Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1902-06-29
ROMANCE OF
JOSH KINNEY,
EDITQQ ny JOHN
LOihVN HOWARD 10


II was an odd name for newspaper
The sangamon Boy-but its career
was so full OF oddities that nobody
minded that The easy going country
folk Of the Lower Corners said II was
a good paper Anyhow. Ike the good
boy. Il died young. Its edltor-there
was man who never was duplicated
In or out OF the newspaper business.
THAT fellow was a queer one" said
old Eph Edwards. "but he was smart
erin chain Iightnin'. Did ye ever read
about Ichabod Crane? I've forgot who
it's by. but this Josh Kinney was
good deal like Ichabod" :
Josh Kinney was farm hand by
day aud an editor by night. Somebody
said his nerves were made OF Iron. lie
rested bis brain by busyIng his body
and rested his body by busylng his
brain. The eyes that were set far back
under the shaggy brows never lost
their keenness In the shadows Of his
protrudlng brow. They were the unfall-
Ing signal Fights that flashed the mes
sage OF visilant. alert. observing
mind. Kinney WAS patient. else he new
or would have learned the printers
art at odd moments. lie was piodding
and persistent. else be never wouIal
have tolled far into the night 10 bring
out the weekly issues OF The sanga-
mon Boy.
His Office was even older than the
man. To see II one could almost guess
what manner OF man was It's presiding
genius. II Is standing today. a plain
square cabin on the very crown OF
desolate hill Eve miles removed from
any town. Behind It aud shelterlng 1t
from the spite Of the winter winds
aid the afternoon sun Is grove OF !
great towering oak trees. lifting their
branches high over the head OF a tan
gled mass OF forest shrubbery. Its one
door Is nailed shut. and strong boards 1
cover the two squares on either side /
where windows once let In n tImid 1
light by day and sent out ghostly 4
giimmer OF oil lamps by night.
For ten years not n foot has been set /
inside the door. The little old hand |
press was removed long ago and the
worn type. One might nnd rusty
stick nesting here and there In the
cracks Of the board focr and he might
See Bit OF yellow paper tackled near
The door bearing the words In Josh's
own handwriting:
'Loafers are invited to the black
smith shop down the road. This is
prlntery."
Coming from anybody else this hint
might have invited trouble. but respect
Tor Josh kidneys iron muscles and his
Ieemlng brain brought Il only silent
obedience.
Lower Corners, which. by the way. Is
not a village. but a farming commu-
atty. made sport OF Josh when he first
,amc and started his newspaper. That
was before they knew anything about
he big brain that dominated his an
yular body. lie managed TO get some
hing into every Issue that set his
lelghbors thinking aud made them re-
'pect him FOR his learning.
In Lower Corners today there are
men OF families who were boys ten
'ears ago-blg. lusty. mischlevous boys
Who loved fish fry In the summer and
bobsled ride when the snow was
inee deep on the Rochester road. or
curse. they remember the night when
dozen OF them. playing the gallant
o as many country girls with ruddy
heeks. rode past Kinney's little office
nd bombarded the door with snow
Ialls.
Kinney never forgot II. because the
rash OF those snowballs sent a shock
D bis heart that changed the current
Z his life. All night long be had heard
othlng but the monotonous beating OF
be little press which his foot kept In
iotion. How prosaIc II was against
be rolllcking Jingle OF the slelghbells.
ow hars5 against the musical laugh
r. OF the girls In the sledl And what
strange thrill went through him as
e heard one Of these cry out: please /
ont throw any more. boys. You
lghtn't 10 disturb Mr.. Kinney when
e's busy. Please don't" I
"And Is there really somebody who
Tres enough about me TO think OF {
latT he asked himself Am | doing {
ght to shut myself up here when
ight be out with those boys and girls? I
wonder whose voice that was. IL "
'unded lIke-but what reason have
think thatY c
Maybe he didn't have any reason to "
Ink II. but vague tender hope rose b
Dove reason. "Mary"-what a pretty c
Ime IL was. he thought-"M Mary Man v
SO tlmld was this big. v
rong man that be actually blushed az
$ own audacity when he coupled her
me with his MARY Manning Kin /