The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-12-11
TURNIPTOWN'S FIRST NEWSPAPER.
BY WALTER HARPER.

1 MT. Editor. we welcome you to our town. We need a paper and need it bad. We only need this to put us in the fore front of other metropolitan cities. We
 have long seen the necessity of this in- stertution. but have needed the man to set it a-rollin'. Now, I make motion, if l am in order, that we all jine hands with the brother editor and make suc- cess of this here thing There was a chorus of approval, and l got three sub scrptions for three months pledged on the spot. The others wanted to see the
 paper first, but all assured me that they
 were well wishers of the enterprise.
 How you gwine ter print that ar
 paper, pardner? I don't see no printin'
 machine? queered the town marshal, a
 raw -boned giant with hickory club two feet long, which he took great pride in | fourishing.
 T explained that for the present I 1 would have the paper printed in Atlanta
 until the press I had ordered built at the
 factory arrived. l believe bluff is a vir- | tue at times.
 This explanation seemed to be entire 1 ly satisfactory and my stock went up a
 few hundred points.
 "rhe mayor wanted to conduct the pol icy of my editorial page and the red 1 headed school teacher loaded my pockets with poems and essays with the promise
 of an inexhaustible supply in the future.
 l did not lack for copy for the first num- l Der, but many of these interested con i tributors were mad when it was out | None of their stuff appeared.
 'rhe first number came out on time from the 'ready-print shop in Atlanta
 l had half a column of local news notes
 When l canvassed the town for adver- tisements from Dr. Cook, the druggist | When I canvasse dthe town for adver- | tisements no one except the doctor ! seemed to understand what wanted. He
 told me to write him out about twenty
 five cents worth of locals to run a
 month, and l gave him a generous sup
 ply, so as to make showing and as an l inducement to others.
 1 Tn the evening after the paper was
 distributed by the editor himself I was
 called on by committee of business l men headed by the blacksmith mayor as l before. This time I did not like the ap- ! pearance of things and felt uneasy as 1 the mayor got on his feet to address l me. I felt that something was not just 1 right.
 Mr. Editor began the mayor, nerv- Sously, but firmly, we have called on a matter of vital Importance to this town l and to yourself. We like you and want
 
 l hope for you in this town if you con l tinue your present line. I subscribed foi | your paper for three months on condi- i tion you put my pictur in the fust Is
 sue I see marry pictur'. Some of these 1 other gentlemen signed for your paper and marry 'ad.' do we see of ther busi-
 ness, but here is a lot of rot about Dr 1 Cook and marry other store in town ] Possibly you do not understand the sit uation here or you would not make sucf
 a glaring mistake. Dr. Cook Is the most
 unpopular man in town, and if you want I to tear yourself with us, who are the | real backbone of this mernicipal corpo- ration, you just want to keep on blowin' ! that pll-roller to the silent contempt of l weunses. I tell you right now that I i have declined the idea of taking your paper and every other decent man in l town will follow suit if you don't tote l fair, Delivering himself fully thuswise | he took long breath and sat down. Before I could get my wind for a reply, Mir Brown. the leading merchant popped up and remarked, You ought to
 give me at least half column 'ad.' as l am the biggest merchant in town. | think I certainly deserve this much mo-
 tice in a local paper and I paid you nickel in advance for the fust issue to see I what kind of an ad.' you give me. | Didn't I?' Mir. BGown sat down. This brought me to my feet like jack in the box. MT. Brown. and all