Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1897-01-01
HE WAS WILLING TO LEARN.

HE WAS WILLING TO LEARN.
and possibly for months, and not get a
good, well-bred, honorable, gentleman
ly, capable boy. But when you also
want boy who can write shorthand
and transcribe on typewriter the dif-
ficulty becomes the more pronounced.
A longtime personal friend one Sun
day afternoon came to my house and in-
troduced slender, modest, unpreten-
tious youth, who had seen so little of
| the world that he blushed like a school
| girl when he was addressed and made
answer to inquiries. He did not claim
to be an expert stenographer or rapid
typewriter. He simply wanted an op-
portunity to develop what talent
he might possess, and he was willing to
| learn. Gentlemen who had known him
from the cradle spoke of him in the
highest terms. He seemed to be just the
| boy wanted, and he went to work.
Gradually, timidly, gingerly he began
10 learn the corridors, committee rooms
and offices in the big capitol building;
| the places where news items are ob
tained by the diligent correspondents
cf metropolitan newspapers. Within
month he knew all of the routine work,
and performed it like a veteran. lie
was, first of all, reliable young man.
Not one out of thousand is always and
Under all circumstances reliable. But
when this young man had learned the
work he did it well, and, when evening
came, his employer was satisfied that
no news item had escaped the vigilance
of the youthful worker. He was well
assured that the young man had done
his duty every day, just as well and as
faithfully as his employer could have
done it for himself.
Then the young man had another les
son to learn, and it was not so easy.
Diffident men may learn places, things
and dates without embarrassment, but
when it comes to making gacquaintances
with many men it is different, This
young man was obliged to become ac-
quainted with a number of senator's and
representatives in congress. He not
only was obliged to become acquainted
with them, but to see them every day,
and ask them all sorts of questions.
He was taught to approach public
men as the fully accredited representa-
tive of his employer. Public men were
told that the young man could be trust
cd with private affairs, and they were re-
quested to talk freely with him. His
modesty of demeanor proved to be
captivating, and he soon won his way
into the regard and esteem of many
| I
sented daily newspapers in Phila-
delphia, New York, Detroit, Milwau-
lIce, st. Paul, Omaha and other cities.
Therefore he was obliged to become ac-
quainted with the senator's and repre-
sentatives from Pennsylvania, New
York, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota,
Iowa, Nebraska and other western
states.
You may well imagine that it was no
easy task. Your young friends will un-
derstand very well that it must have
been embarrassing to meet with popll-
lar political leaders from various sec
tons of the country. 1t would embar-
rass any young man. But it was a part
of the duty of the profession which this
lad sought to learn, and he went about
| it Systematically and diligently, and
within few months he was as much at
home on the floor OF the house of rep
resentatives during the hour before the
daily assembly as any of the veteran
newspaper men there. With note book
in hand he piled the statesmen with
questions, wrote down their answers
and produced a good budget of news
every evening. He was complimented
for his work and his salary was raised a
little at a time, without any request be-
ing made by him. This showed practic-
al appreciation Of his work, and stimu-
lated him to further endeavor He IA
miliarized himselfwith the executive de-
parments, and gathered valuable news
there when congress was not in SESSION.
The day before Lieut. Gen. Schofield
retired from command of the afmy,
this young reporter. then but little past
his nineteenth birthday, called upon
the old commander in his office at the
war department, and secured from him
an interesting interview concerning his
feelings and regrets at severng his con-
nection with the army after lifetime
of service. Older and more expert
enced newspaper men tried to inter
view the lieutenant general, but he
would not talk to any Of them.