Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-09-02
81 DELIGHT 8

ISSSSSSSSSSSSS *
R. G. McKiltie. formerly Chicago
newspaper man, but now in the real
estate business in
Thinks Self Made California, who was
| In OttumWa recently
| Reporters tells some interest
| ing stories of news
| Are the Best. paper deals through
which he has gone.
"The general impression all over
the world" he said, sis that news
paper reporter has nothing to do but
go from man to man asking If there
is anything doing. They think news
paper work is the very essence of the
simple life, but Of course every news
paper man knows that his majesty the
people knows very little of what is
going on, and the least of all the man.
ner in which news is gathered. They
see story in paper and think that
all the reporter had to do was to go
and ask for it.
| "If news came for the pure asking,
every newspaper in the country would
be run by cubs fresh from college who
possessed ideas of reformation and
opinions on literature and art. AS it
is, the best newspaper man seems to
be the boy who has had to bump up
against the rough edge of the uni
verse and tackle things from worldly
and not collegiate standpoint. Of
course there are many good newspa-
per men who are graduates from col
lege, but no one would think so to see
them get to work.
AS an instance of what reporter
has to go through I'll mention the
manner in which got story. I was
working in town Of about $4,000 peo-
pie in the east when the story was
pulled off. The place was hustling
spot and the newspapers were up to
the mark. There were three evening
papers there and | was covering the
police run for one of them.
zone day I got a tip that very
prominent citizen had gone on a tear
and coming home
had beaten his Servant Girl
wife to such an ex-
tent that she was Would Not Stand
on the point o
death On the way Flattery.
down to the citi-
zen's house I saw the boys of the 9TH
er two sheets going the same way, so
I guessed that the tip must have been
rather prevalent. OF course l could
get nothing from the house. l asked
to see the wife and was naturally told
that she was out of town.
"'Left this morning, said the serv-
ant girl with a straight face.
Anybody sick here, my DEAR
asked her.
No, nobody is sick, and what's
that got to do with your
"'Oh, come along. You're far too
pretty girl to get rolled over sim
pie question. You look much more
beautiful when you keep calm and
smile. Don't you know that you have
the prettiest smile ever saw
"'Huh! dessay'
I mean it. I know there has been
some kind of an accident for can
smell the arnica and antiseptics from
here. Wouldn't you like some theatre
tickets, my dear?'
"The girl looked at me for a mo-
ment and then shut the door right in
my face Perhaps you think I didn't
swear. There was story right under
my nose, but dared not print word
without some kind Of substantial basis
for fear of libel suit. told you be-
fore the man was very much of a
prominent citizen. However l saw
, another reporter making tracks for
; the place, and wishing to work on the
case alone I ducked out. The next
thing did was to find out the name of
the family physician. This was easy
, enough, and though I knew that the
doctor is about the last person to try
and pump, thought would make a
try for 1t in the hope that I might land
something. Just as I went up his
doorstep he came out carrying doc.
tors bag. He seemed to be in hur-
ry, so tackled him right on the spot.
I've come about the - case.
: started, when he cut me short.
/ I'm just on my
Went in way there now
. Anything wrong?'
i AS Doctors I'm a moment
tumbl d. He
:. Assistant thought I was a
messenger sent