Martinsburg statesman. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1869-1906, 1906-01-05
CAMER0y'S WATERLOO.
And This Is True Newspaper Story
of Washington.

OF Washington.
When he came into the office even
/ the Angel Child knew he was lookine
/ for job. IL was written all over him,
from the brim of his rusty hat TO the
/ tips of his well-worn shoes. And this
is true newspaper story of Washing
| ton.
The city editor knew what was com.
| ing, but refrained from signifying II
until the request had been made.
Nothing doing. said the city editor.
| unless you can help out on sports
We need somebody there just now"
Well, can do little OF that" Cam.
eron said, and so he came to work on
The News.
Nobody knew where he hailed from.
and the Bohemian spirit which rules
the newspaper profession prompted nc
one TO ask. Somebody noticed his
shabby clothes, concluded his bank &c
count was not in working order. and
silent fund" subscribed by the stan,
went to pay his board bill for two
weeks and to put him on his feet.
He wrote sports, and soon aroused
the newspaper fraternity by his wide
knowledge Of athletics and his supreme
command Of vocabulary Of slang the
like of which had never been heard
before, and which formed the basis
for to-day's wonderful dictionary Of
sport terms
He first distinguished himself by a
daily series of baseball paragraphs
which soon made the sport page Of The
News one of the most conspicuous fea-
lures of the paper,
A sill more brilliant achievement
was in store for him. and still great
er surprise for the public, when one
night the dramatic editor became i'll
and for sheer want of some one better
to send the city editor told Cameron
to cover Irving's performance of
"Robespierre" at the National Theatre.
To the utter amazement of the entire
staff, The News carried the next day
a review Of the performance which was
a masterpiece of English In all It's pur-
ity and splendid scope. Cameron was
the only man who was not surprised in
the sensation the review caused. He
knew he could do II; the others didn't.
Cameron's versatility was marked
In unremitting and farreaching use OF
profanity Cameron found no takers. 1t
Just rolled out, and those who got to
know Cameron best attempted nothing
that savored of reform. He had not
been on the paper two weeks before
his reputation for profanity had left
all others at the post, and the occa-
sional expressions of disgruntlement
on the part of others sounded like the
tinkle of COW bell beside the rum,
bling flow Of chosen words from Cam
eron when he was annoyed.
The boys didn't mind, but they
quailed to think Of what might happen
IL demure little Mrs. Parish, the social
editor, ever heard Cameron swear
They dreaded the consequences, al.
though nobody could really tell just
what the result might be.
Cameron was confirmed woman
hater He declared women to be the
supreme nuisances of the earth and
absolute imposslbilities in business.
That they should intrude into newspa.
per work and so hamper mans per
Torrance of his duties In a worthy call
ing he regarded with sincere contempt
and unbiased seorn.
Mrs. Parish, on the contrary, was
gentlewoman to the tips of her fin
gers, Her slow, deliberate manner Of
speech bespoke her gentle Southern
ancestry and gave some indication OF
her fine womanly character.
Despite his profound antagonism to
ward the gentler sex, Cameron thought
enough Of his position on the paper
not to offend Mrs. Parish.
One day, however, he came into the
Office from a baseball game. The home
team had lost, the day was hot, and
as If to add to Cameron's i'll humor, he
found Mrs Parish at the big table In
the center of the room, her exchanges
completely covering what little space
might have been left for anyone else
With one sweep of his arm Cameron
sent the papers flying to every corner
of the room, saying:
ITO hell with all this rot!''
Everybody heard. Every man in the
room held his breath, expecting a
scene. Mrs. Parish, manifestly sur
prised, looking calmly, first at the pa
pers, then at Cameron, and in her slow.
gentle voice, as IL she were repeating
her charming Good afternoon" she
said:
That's what | say, Mr.. Cameron
To hell with all this roti' But you
know If | don't do 1t | don't get my
dinner. But just the same. feel as
you do, and when | go TO some Of these
society peoples houses and they com
pei me to talk with their servants
rather than see me themselves, say,
To hell with them.'"
Cameron looked like a man over
board. He gathered up the papers from
the floor one by one. A sheepish look
that had never been there before came
over his face, and when he had care
fully piled the papers on the table be
fore Mrs. Parish he said. loud enough
for the entire room to hear:
you keep your papers here when
and as long as you please. and the first
fellow who interferes with you I'll kick