The morning news., 1899-12-31
GAsPED

side street he secured a hall bedroom on
the top floor of a tenament house by pay
ing $.50 In advance. This little room,
perched UP on the eighth floor, just under
the caves of a building, contained a small
bed a washstand and one chair. Thor
oughly exhausted by his long walk, Rob
inson lay down and fell asleep.
His first impulse on arising in the morn
ing was to examine this great city of
which he had heard so much-to visit the
public buildings and other objects of in
terest. But he repressed this inclination
and began to work AS is the case with
many young men of like inclination, Rob
inson was an idealist, dreamer. He de-
lighted in writing little prose and p7etical
etchings of scenery and of human emo
tons. The publishers of newspapers have
learned by experience that their readers
do not care for this kind of writing. They
prefer stories of crime-murder. burglary,
arson. In short, they want the pepper o
sensa tionalism. Robinson, unfortunately
for his pocket, did not take notice of the
direction of public taste. Day after day
he worked away along ideal lines, until
at the end of one week he had a dozen
sketches and poems ready. Then he dis
covered that half of his money was gone
and he must sell some of his work in order
to replenish his pocket book. Filling his
pockets with his stories and poems, he
started TO walk the seven miles intsrven-
Ing DGlWbSu Ills lOuElIB mousse anu INal
Mecca of journalistic genius-Park Row
This is the street where all the great
metropolitan papers are located-the street
which never sleeps. Under it's sidewalks
mammoth presses are always in motion
day and night There gaping crowds
congregate 10 read the bulletins of news
from all over the world. 'Tis the spot
where more American history has been re-
corded than any other in the country.
'Tis cruel place for a stranger without
friends or money TO be found. and
here it was that Robinson took his first
lesson in the sale of manuscript.
Robinson was Of a refined and sensitive
nature. BY the time he had met three Of
five boys who were hired to keep just such
men as he away from the editors ne was
very much discouraged, and yet he felt
that his work was good. And so, as he
trudged back TO his room in Harlem with
his precious manuscripts still in his pock-
ct. he took heart OF grace and resolved TO
start out again on the morrow. The res3-
luton was strengthened by a hand-organ
grinder who came under his window and
played "Wait Till the Clouds Roll By"
But it was uphill work. In after years
Robinson could not remember the various
incidents Of that eventful week. so crush
ed and disappointed was he. 1t was not
because the editors were unkind 10 him.
But they had no time TO be sympathetic
Bring us news" they said 10 him. land
we viii print IL and pay you literally. We
have no space for literature"
In thu course of week Robinson Wis
tied the editorial rooms OF nearly every
newspaper Office In New York city, but
he did not dispose OF line OF his work
His nearest approach 10 an acceptance
came from an editor who offered 10 print
some Of his stories provided he dld not
ask for pay with unconscious irony
Robinson said be needed money 10 buy
bread. but Hncn be became famous-whieh
Has "a ceffainiy-he would he Fia 90 fur
nlah few gecimeas of bis genius. by