The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-01-09
The Plans Of Mice and Men

| The Madrid newspapers chronicle a mar
riage between the old Marquis de Povar
and the young daughter of an immensely
| wealthy confectioner and candy manufac-
turer at Seville. Many years ago, when
| Queen Isabella was on the throne, this
nobleman, on the day he was elected to the
| legislature was appointed to the Office OF
| minister of the Interior which he held for
exactly six hours. He was at that tins
engaged to be married to the daughter OF
| one of the leading statesmen OF Spain, VINO,
owing to conflict between the queen and
| her conservative premier, had been in
| trusted with the formation of liberal caoi-
| net.
| Inasmuch as the queens quarrel was
known to be of merely a temporary charac-
! ter, and, moreover, the liberal leader pos
sessed no parliamentary majority, ne ex-
perienced great difficulty in finding any
politician willing to accept office In his ad-
minis.rat:on, since they felt that they were
only compromising their future by asso-
ciating themselves with him In the matter.
| Finally however, by retaining several OF
| the ministers under his control, he filled
| up all the offices, save that of minister OF
| the interior, which he conferred upon his
| daughters fiance, who had just taken his
| seat in the legislature.
| His reason for this piece of nepotism was
| the fact that the young man, though ricn
! In nlustrious ancestry and in ttular digni-
| ties, was very poor, and that cabinet minis
| ters after leaving Office are entitled TO a
| pension OF S. eco for the remainder OF their
| life. BY comforting the position Of minister
| of the interior upon the marquis. he was,
| therefore providing him with an annuity
| for the rest of his days.
The announcement of the name Of the
new minister of the interior was greeted
with such yeils of derision in the legislature
that the embryo statesman retired from
the scene in disgust, and the same evening
resigned, hot only his place in the cabinet,
but also his seat in the chamber of deputies,
vowing never again to have anything TO
do with politics. Indeed, he was so angry
at the treatment 20 which he had been sub
jected and which naturally inflicted a
severe blow TO his pride, that he quarreled
with the father of his fiance, whom he held
responsible for the ridicule TO which he had
been exposed, and ended by fitting the girl
and breaking off the match.
Inasmuch, however, as he had been duly
sworn into Office as a cabinet minister. he
retained identically the same right 10 the
pension of $500 as if he had served the
state in that capacity for score of years.
In fact, he is still drawing it to this day,
and it is only because it has not suf1iced
for his wants, and he is heavily in debt,
that he has been forced to barter his
ancient name and title for money acquired
in the manufacture of candy.
Newspaper men who knew Joseph B. Nc
Cullagh delight to tell stories OF Little
Mack as he was called. He was a splen-
did editor and thorough disciplinarian,
who insisted that the men working under
HIM should devote all their time and ener-
gies to the newspaper upon which they
were employed. McCullagh did this him
self ana thought it strange that anyone else
should have any other desire. Morning,
noon and night, except when sleeping, he
thought only of his work. and his friends
easily believe that, even while he slept at
night, he dreamed Of the Globe-Democrat.
He was not content with doing this him
self, but wished every man in his employ
to do the same thing. At the same time
Little Mack was thorough bohemian,
great joker and a good story-terrel. He
was impetuous, although methodical, and
bad q keen wit.
Many stories are told OF his efforts to
make every man in his employ work as
hard as he did himself. Every man had to
be on duty at II a. m. to II p. m, and woe
betide the man who was late. A story,
which may be apochryphal, relates that on
one occasion reporter on the paper whent
to the great editor and asked for a day off.
Your day off is Sunday" replied Nc
Cullagh, land now you want an extra day
Tuesday. Don't you know, young man,
that newspaper man, to succeed, must
work all the time and have no other
thought except his work?"
Eyes, sir. But am going to get mar
RED
''All right Get married."
But my intended wife objects to being
married on Sunday, and We have sent out
wedding invitations for Tuesday evening"
Il can't help that"
Eyes, sir: but l would like to get off
Tuesday evening. so l can get married"
''Humph. Well. what time is it to be?,
AT O'Clock. sir.''
AT O'Clock. Well II ought not to take
more than half an hour. Yes, Mr.. Jones.
you can remain away from your work from
i;D to S:45 p. M, but report for work at
$40 and look out that you don't get SCOOP
ed
Editor McCullagh was not a believer in
the editorial department of a newspaper
He ran that branch simply because ii was
a FOOLISH custom, as he termed it. of metro
poEtan papers. His chief desire was to
publish purely a newspaper covering all
news fully and succinctly, and classifying
in its proper sphere. The busienss end of
the paper he held to be coordinate with the
news department
While custom forced him to run an edi-
toriai page in the Globe-Democrat, he want
ed short editorials. 1t was frequently his
habit, when long editorials were submit
ted TO him by one Of the writers TO send IL
TO the printers without SO much as reading
ii. on the principle, as he said. that nobody
else would read ii. Short editorials he read
carefully, believing that probably one man
IN ten would read them after perusing the
news.