The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-28

a metallic lus:er. I laid the book on a
table n transcribed the top leaf. Tnen
with n thin knife. taking MIN pains.
1 gently detached and raised the sheet.
II was laid carefully on a tray. because
l had 20 go back and copy the otner
side. and while the work was in prog
ress 1 kept a handkerchief tied loosely
over my mouth TO prevent my breath
from scattering the cinders. The doors
and windows were shut tight as wax.
well. 1 finally finished the trans
cription. lbelieve IL was the tougnest
job a reporter ever tackled. but j didn't
miss a word, turned in the record
In ample time. i said nothing about
the particulars until nearly a year later
when the case was definitely settled,
fearing that some point would be raised
as to the accuracy of the notes. In
fact. one Of the counse has since told
me that a he known the story ne
would have secured a ~rehearing on ".
An old newspaper reporter. who made
u OF the group, Clipped a professional
"Reminiscences Into the pot. 1t Is gen
orally supposed" he said, that all re-
porters-I mean newspaper reporters
write shorthand and take down inter-
views In IT. That is like the idea that
all sailors know how to swim. The fac;
is that very few reporters know any
Na'f'so abodl 1870
the best interviewers never take a note
an either long or short hand"
Why Is that?" asked the lady stem
%ographer in surprise.
because. dear madam. II cares the
victim. With most people Il is as dis
concerning to draw a notebook as IL Is
to draw a revolver. Ii is not very diff
cult TO lead a man into a nice. easy con-
versation, but the instant he sees a note
being taken he is apt to become con-
strained and timid, and may be shut up
altogether. OF course. l don't mean that
one should ever be interviewed without
knowing distinctly mes talking for
print, but merely that a notebook is a
clumsy clog on the wheel of talk.
However. all this applies to America
only. In England shorthand is cOnsid-
cred as essential to a reporter as his
head; I'm fact, more so. l was over in
London a few years n applied for a
JoD on a certain journal, never mind the
name; IL was considered a good berth
for Americans. The sub-editor-they
have no city editors there-was a crusty
Scot, and the first thing he asked me
was about my shorthand. Luckily. /
had learned the thing when a boy. but
i remarked casually that IL was little
used here, that we didn't have time,
meaning, of course, time to transcribe.
Now, when an American in London
says anything the natives don't under
stand IL is supposed to be a ike, and /
could see the sub-editOr cudgeling his
brains to find the point. Yen have ma
time to write shorthand there he said
finally. Eth, mon, but that's vara to-
cose, n he gave me a job on the
strength of IL. one of my first assign
ments was a little police case-an Irish
man up for wlfe-beating-and in the
course of the hearing the prisoner
jumped over the rail and punched the
magistrate i'm the nose. That mad a
hot story, n / wrote IL up for all IL
was worth. The sub-editor was horri-
fed. He asked me for my notes and
when l replied that I couldn't report a
smuggling match in shorthand, said he
meant the notes of the official proceed
ings. / told him what little there was
beyond the melee and he ground put a
gem something like this:
Before Magistrate Thingamabob
at Blankshire court of criminal correc-
ton. yesterday, Peter Mcclure was
charged with violation of the penal
code in assaulting his wife, Ann Nc
CURE. The magistrate: Prisoner,
what do you say to the charger" The
prisoner: Il deny IL. your worship
(here the prisoner used unbecoming
~language). Convicted; sentence. a fort
night at hard labor
But what about the fght?' I asked
In astonishment. 'HoOt! mon.' said the
su~b-editor. we ma print the like a that,
would We? Stick to your shorthand and
yen COON out all right
THAT settled it. | threw up my Job
as soon as / made money enough TO get
out of the country"