Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-11-10

his own desk. the beginner works him
self ilNo a yet moresncrvous condition
mainly because he does not know pre-
cisely what is meant by reading
notice" All of ii sudden he finds him
self unable to put his thoughts on
paper His mind is a blank. He
writes a few words, and after inspect
ing his handiwork crumples the sheet
He repeats this act until he mas
spoiled half a pad He is still bend
ing over the desk. polishing his periods
and commas, at the end of the hour
when the city editor who happens e
be passing stops al his side and blunt
" asks: Have you written thal
notice. Mr.. Breck?"
In these early days. while the cub
r. porter is finding himself estranged
from all mankind. the older men in the
Office who have passed through the
same experience. sometimes look on
with feeling of sympathy and seek to
put the new member of the staff al
ease with himself and the world a
large This they do, either by a few
questions about his wife or by borrow
ing a few lead pencils with which he i
supplied. Occasionally these old tim
ers. as I myself found, request little
more. At the end of my first week IL
the editorial rooms. no less prom
nent parsonage than the telegraph edl-
tor himself. condescendcd To engage
me in conversation. and at length
asked: 'Paul-c. my boy. do YOU want
TO do me a favor
Certainly" ] declared. my breaS
swelling with pride.
Well" he explained coniidcntially
II need five dollars tonight. and un-
fortunately the other boys are strapped
too Now will YOU lend me the mon
ey""
Il haven't cent with me" apolo-
gized truthfully. but if you viii only
wait until ! go home. | will get YOU
the money.
At first. since he hesitated. was
afraid that he would disregard my
good offices. But ] wa. mistaken. HI
made no objection 10 my proposal, he
even suggested that he might accom-
pany me to the gate. Accordingly We
boarded an electric car. for which
insisted upon paying. and iourneyed Il
my house. He patiently waited at the
gate until | had cracked my iron bank
and robbed myself of my last FIVE dot
lars. on the other hand. | am waiting
patiently yeti have been waiting
patiently now for five years-to see
hin, ra,rr, mi. sar,a t,ve dollars,
All this while the young man Is in
creasing his vocabulary. more eSpec-
tally perhaps in the matter of Office
terms. II ne BE- a true student. seek
10 l,caI c,i,,. j, a,ery onnortnnitv ~
&c -. - .,o- :.
Is Writing th'S' ne" "o'uS III MS '''''-
book with possibly a column OF "X-
rl,oa,jon such as tho following.
b,
Boi! down. ~ Writ" me sfNt n d'i
article.
A stick a term used 10 designate
NOT o,,;,a ,brce inches of snace
,.1.. .u
Nose lof news the ao'!ttH !" 'tl'
a niece ut news when you see IL.
.p,. , ha,5 n,, - ~ write a baad
fut he"H on 10 N'''e "'N
line.
"Flimsv." thin sheets of telegraph
1,,,
.-;,,..,,. . III, x.ha+
over az as h'i''l''' - W
is REQUIRED in a given duty.
%. ho,, =. tb. ,..oulo, Tertiary for a
49, -"
reporter.
Heat SCOOP. exclusive. my
a.io,o ~ ,,a,ys tbat il nrinted III your
81 ''''' - 50
paper Only.
The daily fake the rival news
paper.
The old man. your city editor.
M. I,.,,,ar i" III. t;tle ,f tho CITY
80. ,,, 10 :; ,ri.bi, baarine dis
edltoT Nheh re - N'>''t''
tance.
OF All these words none = fmprr,~cd
upon he mind of the new man NOR thin
that OF exclusive" or scoop He soon
learns that the quickest and surest ROAD
10 recognition is 20 bring in an eNrIu-
SiVr He may write good tshGllSn W
after day. he may cover MS assignments
well enough. but he never makes Iue
on that gentleman an exclusive S'"f! -.
some kind. ON such occasions the ma,
on the desk never SioopS either 70 san
attention 10 miSSpelled words or 10 crit
icise bungling grammar: he i NOR" likely
to say tenderIy. MY boy. YOU are on HE
right track now
Yet 70 be valua bic, the young man needs
ment for other things as well. somehow
while the evening edition is under nun
headwav. the beginner. for 1t least once
in his life. bursts into The city room. red
in the face and ali ont OF breath. Just
AT this minute. which is half an hour be
fore press time. the city editor is trying
10 do several things Of Importance. On
marine shops has exploded under = room
OF one thousand men: the candidate 81
the opposition party is rumorcd 70 have
a acknowledged his defeat: third fire
alarm cali has been sounded in the lum-
Der district. with the wind Blowing a