The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-01-23

city, was lad between sixteen and
twenty. He is Tarheel boy from
Sampson county He has been in the
big town about six months, and makes
his living by drawing pictures for pa
pers. He used to draw pictures for the
News and Observer, rs may be rcmem-
bered by some of the statesmen in the
last legislature. His name is Norman
L. Jennett When he was on this pa
per he used to bc affectonatcy called
in the office, Our IIuckleberry from
Sampson" Many father and mother
in North Carolina have their "IIucklc
berry" off somewhere Just like this one,
trying ito get there" and they at least,
may read with interest Il simple little
story which at the moment comes tol
me. And | do not knew that ! should
make too public. even glimpse of the
thrilling six months panorama of that
boys life in New York. But when |
picked up thc New York Journal, the
afternoon of my arrival and found
across three columns IA humorous skill
and sketch by Norman Il. Jcnnett |
was anxious to know just how it had
been done.
And hunted up his room, he w;bs out,
finally saw him. aud asked him, and he
told me. He lives on the first floor
coming down from the roof-a neat lit
tie room. though. with News and OBJ !
server on the tumhlcd bed and among
many pictures of North Carolina frienls
on the walls and bureau, was one in the
centre, gotten up with care, of Col. !
Julian S. Carr. shall leave people to !
guess why that picture was so promi- |
nent. | guessed, and taking another
look ut the North Calling look of the !,
empty room, | went out.
Then the first thing | knew | found
his work in the New York IIeraldin an
unambitious way. it is true, but pointed
and clever, or, of course, it would not |
have been there. Each one of these lit |
tie funny pictures people see in the New
York papers has generally Il joke of
some Kind under it. Wen. the picture
brings two dollars and the joke, one
dollar. provided stranger is lucky
enough to get the picture looked at and
accepted.
1t so happened that Our Huckleberry'
was pretty nearly out of money, and
without, of course, any regular engage
ment He would simply 20 to that little |
room and draw something funny and put
a joke under ii and 20 out and try TO
sell it. On the night in question, he |
gathered up his repertoire of stuff
which altogether, if it should be accept |
ed. would amount to about $40 or S45. |
And out he started for the New York |
Herald building, hardly knowing the |
way to the reception room. He had
heard stories of the glamor about the |
interiors OF great newspaper Offices, |
and SO was not wholly unprepared for i
the first sumner" which he encount- |
cred.
Why, SIR" said he, with beautiful
boyish naivete, that white polished
table inathe reception room cost $1,000,
and ii almost upset me to be standing by
il while / waited.
why didn't YOU 20 in?"
They wouldn't let me in, just told
me # | had anything, to send it along,
and wait"
Aud so the jokes and pictures We're
taken with Klonlyke formafity, and
luUuEu MANY lIOGtSSIS nIttICQ
to the art-critic.
And the boy waited.
The appalling $1,000 table. still star
ed him in the face. And $40 or S45
worth of doubts stared him much strong
er in the heart.
He had picked out his first newspaper
cut of Senior Butler I'm the SampsGnl
Democrat with a Barlow knife on a piece
of wood-what he had learned since Ire |
had gotten for himself. And there stood
that lad with the fierce competition of
New York city pressing about his brow.
where is che man who sent in the |
drawings% asked return messenger.
"Huckleberry'' almost tumbled over on
the $500 table.
Here he is
In an Icelandic dialect came the re- /
ply: Your drawings are accepted"
well. sir" said Huck. Il felt almost
like falling on the floor or jumping out
of the window, was that glad"
| introduced Huck some days later to
Judge Mitchell. one of the Assistant
District Attorneys under the recent re-
gime in New York city. Judge Mitchell
is the man who so ably prepared and
managed the Guldensuppe case against
THORN and Mrs. Mack. lie Is Il man OF
wealth and influence and learning and
seems never more gracious than when
he meets a young man from the South. |
showed Judge Mitchell some of
Hucl's work in the Journal. "And youI
say added Judge Mitchell that you
have been here only six months, and
done that"
"You will arrive young man. 'he contin- |
ued. taking Huck by the hand. at is enc
of the glories of New York that it not
only welcomes young Southern men: it,
goes after them. just as soon as they
show strength. We needed Lindsay Cor
don in orr business and made him As
sistant District Attorney" and Jim Os
borne is the apple of the Judges eve. IIel
considers the brother of our ex-AttOrney
General one Of the strongest men in New
York.
Eyes it is life of hiISting," said
Huck, "and sometimes there are mo-
ments of loneliness. specially after some
body from North Carolina comes and
goes. The l,ost times ! have seen here