Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1902-04-11
ROMANCE OF
JOSH KINNEY,
EDITOR R II; s4ss r,
ny JOHN
HOWARD TODD


was so Fun OF oddities that nobody
minded that. The easy going country
folk OF the Lower Corners said Il WINS
a good paper. Anyhow. like the good
boy. Il died young It's c~ditor-there
was a man who never wns duplicated
In or out OF tie newspaper business.
THAT fellow was a queer one" said
old Eph Edwards. ''but he was smart
er'n chain nghtnln'. Did We ever read
about Ichabod Cane7 I've forgot wbo
it's by. but this Josh Kinney was q
good deal like lchnhod."
Josh Kinney was a farm hand by
day and nn.pditor hy night. Somebody
said his nerves were made Of iron. He
rested his brain by husying his body
and rested his body by busying his
brain. The eyes that were set far hack
under the shaggy brows Y lost
their kecnness IN the shadows Of his
protruding brow. They were the unfail
ing signal lights that dashed the mes
sage Of a vigilant. alert. observing
mind KINNEY was pntient. else he ncv-
or would have learned the printers
arf M odd mcn He was %pioddipg
and persistent. else he never would
have toIlcd far into the night 10 hriug
out the weekly issues OF The Sangl-
nun BOY.
His Office WINS even older than the
man. To see Il one could almost guess
what manner VI man was It's presiding
genius. Il Is standing today. a plain
square cabin on the very crown o. a
desolaIe BIZ I've miles removed from
any town. Behind il and sleltering lt
from the spite Of the winter winds
and the afternoon sun is a grove OF
great towering oak trees. lifting their
branches high over the head OF q tan
gled mass Of forest shrubbery. It's one
door Is nailed shut. and strong boards
cover the two squares Cd either side
where windows once let In a tinild
light by day and sent out a shostiy
glimmer Of oil lamps by night.
For ten years not Il foot has been set
inside the door. The little old hand
press was removed long ago and the
worn type. One might lind a rusty
stick nesting here and there in the
cracks OF the board floor. and he might
see a bit OF yellow paper tackled near
the door bearing the words In Josh's
own handwriting:
"Loafers are invited 10 the black.
smith shop down the road. This is a
printery."
Coming from anybody else this hint
might have invited trouble. but respect
for Josh Klnnpy's iron muscles and his
teeminG brain brought it only silent
obedience.
Lower Corners. which. by the way. Is
not a village. but a farming commu-
nifty. made sport Of Josh when be first
came and started his newspaper. That
---4i.t-- -s---A
the big brain that dominated his an
Cular body. He managed to get some
thing into every Issue that set his
uelghbors thinking aud made them re-
sppct him for his learning.
10 Lower Corners today there are
men OF families who were boys ten
years ago-bi2. lusty. mlschlcvous boys
who loved a fish fry ia the summer and
y bohsled ride when the snow was
knee deep on the Rochester road. OF
course. they remember the night when
a dozen Of them, playing the gallant
10 as many country girls with ruddy
cheeks. rode past Kinney's little Office
and bombarded the door with now
balls.
Kinney never forgot It. because the
crash of those snOwballs sent a shock
70 his heart that changed the current
Of his life. All night long be had heard
nothing but the mOnotonous beating OF
'he little press which his foot kept in
motion. How prosaic It was against
the rollickIng jingle of the sleighbells.
how harsh against the musical laugh
ter OF the girls In the sled And what
n strange thrill went through him as
he heard one of these cry out: please
don't throw any more. boys. You
nughtn't to disturb Mr.. Kinney when
he's busy. Please don't"
And Is there really somebody who
cares enough about me to think oi
thar he asked himself. Am | doing
right to shut myself up here when
might be out with those boys and glris'
/ wonder whose voice that was II
sounded iikp-but what q have
10 think thnty"
Maybe be- didn't have any reason e
think II but a vague. tender hope ros'
above reason. "Mnry"-wh q pretty
nnmp Il was. be thought-"Aiary Man
ming kinney 80 tlmld wns this hig
strong mBn that he actually biushed al
his own audncity when be coupled bel
name with HIS Mary Manning Kio
pey"' II kept ringing In bia spiritua
ear like the melody ~ a favorlte song
When the last issue Of The SangamoI
Rnv was run OF and Josh Kinney erep'
irtO he'd. q host Of sentimental fanclei
krpt him awake r1til far into To-
niofnlng and then wove themselves IN
90 iiir fihrir ~ his dreams.
Mary Manning was the only daugb
Ser { tie Richest farmer In Lower Cor
MRS pBd the one girl IN the community
who had tossed aside the hlue bonnie
% the district arhoOl and become
seminary glrl abroad. She RaW 10 KIN
ney something more than q riod. some
ming higher than the creator OF
weekly rurni paper. She respected hin
FOR Me wide fund Of information. FOL
HI auw~mN uawu.nku g. Ran nhwmNan