The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1908-12-03
Z INCREASING THE
ID -. CIRCULATION.
IOriginal.l

western town. now a middle western
city am 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. l 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 l was very
resourceful in averting the conse-
quences When l attacked man and
he came into the Office of the Press for
blood told him that vel invariably
used the editorial plural-had based
our allegations on the best informa
ton. Then when he demanded the
name of "our" informant 1--WE" prom
Used to give it 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 u Cay 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
ersation or the frank and manly man.
ner In which we made the amende
| honorable
| Operating as l was in civil war time,
when everybody was intensely pep
perry 1t is a wonder that l escaped
some Of my advertising episodes with
my life. Indeed, l finally made such
stir in certain instance that I was
cation though in the case / mention
had no intention of attacking any one
| | merely perpetrated what | consid
cred witticism. A certain Colonel n.
had at the request of his fellow citi-
zens resigned his command to come
home and make political campaign.
Referring to him in an item. | quoted:
Grim visaged war has smoothed his
| wrinkled front, and now instead of mount
Ing barbed steeds to fright the souls OF
| fearful adversaries he capers nimbly in a
| lady's chamber.
The idea l intended to convey was
that the colonel would have very diff
ferent time between bullets and bal
lots. Unfortunately he was not ia
milar 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 I referred to him as NJ Bobtail.
The morning that these two items
came out in my paper l was sitting in
my sanctum getting together material
for my next days issue. had had a
troubled week with the people | had
used to advertise the paper and had de-
ternined 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 a step behind me,
turned and saw the warrior advancing
upon me. In his eye was a blood
thirsty look I had never seen in any
mans eye before.
Give me the name of the man who
has accused me of being mixed up in a
woman scrape," he said. doubtless re-
ferring to his 'capering nimbly in a
lady's chamber
! But, like Linden in the poem. Il 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 fellow
to do when sledge hammer fist of a
200 pound warrior is about to come
, down upon him? l pointed to Robi
taie.
$50 you're the cur who wrote that
, rot about an eX-colonel Of the army
and a candidate for the votes of his
: fellow citizens, accusing him of t1ounc
: ing around in woman's room
81? l write article about you? Non
monsieur. | come here to demand
t "You lie, you French monkey! You're
just the man to do trick like that"
The colonel landed a blow on thu
Frenchman's jaw. Robitaile got tn,
: idea that his assailant was the maj
| he had come to the office to punisl
f and that the accusation was merely
preteXt to get in first punishment.
1 Huh! By Car" he shreked. g
r teach you to call me names" He wa
!, an expert boxer and, dancing up to tn
colonel landed blow on his nose tina
:, spilled claret over the warriors shir
n front. l got up on the inclined boar
l. on which had been grinding out cop
for the purpose Of watching the figh
r without personal injury to myself.
r was a pretty instance of scienc
It against mere strength. The French
d man would dance in, land a lightnin
blow, then dance out Of reach Of hi
= powerful antagonist The fact tina
# each believed that the other was til
man who had lampooned him made til
n fight far more interesting. l wa
young enough to enjoy it and sill
l. enough not to realize the detrimer
to myself in case one of the con
7 hataptc Li11ad tha othar Ar Ia St ecinnf