The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1908-10-08


for the editorial rooms Of his great
American newspaper. Arriving at the
place he bounded up the stairway in
the old building at Broadway and Ann
Street and rung the knocker on the
door leading to the news room. The
young man stationed at the peep hole
did not know Mr.. b. and inquired what
he wanted.
81 am Mr.. b., the owner of this pa
per, and want to get in."
"Youcan't work that game on me.
Mr.. B. is in Paris-duck. vamoose-
down the stairway for you
"But am MIR. B. the owner of :his
paper and l want you to send for Mr..
M the managing editor-he will recog-
nize me-"
"Cheese it, old sport-down the stair
way and out for you damned quickly
-or will have you thrown out!"
Not desiring to expostulate with the
youth who did not know him Mr.. B.
concluded the best thing for him to do
would be to go across the street and
call up Mr.. M. the managing editor
who would surely recognize his voice.
The busiest place. on earth between 10
p. m. and l a. m. is the news room of
New York daily newspaper. However
Mr.. B. sought the nearest public tele-
phone and rung up the managing edi-
tor
"Mac, this is Mr.. Il. I was across
"The hell you are" quickly retorted
the managing editor. "Mr. X. is in
Paris-just received cable from him. !"
And he hung up the receiver.
This drove MIR. b. wild. He was
crazed with excitement. None of the
clerks on the night force knew him and
their instructions were absolute and
inviolable. They were to admit no
one unless personally known to them.
The most rigid rules governed the
pressroom as well. None but the faith.
full and anointed were permitted to
cross the threshold of the sacred pre-.
cincts.
"Surely," thought Mr.. b, ''some OF
the old employees in the pressroom will
know me-" but he had changed iI
eight years to such an extent that
many of his nearest friends would
scarcely recognize him. During his
residence abroad he had become com
pletely metamorphosed-F il
manner, dress and speech.
At last ne repaired to the pressrocn n
and pushed the button. The employ,
nearest the door answered the call.
81 am Mr.. B. the owner of this pape
don't you recognize me?" he yellet
in despair. "Don't you know me-
Mr.. B?"
"lf you are the owner of this pape
why the he'll don't you carry Key t.
the front door? Get the hell out o
here or Iii turn the hose on you"
And he got. That was 5000 mile
F over the limit. Here he was the Owne
, Of the greatest newspaper in Americ
> and could not get into the editoris
, rooms of his own paper. 1t had bee
his custom to surprise the chiefs of tn
3 paper by dropping in on them at tn
, most unexl ected moments and shah
: ing hell out of the place by dismissin
! One-balf the staff without notice upo
q one pretext or anOther--but chiefly fO
J. the purpose of throwing scare int
. those who were permitted to renal
!. and draw their stipends.
4 Mr.. B. was boiling over with lndi,
q nation and yet he could blame no on
a but himseif-as the rules and regul,
i tions formulated and pnt into effect b
q him were being carried out to the le
' ter. Despair was upon his featur,
: and while he was standing on tt
e corner rumminating as to what mo,
. he would make next--an old emplo,
: Of the paper-the foreman of the ster
l. otyping department came along ar
y recognized him.
aI say, Frank" he fairly shrieke
W "take me up and introduce me to n
" employees" which he did.
ir CONSERVATION was upon the count
le nances of all except the managing Q
y itor-who felt sure Of another positi,
" in the event Of his dismissal. Mr..
te went into his private office and -four
lg the place covered with dust and co