Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1909-01-22
INCREASING THE
L CIRCULATION.
IQriginal,l

[Original1
When l established the Press the
place in which l located was a far
western town, now 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-
tst 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 nothingnsss, but 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
ised 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 day or two.
when "we' published a statement that
1--WE" had been grossly imposed upon.
1 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 as l was in civil war time,
when everybody was intensely pep
perry, it is wonder that escaped
some of my advertising episodes with
my life. Indeed, l finally made such
stir in certain instance that / was
obliged to move my paper to new To-.
cation, though in the case l mention l
had no intention of attacking any one.
1 merely perpetrated what consid-
cred a wftticism. A certain Colonel N.
had at the request of his fellow cfti-
zens resigned his command to come
home and make political campaign
Referring to him in an item. l 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
lady's chamber
The idea ! intended to convey was
that the colonel would have very diff
ferent time between bullets and bal
lots. Unfortunately he was not ia
miliar with the poets and knew moth
Ing of Shakespeare. He doubtless had
. guilty conscience with reference to
some fair dame and inferred that II
was to this that the Press referred
There was also a certain dancing
master in the town, Demaise Robitaile,
upon whom l 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 my next days issue. l had had
troubled week with the people l 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 insuited either Of
them. Hearing step behind me,
turned and saw the warrior advancing
upon me. In his eye was a blood
thirsty look l 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," he said, doubtless re-
ferring to his "capering nimbly in a
lady's cham er.''
But, like Linden in the poem. 81 saw
another sight" Demaise Robitaile was
really 'capering" up the staircase and
dancing into the sallctam behind the
colonel 1t was cowaF3ly trick on
my part, l admit, but hat is q fellow
to do when a sledge hammer fist of a
200 pound warrior is about to come
down upon him? 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 his
fellow citizens, accusing him of fiounc-
ing around in a 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
Frerchman's jaw. Robitaile got the
idea that Lis assai!ant was the man