The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-10-28

l am not a writer If were / would
write story that would create a sem
sation. I have that much confidence in
myself. Speaking of confidence l re-
member when | was a struggling stu
dent in Chicago | was living on SO
small a margin that frequently l was
unable to get anything to eat, but
was so full of confidence that 1 never
really felt hungry. My confidence once
persuaded me that | could write, but
after taking course in journalism
crowded waste-baskets with manu-
scripts without getting out of them
(the manuscripts) enough money to
pay back the sum had borrowed from
a friend for tuition while learning to
write.
have diploma real sheepskin
affair with the golden seal of a college
OF journalism thereon, certifying that |
am bachelor of journalism, a B. ].
Yes, Big Jay. Later 1 became a chem
ist and hieroglyphist. A chemist is
one who can analyze chemicals or COM
pounds and hieroglyphist is Que who
can analyze hieroglyphics and con
POUNDS. l am both and flatter myself
rather my confidence fatters me into
believing myself a good embodiment of
the principles of both.
Well, my inkling of journalism was
sufficient to suggest to me the idea that
although l could not pick up my pen
and dip a story out of my ink tottle,
there was one in there and a gooc one,
too, that a suggestive head could take
out and spread all over sheets and
sheets of paper l wanted that story
for prize story contest, but nv head
would not draw it out through the me-
dunn of pen. Accordingly brought
my knowledge of chemistry into play
reduced that bottle of ink to sulphate
of copper, gum acacia, copperas, ex-
tract of logwood and HaO, every in
gredient of which bore traces of a for
eign substance that I concluded was
the story l was after. Proceeding I
eliminated the HaO by evaporation.
hoping that the story would not also
evaporate, reduced the remaining in
gradients to fine powder, spread the
powder on plate of glass, suspended
the glass in a glass conical retort by
means of piece of mandolin string
exhausted the air, set the thing in
front of me on my desk and while |
watched it, allowed my thoughts to
dwell on little love affair of former
days.
| do not believe in spirits, but the
powder on that plate actually got I'D
and danced all over the plate for about
ten minutes, finally settling down in
groups so arranged as to present many
shapes. l exhausted my
knowledge of hieroglyphics in trying
to read them without being able to
decipher story. After bordering a
while a happy thought struck me.
made wax impression of the forms
the hieroglyphics-and constructed
phonograph-like register and sound
machine. Placing the regis
ter in position and receivers in both
ears l turned on the current and lis
tened. was surprised at what heard.
In fact, at hearing anything at all
This is the story that l heard and it |
sounded as though the heroine was
it to herself:
Eyes, l remember our first meeting.
1t was on the front steps on July even
ing. Mr.. Hogan introduced us. Then
Jack asked me to go to church with |
him. 1 had just recovered from a Sc |
we're illness and could walk only a few
blocks He called a carriage, and, oh,
how tenderly he assisted me in and out |
and babe me lean on him in church. | |
loved him from that hour. This is his |
Dear old Jack, l wonder if he is still
In Chicago and does he ever walk by
that boarding house and think of Au-
gCsta? Can l ever forget how kind he
was to me the year following. How
be bought me books, candy, fruit. took
me to the theater, banquets, and away
put into the country on pleasant
drives. Dear old fellow. The park
now it used to delight him to take Just
me, board an electric car and spend en