Amador ledger., 1906-01-12
.CAMER0NsS WATERLOO.
And This1 True Newspaper Story
OF Wasting Ton.


When he came into the office even
the Angel Child knew he was looking
for a job. 1t was written all over him
from the brim of his rusty hat to the
tips of his well-worn shoes. And this
is a true newspaper story of Washing
ton.
The city editor knew what was com
ing, but refrained from signifying it
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"
'FWell, 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 ac.
count was not in working order, and
silent fund.-" subscribed by the staff,
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 te-day's wonderful dictionary lof
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 still more brilliant achievement
was in store for him, and a still great
er surprise for the public, when one
night the dramatic editor became ill
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 its 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 it; the others didn't.
Cameron's versatility was marked
In unremitting and far-reaching 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 ocea
sional expressions of disgruntlement
on the part of others sounded like the
tinlsle of a COW bell beside the rum
bling flow of chosen words from Cam
eron Wnen he was annoyed.
The boys didn't mind, but they
unailed to think of what might happen
If '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 a confirmed woman
hater He declared women to be the
supreme nuisances of the earth and
absolute impossibilities in business.
That they should intrnfie into newspa
per work and so hamper man's per
formance of his duties in a worthy call
ing he regarded with sincere contempt
and unbiased scorn.
Mrs. Parish, on the contrary, was o
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 baseball game. The home
team had lost, the day was hot, and,
as if to add to Cameron's ill .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:
'"To he'll 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 if she were repeating
her charming '"Good afternoon!" she
said:
That's what I say, Mr.. Cameron.
TO hell with all this rot!' But you
know if don't do it / 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 themi'"
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
fO1, tho anfiro ,.Ooy,, to