Mexico weekly ledger., 1906-07-05
AS THE MIRROR SEES
HOMER BASsFORD.
81. Louis Publication Pays High
Tribute to the Republics Right
Hand Man-Formerly Of This
City.

last issue of the st. Louis Mirror
under the head OF "Kindly OarIcatur-
es"Mr Bassford is well known here and
the high tribute paid him by Editor
Reedy is fully deserved.
He looks like David's Napoleon
does Homer Bassford. And be Is the
Napoleon Of the Republic office. He
is night editor, dramatic editor, liter
ary editor and Sunday editor and high
cockalorum for sure at all hours in
that establishment. The only thing
he hasn't anything to do with is the
lottery the paper is now running to
yet subscribers One evening saw
him early, in full dress at a banquet,
and at about O'Clock the next morn
ing found him crawling around In
the intestines Of big press in the
basement.
Mr.. Bassford is young man from
Missouri, but you'd never think it, to
hear him speaking French with society
matrons at musical, or chattering
behind the scenes with Mime. Bern
hardt, who never comes to town with
out Immediately asking "Vhere is ma
chere Homare?', Mr.. Bassford can
write real critiques of plays. He likes
to play with a subject, to make a
little peck at it, then draw away and
slip around to one side and peck at it
again. Thus he gets at all sides of
the subject, and SO without saying
very much at any one time, or In any
one sentence, he manages to build up
a total effect that somehow gives you
perfect impression Of the play in all
its faults and merits. Delicacy is his
distinctive quality, exquisite tact.
And so it is In his conversation. He
doesn't knock talk out of you; be Just
gets it out OF you easy-like your girl
lgets rid Of your headache by passing
her cool fingers over your forehead.
The suave Homer, who's always SO
glad to meet you, and acts like he
wouldn't lose you for the world, is
nevertheless unable to stay more than
ten minutes. When he hurries off to
his manifold duties you realize that
he's told you a lot Of pleasant things
about yourself and you've given him
some valuable information one way or
another In return. He's the pleasant.
est pumper who ever went around in
pumps, and he gathers more informa-
tlon for bis paper In half an hour on
the street than his whole reportorlal
star can get In a week.
Neat, trim, keen intelligence just
snaps In his face when he's talking,
like electricity In a cats back. His
manner is pertly pleasing, though you
feel that you would like to lay hands
on him and hold him for justa minute
He's the best side-stepper In the uni
verse. Not even Charlie Mitchell, in
the twenty-four foot ring, could beat
him. Dlplomaticl He is the essence
Of diplomacy. There's nothing that
doesn't interest him, and nothing In
the world more than yourself and
your interests-while your talking to
him. And despite this crickety, elu-
slve, shimmery impression he makes
teere's sound, true quality in him. He
can be depended upon to stand by a
friend, to do favor without waiting
for you to ask him to do it. He has as
many different kinds of ability pack
ed away in his queer, coolly nervous
little frame as there are Heinz's
pickles. He can write like man with
an ak when he wants to, and then do
literary feather-tickling that leaves
you dubious as to what he wishes you
to understand. Dilletante to the in
nermost deep of him, ne will get In
and work like a stevedore In a big
night crisis on the paper. No one
ever saw him ratified, or heard him
cuss. There isn't any newspaper man
in town as popular as Bassford. Why,
he's even popular with newspaper
men, and that's the limit-for news
paper man, especially one in COM
mand.
Homer Bassford has Joe Folk skin
ned for ''imperturbable aplomb.H He
parties kick to the editor with the
grace Of master of savate, and in con-
versational fence he is apt to strike
bis surest stroke when he seem to be
retreatlng dlfiidently. He can actual
lly make you see the reasonableness OF
the Republics policy, while you're
talking to him. He has convinced
people without one drink In them
that the Republics editorial page is
the ideal editorial page just because
It's indeterminate and nephelic pro-
nouncements are what they are III
is actually believed by some that, II
necessary, Mr.. Bassford could himself
write Republic editorial that would
out. .Bunsby Bunsby and outdubiate a
Thessalian oracle. / went to him once
ard said, "Bassford, In Heavens
name do you see anything funny In
those editorials about J. N. Foote, OF
Protein, Taney County, and Peveiey
Sadders9" And he came up to me,
and then stepped back and said;
ayes, see you reading 'em and try
log to see It,"
Mr.. Bassford is a social favorlte'
which few journalists are In this town
It's a delight TO observe him In the
midst ofa bunch of ladies swapping
small talk. At musicale he always
bas 'em, and the result-the ladles
work for the Republic. II they have
anything that is bit OF news they
} II