The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-10-05
SELECTED STORY.
Two Editors,

Joining hands in adversely. InOse
journalistic gems may as well be desig-
mated by name. The ex-scissors editor of
the The Advocate was Lawrence Dab.
bins, called "Dubby" for convenience.
He who handled the religious stuff
and speak not slightingly, using only
the trade name-was Daniel CODY, IA
miliarly treated as Dan.
have never learned how they got TO
Topeka, but thither they went. There
they found themselves, not with heavy
hearts, nor yet with heavy purses, but
with the conviction that the superb end
shaper, destiny, had something in store
for them. And they were not proud,
having mutually agreed that, nothing
in the Journalistic line Undertaking.,
they or either of them would accept the
presidency of bank, the general man.
agement of railroad, position on the
police force or miscellaneous job in a
mining camp, as occasion offered. Per-
haps they were in sense independent.
Between them they had five hundred
dollars, and what newspaper man in
harness would not laugh to scorn the
cares of the world in possession of such
sum?
AS they created no sensation in the
Kansas capital they were about spend
ing money to move on when they en-
countered a man inspired, who told
them of town two hundred miles due
west where newspaper could be
bought at ruinous rates. Dan and
Dubby took counsel together-went,
saw and bought.
They settled down to life in Roarers-
vile with fifty dollars cash, no credit
and newspaper very much run to
seed. But it had possibilities. 1t was
a four page affair and came out weekly
if the editor found enough news to fill
it up; if not, then as soon as something
happened of importance to warrant the
filling and closing of the forms.
| would not have it inferred that be-
cause the Roarersville Banner was a
post mortem sheet it reflected the
town. Far from that. Roarersville
was really very wide awake little
place. It's population was rated at
about 1900, and in politics it was all
the one way for which the Populist
Senator PETER humbly thanked his
Maker. What the town needed was
live newspaper, and it got one shortly.
The two editors wers newspaper men
not journalists, and The Banner was a
success from the start. Dan took hold
of the editorial end. Dubbins assumed
the cares of the business management
and together they acted as devil, COM
position force and pressmen. They
kicked off the edition regularly every
week too. The paper was never held
back now for lack of matter. If there
wasn't enough news to fill it up, the
l. 1,.1s
finer imagination for curdling crimes
than Dan. Once when news was par
ticularly scarce, with the forms 10 be
closed at midnight, the business mana
ger went out after dark, waylaid and
assaulted the tax collector, against
whom he had grudge, anyhow, and
the next morning The Banner had
a magnificent story, bristling with facts
on the mysterious, unprovoked and cow
ardly assault upon lone of our best cit
liens" Dan wrote leading editorial,
double loaded, on the affair, Offering
reward of 1926 for the arrest and con-
viction of the miscreant, but he never
was caught. This and other details of
metropolitan journalism gave The Ban
sler tone.
sob, this is softl" unused the latter
as the partners sat in the sanctum read
ing proof. "Dubby, here is my life
work. shall consecrate myself to the
interests of this growing town and live
and die among its peaceful people, but
our progress isn't rapid enough to suit
me. Dubby, large scheme has en-.
tered my think tank"
eff it's another assault, you must
take your turn at it," responded Dub
bins.
"Ha, ha! That was rather largely
proportional idea. Dubby, if occasion
had arisen for the payment of that re-
ward which we, in the kindness of our
hearts, offered for the arrest and con-
viction of the assailant there'd have
been lynching in this town and an
other big story for The Banner. Pm
half sorry sometimes; but, as / said,
I've been thinking. Ever think any
more, Dubby?"
Occasionally, when l haven't any
thing else on my mind"
"Dubby did you ever make speech?"
mot in my sober Senses"
swell, do you think you could make
a sober speech?"
81 might il i had several drinks"
"Ha! hal Dubby, that's good. But
listen. l want you to make a speech.
All great editors make speeches, you
know. You must have observed that
there is movement afoot in this grow
ing settlement to pave our highways,
and that sentiment seems to be divided
upon the wisdom of such course"
"Some CLAIMS oppose it,"
"That's it. Dubby, how would you
1ika IN he q clam9O
"I-a-what the thunder do you
mean?"
"Listen," and he slipped to the door
to see if the Office cat was asleep and
the other employees out of hearing.
"HOw would you like to take the lead
in the opposition, make a speech
against paving the streets and destroy
ing our sweet rural simplicity, denounce
it and call for general protestP"
"Do you want to ruin this paper?"
cried Dubbins in alarm.
81 want TO improve it,"
"But if as one of the proprietors
protest.
IGRuf aaid nap lIunu mop,t ha mn