The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1906-08-09
A BLUFF

He was sprightly young fellow, who
did not propose to wait for affairs 10
take their natural course He did pro-
pose to be up and doing, with a view
to forcing circumstances to turn in his
favor RGymond's best girl was one
of the same kind She had taught
school long enough to save thousand
dollars, and Raymond, who had risen
from typesetter to reporter If that Is
TO be considered a rise had us much
more They had many sitting with
their heads together and sometimes
! their lips trying to figure out Il plan
| TO better themselves by using their cap
! ital jointly. They finally decided TO he
married. 90 west and start "A paper
The result of this uniono Of capital
was the Annunciator, lively newspa-
! per, IN the town of Tuckerton, a grow
ing place where there was but one 9th
er paper, the Wasp owned by man
by the name of Snarley. II never
stung any one Indeed il better de-
served the name of Drone, though The
manager was as sour as a vinegar
crilct
Springer and his wife started in TO
compete with this drowsy sheet. Their
paper was bound to distance the other
in time, but it requires time and eN-
penditure 70 start Il paper, and the
question Of ultimate success hung on
whether the funds would hold out.
The Sprngers used every economy, the
editor setting much of his type himself
ana breaking his wife IN 10 do the
same. New subscribers came steadily.
Every one praised the sprlghtlupss of
the paper ana there were few adj
vertisements offered, though these
must be accepted for little or nothing,
because Snarley on the starting of the
Annunciator had put his own prices to
a point which was sure to kill competl-
ton ana the rival paper
Every one knows who knows any
thing about the newspaper business
that IL is the advertisements that pay.
The SprinEcrs had everything else de-
sirab!e for a newspaper. They were
both good writer's and Mrs. Springer
introduced features that were especi-
ally captivating to women But the
cost Of material labor including their
own-aud ncidentals was an outgoing
stream that was not sufficiently coun-
teracted by the inflow. Consequently
the pool was slowly drying UP. Suar-
ley kept himself posted as to the Gnan-
Cial condition of the AnuunCator by
learning how long people found it
necessary 10 wait for the payment OF
their bills And as that time Increased
the sour expression on his face turned
into a smile that children were afraid Of.
Then Snarey heard that his compel
ltors were trying to get in some capital.
His paper Immediately began TO pour
forth walls as to the unsatisfactory
condition OF business generally and the
newspaper business In particular Ia
this way he headed off the Sprngers.
who had very nearly secured what
they required 70 set their paper on its
feet aud tide II over The shoals between
them and success. But now they were
Their money was all
gone, and if they continued the busi-
ness they would be swamped
They held a parley and decided to
run the paper week longer. The
morning after this decision an item
In an inCOnspicuous part of the edi-
toral page gave hint that there was
a possibility Of new blood being in
fused into the veins of the Annunci-
ator \ few days later another brief
item-the first IN the columu-statcd
that negotiations for new capital were
of
cess. If contract was made the An
nune-ator would appear In a new dress
and add two more pages. Snarlcy
read these announcements ana was
troubled. He pokpd his nose every
where to smell ont whore the new cap
tal was to come from, but failed 10
ind any trace of ~
one morning the Annunciafor an
bounced chat the financial suspense
hat mad lowered over the paper fp
ong like y huzzard over dyiag Hon
vas ended The future OF the paper
was no longer predetermined. Nor was
t. The end was M baud.
At 10 O'Clock Allan Lake, q nephew
# SRarlcy. entered Sprincer's office
nd asked II the negotiations had gone
o far rs 10 prevent plan to amalga-
nate the Wasp and the AnnunCiator.
+ not his uncle would turn over his in
crest 10 lrIm. put In new capital aud the
United papers would he ram 10y Spring
T aud lake jointly Springer said the
apcrs would not pass till = m. and
III then he would consider a PROPOSE
ion. whereupon Lake pulled q writ
nn proposition from his pocket. which
ras accepted after consideration, and
be Wasp and the Anuunciator became
me-
The night before Springer and his
rife had been mp till dawn getting out
hat they supposed TO be the last issue
the paper. They had intended IT for
llun 10 give their enemy a scare,
Dough hoping that il would Brighten
i'm into some proposition
Lake had managed the Wasp for his
ncle and had been often tempted II
lrow up his job and seek other en-
loyment on the morning Of Spring
rs bluff his uncle had come to him