The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-06-15
INCREASING THE
CIRCULATION.


ARAAHAlNAl
When established the Press The
place IN which l located was a far
western town. now d middle western
city. ain now at one end OF life. !
was then at the other. In those DAYS
editors were wont to stir up an inter.
est In their papers by attacking some
one. I was young enough and reckless
enough To adopt the plan In vogue. !
was Obliged to adopt some method OF
selling my paper or It would have
shrunk to nothingness, but was very
resourceful In averting the conse.
quenees. When attacked man and
he came into the Office OF the Press for
blood told him that wei invariably
used the editorial plural-had based
our allegations on the best informa-
ton. Then when he demanded the
name OF four" informant 1--WE" prom
Used to give II after consultation with
said informant In case he determined
to face the consequences. If he re-
fused. then we would publish denial,
with an explanation. This usually
STAYED the matter Off for day or two,
when .'we'' published statement that
1--WE" had been grossly imposed upon.
don't know which helped the paper
most, the excitement attending the ac-
cusation or the frank and manly man
ner in which we made the amende
honorable.
Operating az was In civil war time,
when everybody was intensely pep
perry, 1t is wonder that I escaped
some Of my advertising episodes with
my life. Indeed. / finally made such a
stir In certain instance that was
obliged to move my paper to a new To-
cation, though In the case ! mention I
had no intention Of attacking any one
merely perpetrated what / consid-
cred a witticism. A certain Colonel N.
had at the request OF his fellow citi-
zens resigned his command to come
home and make a political campaign
Referring to him In an item. quoted
Grim visaged war has smoothed his
wrinklad front, and now instead OF mount
Ing barbed steedE to fright the souls OF
fearful advefsaries he capers nimbiy In a
lady's chamber.
The idea intended to convey was
that the colonel would have a very diff
ferent time between bullets and ball
lots. Unfortunately he was not IA
miliar with the poets and knew moth
ing Of Shakespeare. He doubtless had
a guilty conscience with reference to
some fair dame and inferred that it
was to this that the Press referred.
There was also certain dancing
master in the town. Demaise Robitaile,
upon whom happened to perpetrate
at the same time another SO called bon
mot | referred to him as NJ. Bobtail.
The morning that these two items
came out in my paper was sitting In
my sanctum getting together material
for nay next days issue. | had had a
troubled week with the people had
used to advertise the paper and had de-
termined to advertise no more In that
way. 1t was proving hazardous /
therefore felt very much at ease with
myself and all the world. AS to Colo
mel N. or Demaise Robitaile, was not
conscious OF having insulted either Of
them. Hearing step behind me, !
turned and saw the warrior advancing
upon me In his eye was a blood
thirsty look had never seen in any
mans eye before.
"Give me the name Of the man who
has accused me of being mixed up in
woman scrape," be said, doubtless re
ferring to bis "capering nimbly in
Iady's chamber
But. like Linden In the poem. II saw
another sight DemaIse Robitaile was
really ''capering'' up the staircase and
dancing into the sanctum behind the
colonel. 1t was a cowardly trick on
my part, admit, but what Is a fellow
to do when q sledge hammer Est Of
200 pound warrior Is about to come
down upon himi pointed to Robi-
tale.
$50 you're the cur who wrote that
rot about an ex-colonel OF the army
and a candidate for the votes of bis
fellow citizens. accusing him Of Hounc-
ing around In woman's room.
II? / write article about you? Non,
monsieur. | come here to demand"
You lie. you French monkey! You're
Just the man to do trick like that"
The colonel landed blow on the
F'renchman's Jaw. Robitaile got the
idea that his assaiIant was the man
be had come to the Office to punish
and that the accusation was merely
pretext to get In first punishment.
sHuhl BY Carr he shrieked. 4
teach you to call me names He was
an expert boxer and. dancing up to the
colonel, landed a blow on his nose that
spilled claret over the warriors shirt
front. / got up on the inclined board
on which / had been grinding out copy
for the purpose Of watching the fight
without personal injury to myself. It
was pretty instance Of science
against mere strength. The French
man would dance IN. land lightning
blow, then dance out Of reach Of his
powerful antagonist The fact that
each believed that the other was the
man who had Iampooned him made the
eight far more interesting was
young enough to enjoy It and silly
enough not to realize the detriment
to myself in case one Of the com
batants killed the other. At last science
won. The dancing master fIoored the
warrior who In falling struck bis head
against a wood column that held up
the ceiling Of my sanctum.
The next day I was waited on By a
sommittee OF citizens. the spokesman
ef which said.