Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1909-06-11


editorial office of the Oakeedale Sur,
at Oakesdale, Wash, one cold day in
November, 1&a1, when a little boy
cane in and asked, DO you wart that
wood carried up frt n the sidewalk ."
lie asked: May | carry it," | told
HIM where to put the wood. AS he
started out | asked, "How much do
you want for carrying up the wood?"
He answered promptly: A dollar"
l was surprised and amused, for
there was not much more than a dol
lars worth of wood, there being d
quarter of a cord and wood was then
worth only $3.50 or SIS per cord.
explained this to the little boy and
told him that l usually got that
amount of wood carried UP for %
cents. Tears came to the eyes of the
lie fellow and as he turned away
he said: Il wish ] could get some
thing to do to earn some money"
needed a boy to work in the Office and
| asked him: How would you like to
learn the printers trade?" The
little fellows eyes sparkled and the
expression of his face changed from
one of pain to one of pleasure as he
asked, 20, may -" ! hired the BOY
to work for 81 the first week, with a
promise of increased wages as he
improved in his work, with the pro-
yiso that his parents were willing that
he should accent the place.
The next morning when | reached
the Office a little before seven o'clock,
| found the little boy sitting on the
bottom step awaiting my arrival. The
morning was Geld, with snow on ,he
ground, but he had brayed the cold
weather ana was there ahead nf time
for opening the Office. He went to
work that day and was promptly
dubbed the printers devil" He
was the most proficient and ambitious
boy | ever had in my employ and in
a few days was a general faVOrite in
the Office. His wages were raised
the second week to $1,50, the third
week to 50 and later he earned $25C
per week while learning the printers
trade. On Christmas day one of the
printers, Frank Dagget, now work
ing on farm near ColfaX, gave the
boy 81 and several others gave hin
presents for Christmas.
That boy was Leo o. Meigs, now
Speaker of the house of representa-
tives of this state; one of the bright
est attorneys in me west. and the man
who was hOnored with being selected
10 deliver the commencement address
in Washington State College, where.
he attended school one wear. MI.
Meigs is a "self-made" man in the
strictest sense Of the word and his
others to set a high mark and never
WaVer or falter until it is reached.
/ remcmber that the little fellow
said that he was going tO be lawyer
some day and he never gave up the
idea, even though the chance looked
anvthing but promising many times
when was laboring to get an ednca-
tion and assist his family. But the
same spirit which promoted him to
be ahead of time the first day he
went to work as printers devil
carried him over obstacles which
would have discouraged one with less
pluck and determination.
After | had sold the Oakesdale
Sun to a syndicate and l.. w. Lanning
well known in Pullman, who had
been my foremean, was made mana
ger of the plant, he retained Leon
ard" Meigs, that being the name by
which they called him at the time,
and the hoy worked in the Sun Office
for number of years. He went to
school, but worked mornings, even.
ings, Saturdays and holidays and be-
came a proficient printer. He grad
uated from the public school with
the highest grades of any pupil who
had left that school up to that time.
He wished 70 attend Washington
State College and told me that he
would come to Pullman to enter this
school in the fall of 1898.
| needed a boy to deliver the Spo-
kesman-Reyiew at Pullman and
asked Leonard if he wanted the place.
How much is there in it?" he ask