The Bemidji pioneer., 1902-06-26
TROUBLES OF AN EDITOR.
Found His Boyish Appearance Involved
Him Id Many Difficulties.

Found His Boyish Appearance involved
Him In Many Difficulties.
The city editor Of a German news
paper concealed much ability and
cleyerness behind a modest exterior.
He was slight Of frame and his beard
less face might have been mistaken
for that Of a boy OF 10, though it was
only necessary to hear him converse
to be convinced that he was of the
world worldly.
He told q story, which illustrated
the difficulties under which he Ia.
bored because Of his youthful appear
ance. There was a strike on at the
time, which was few years ago, and
the state board Of arbitration IN ses-
sion at the Kirby house had promised
him to leave an account Of the pro-
ceedings with the clerk. Late that
evening, when this account was badly
needed, he rushed over to the Kirby
house and asked the clerk for the
manuscript which had been left for
his paper.
I've got It here all right, said
the clerk, 'sbut can't give it to you.
You'll have to get an order from the
city editor"
But / am the city editor pro-
tested the applicant.
ssYou?o
The clerk gave one contemptuous
glance at his beardless face and then
refused to further discuss such ari-
dieulous proposition. The city ed
itor was in despair. He had to have
that copy, and he knew the clerkwas
made Of adamant. He rayed and
tore and swore to no purpose, and
was only relieved from his prediea-
ment when a new reporter on hls
staff sauntered into the hotel and al
fably recognized the clerk. With a
suddenness born Of inspiration the
city editor asked for and received
from his junior reporter an order to
give the bearer the manuscript, and
upon that ordcrit was delivered with
out question.
But that wasn't half SO bad as the
time / went to interview Jagnaina,
/ the great swordswoman, he con-
tinued. "Tbe clerk Of the hotel sent
me, quickly following my card, right
up to her room. knocked on the
door, and in response to her Scornein,'
entered. She was standing there
somewhat Id dishabille, and, seizing
d pitcher from stand, as entered,
cried:
Or Heaven's sake, get me "a
pitcher Of hot water at once.
Being evidently mistaken for.tle
3bellboy / fulfilled the bellboy's du-
ties, brought her pitcher of water
and then handed it to her with as
graceful a bow as I was capable of,
and, producing another card, told
her my errand 81
s.I don't know Of any profession Z
said the veteran journalist, beaming
thoughtfully over his glasses, n
which SO many illusions areso quickly
and ruthlessly dispelled as in ours.
can hardly realize it now myself,
but I still can distinctly remember
the great shock andgrief it was to
me to see idols about whom ! had
built such magnificent castles rnth-
lessly destroyed, and the castles
pushed over upon them. I can res
member, as though it were to-day,
many years ago when, in my repor-
torial capacity, / first attended cake
walk TO my surprise and astonish-
ment, there 7 saw as judges editors
Of great newspapers, men whom | re-
vered and looked up to as embodying
all there was or could be in the pros
fession Of journalism, and I spelt it
with a big, big j. But there they
were, and when few years later I
achieved, myself, the exalted position
of judge atacake walk, realized how
little men actually change them-
selves and how much they are gov-
erned by the change in the point Of
view. Milwaukee Sentinel. #
A Tin,e-Saving Device. n