at little
town in Southwestern Indiana and had
to walk block to the hotel he kicked be-
cause there were no cabs in waiting at
the depot. A leading citizen, three
small boys and the hotel proprietor (also
porter) heard the kick and caught a
flash OF the big diamond, and inside of
an hour the entire population knew that
q great man had come among them.
The wise men of the village gathered
that night in the hotel office to do Mike
honor, and he mystified them by talking
of armatures, ohms, volts, soft iron
fields and alternating currents. This
was a new and strange language to
them, and they became interested and
asked questions, which Mike answered
like a man who knew it all. He said he
was surprised to see a town containing
so many brainy men shrouded in such
utter darkness; little city containing
all the elements of greatness, set like q
gem in broad expanse Of fertile prairie
that laughed out great harvests of gold
en- grain, yet throwing away its chance
of prosperity by failing to recognize the
onward march of science as 1t should by
putting in electric lights. Then he
grew confidential and limited prospects
of a new railroad that was to be built,
and might, If the town showed proper
spirit of progress, make a terminal
there. Then he stopped and looked wise
and turned the conversation to electric
lighting. The hint was enough for his
hearers, and before the conclave ad-
journed it was decided to organize an
electric light company
Mike said he was compelled to visit
Louisville the next day, and would get
an estimate of cost from the manufac-
turers' agents and come back with full
report, saying that itwas important that
the plant should be running within six
ty days, and he looked sly, at which the
citizens grinned wisely.
In the city Mike got 35 per cent dis
count on the machinery and ,15 per
cent promoters commission, which lat
ter was given to him in the form of a re-
ceipt for, certain securities (Which he
never possessed) Deposited in good pay
ment for the machinery, thereby show
ing the-citizens iof the embryo city that
he had confidence inithe enterprise The
receipt was to he redeemed In cash by
the manufacturers when thetplaut was
paid for, when they would hold It - q