West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1902-05-29
The Printers Devil.

sherman Guthrie in the Harrison Herald.
The Printers Devil" OF twenty years
| ago had vast number OF things to contend
| with when compared with the printers s
devil of the twentieth century Twenty
years ago he went in printing Office under
a three years contract with nothing for
the first year. small plitsnce for the
second and little more for the third
He had TO so TO the Office at o'clock in
the NOR ming and after '-swiping'' a small
store box aud bucket of lump coal had to
build a fire and have the ofhce warm by ?
O'Clock when tie uumercifu foreman made
his daily debut. Fresh water was 10
bring. the Office sweep out and a dozen
minor things To do.
lie had TO hurry back from breakfast to
receive his first daily "cussing' from the
foreman. kick from the job printer aud
howl from the compositors. 10 O'Clock
the editor came in aud the devil had TO
receive scolding from him Tor something
some one else had done or left undone.
When press day came around once
week-it seemed then like press day came
every other dsy-he had TO wash the roller
and ink-stone and "roll" for Washington
hand press When the edition was of he
was tired. and ink "besploched" from head
to foot. While in his ears Numbered the
yells OF the pressman for 'co'or."
The next task was TO carry water four
squares in lcaky bucket TO wash the
forms. This job usually took from barrel
to two barrels OF profanity and IL was
always poured out on the DEVILS head.
az nrAa
usually spent between heaven and earth.
because a printers devil that don't like
green apples. grapes. melons. hard cider.
etc will never learn the printers trade.
His odd moments were put in running
errands for the printers. buying tobacco
carrying notes 10 their sweethearts. bor-
rowing the type grinder. ieft-handed
shooting stick OF italic shooting stick from
other printing Offices and waiting upon the
editor. On Sunday II he was caught at
church or Sunday school hc was fired"
But the unpoishcd marble nor the unified
brass never show their beauty. From the
depths of the ocean come the priceless
gems and from the underground the bright.
est jewels. The printers devil OF twenty
years ago had hard row to hoe but the
many trials he had to surmount fitted him
for life,
Today the printers imp goes to work
with the clock and stops with the clock.
He walks in the Office at in the morning.
turns on the gas to the lighted match and
the fire is built lie gives the floor "a lick
and promise" and the Office is swept out
While he smokes cigarette in the editors
chair the foreman washes the forms under
the lydrant. He runs his errands by tele-
phone and draws his weeks pay by check
He watches the printers print the paper on
a Babcock press, run by a Broncho gas
engine. at the rate OF 1900 an hour lie is
upto.datc on base ball news and can give
you tip as to which club will win the pen.
nant He knows the rules of the prize
ring and can pick the winner at the races
He has his favoritc daily newspaper and
knows the news while IL is news. His dress
is the best and he snubs a n ythng shoddy
He buys his fruit at the fruit stand and
thus avoids the cholera morbus attach
ment on the installment plan.
Verify the printers devil Of today has
the advantage Of the same parsonage twenty
years ago. r day he Is a peach while
twenty years ago he had to steal them