The Savannah morning news., 1902-03-16
EDITOR FREEMAN's EXPERIENCE.
How He Met EstiII in 1893 and the
Advice the Latter Gave Him.

Douglas Breeze: In the spring of
ing business, had worked in an office
two years and considered ourself
about as good a jour as ever set
type" We quit our job, where, we
were getting IS per week, and pulled
out for Savannah. found Mr.. ]. H.
Estill. Can old bed-tick apron covered
the front of his body down to his knees.
a vest with a basted back and pam
falcons that had been half soled until
they wouldn't hold stitches CoVerei the
other side), and struck him. for
breakfast. He sent US to a restaurant
under the southwest corner of the mar
ket house, where we filled UP the
whole case with instruction to return
and he'd see about it," We returned,
looked at the boys flour of emp dis
trlbuting type, for a moment or two
when Mr.. Estill came to us (sleeVaS
rolled to his elbows)and asked: Where
are you from? what do you want? how
long have you been at the printing?
Ihrowed EN- all at us at once, you see.
We informed him that we came from
Albany, wanted steady work at soc
per 1000 ems, and had worked two
years as an apprentice. -Four years
are the terms of an apprentice, we
cam pay you as journeyman print
er, for these men would not work with
you. We can take you as an apprentice
in third year and will give you SO per
Week-you can get board for S.. so. If
you can work for that Wen Try YOU,
as we need a boy, if not all right. That
is the best all we can afford, all you
can earn, and if you won't work for
that We'll do the work ourselves"
Now. that was plain talk. But it was
the right kind. He told us what he
could co-what he would do and gave
US to understand that he was not
helpless, and even if we were about
as good as ever nicked type, ne
could do without us. The FACT u.s. we
could set two columns of loaded lorg
primmer in eight hours, put our spac-
ing was about as bad as could lea
EN- quad between one word anG an
en- quad and thick space between the
neXt-anY way TO space out quick was
our rule. His short, business like whip
cracks did us good-made us. you
might say. We rushed down stairs,
after distributing galley of type to
pay for our breakfast, and al the Har-
nett House found Capt. John A. Davis
of Albany, who let us have money to
buy a ticket back home.
After that we watched Estill from
afar, we saw him crawl higher and
higher. After that he tackled the Ty-
biographical Union, which he denied
the right to control his office, but
never refused to pay Union wages,
and again made a success. His life
has been a continual success, and as
the Savannah Press so strongly and
f1ttingly remarks, in substance, a man
that controls well his own affairs can
the better serve, the public as an exec
utive. Cliques and rings combina-
tons and thumbscrews will not awe
him in the discharge of his duties, for
If he can't get help from others to
manage the affairs of the state, as he
told us in '6S, well do the work our
selves"
. Guess he's sorry he talked to US so
saucy like, now. 1t has been a long
time and he was in hopes we had for
gotten 1t, but we haven't. 1t was a
polite way he had of telling us to take
oursef out of his Office and "scoot,"
and we did it, but we laid it up against
him then. Well have revenge now.
Well nominate him for Governor and
he'll have to go round over this coun-
try and kiss all the babies-makes no
difference how slobbery their mouths
and tell their mothers that they are
pretty little things" He must eat
haf-done bull-beef at the barbecues
(IltS SUMMER Will nave 10 cram DOWN
roasting ears until he feels like dane
ing the green corn dance" must "cut
the pidgin wing" with Mary Ann
while Ben plays the fiddle and Sallie
Beats time with the straws, and must
grab a handspike, under a big stock
log, and sink "BilPs" nuclzles in the
ground if he 'spects old black Buck to
vote for him.
All these things we've laid up for
m
know if you're still wearing that old
bed-tick apron and those half-soled
pants.
And then when he "gets there" then
comes more revenge. The office-seek-
er, the pardon business, the new depot,
and a thousand other things to per-
pick. to bother, to sadden, to gladden.
and fill his soul with horror, but you
needn't ask us to help you.