The Washington herald., 1906-10-14

a FEW mornings after the rib
5teak debauch on the wafer
"a lide Of q wicked city MI
IL y EIoke emerged rom his sun
[ ny front room for a single
gent, and walked the streets deJecttuS'
with his thumbs rigged out Ike 1lDDoolis'
10 keep his cuffs from sliding Oh II va
not the DTeCaTiuus Condltloh eL '''S
lingerie frequently on the ragged edge,
and faint for want Of soap, that hdTasse9
the gentle soul OF AlT. BlOhe. ne lau
lost his lob. a disaster that has caused
many a better man to limp his lie away,
Tnat asIute mariner and student OF
character Nj BaTn3ClC. had read the
youth Alright at the banquet, when ne
proclaimed him - duck Wot cruises dlohs
The front. in the wake Of ship items
But Willie no longer trod the devious
path that leads from the pencli 10 the
press, with a fire badge skeWered 10 MS
mort suspender. While the method of his
uRdoing may not interest the lay feau-
er. it has much to do VITA this narrative,
and. al tie same time, the circumstances
# The dismissal OF one 50 talented shows
that in the intellectual handling Of the
internal affairs Of "a great newspaper
Justice is sometimes tempered with mercy
and wisdom The overthrow of Alr Bloke,
journalist. came about in this wise:
one afternoon an architect, unknown to
fame. teIephoned the subeditOTs Of the
three san Francisco morning papers that
he had completed plans for a new $4,000
schoOlh0Use, and would submit copies OF
the design for publication, in the interest
of leMnins. The editor Of the journal tor
which AIr Bloke composed labored items
believed ia,u thc phone some bitter
words of reproach to the effect that he
was not dishing out free advertising for
skate architects. and that the designer
could 90 10 the devil with his plans.
NeXs morning the two loathsCme con-
temporari-s printed tive-coIumn pictures
Of the sch0OlhoUse. with cOpi0Js descrip-
tive matter, in large. fat type whereupon
riot and recTimination scethed in the in
tellects that nodded public opinion on
the pages Of the defeated journal The
proprietor and edit0r-in-chief wanted 10
know why they mad failed 10 get the
news. and the diplomatic subeditOr the
one who TebJked the architect said he
would find out at once, aad make fright
fUl example Of somebody. So he went
for Mr.. BiCke
How is it," the subeditor demanded,
pale with Indignation. THAT YOU failed to
turn in a picture Of the sChOolhouse?
(Which schoolhouse2' Willie faltered.
''I wasn't sent after one
The editor pointed 20 the clipped Illus
Jrati0ns spread upon the polished plateau
of his rolltop desk.
We've had the pants beaten off us by
the other papers, and hold YOU personally
responsible
But I've nothing 40 DO with the board
of edUcati0n; ] don't know the architect.
and ! never heard Cf the scuoolhoUse," D."
Jhe frightfUl example ret0rted. with some
spirit.
"YoE live in this district where they in
tend 10 build It. and should have had the
picture @ week ago" tauudered the ed
itor. You are discharged, sir. for incom-
peteucy and de-eliCuJu OF duty. and-and
l0T throwing the paper down.
Does that GO"
Il does. and Sc do YOU the editor said.
without lCokins at his victim.
All right, you're the main squeeze. and
I'm a lobster. canned" Mr.. Bloke said
bitterly. But I'll say this You cuuldn ,
edit the hiH OF fare fJr q I3-c5nt vestau-
rant. and do il right"
Get cUt ROW. Not another word. These
dub reporters are enough 10 drive man
Gany The ucws standard OF this paper
must Dee maintained. sir, no matter who
sun rs"
Assuming the air Of one who had sUf-
lered ~ excess OF mis- share, the editoy
chased ar BlOkc ont Of the sanctum,
and. with this heroic example, the school
house incident was closed TO make way
fCr freshcr and more thrilling news fea-
frrr.