The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-09-21
Story Quickly Went the Rounds

Story Quickly Went the Rounds.
The reason he couldn't was that what
the circular said about his parents was
true. st. panl newspaper which
supported him sent staff correspond
ent posthaste TO the little town of st.
Peter. The stan lnan investigated the
Immediate antccedents of John John
son. The repertorial assignn ent would
have delighted any good newspaper
man. 1t is not often that reporter
strikes such human interest color.
The story OF John johnson of st. Peter,
as published In the 81. Paul paper,
quickly went the rounds OF the Mime
sofa press; also II went the rounds of
the corner groceries and the drug stores
aud the country hotel offices. where
governors are made and presidents are
prepared from the raw material.
The st. Paul reporter discovered that
Gustaf Johnson. Il blacksmith, had em-
igrated from Sweden about tifty years
ago. settling In st. Peter. He had
been Il heavy drinker IN his native
land and came TO America In the hope
that he might reform He did reform
FOR a few years. He married Caroline
Hidden, II Swedish girl. also an iiDni-
grant. She was utterly alone In Amer
len. The blacksmith installed her in n
two room house near ST. Peter. For n
few years the brawny arms of Gnstaf
Johnson earned a living for the wife
aud The little ones who came. John be-
Ing the first baby, born in 1861 Then
recurred m attack OF the old malady.
the old disease. which In the system
OF the village blacksmith demanded
alcohol The blacksmith became a
drunkard. Like many others OF his
unfortunate class. be went from bad
TO worse" Finally the local authori.
ties placed him In the poorhouse. where
after some years be died.
Mrs. Johnson wDs left with six chill.
dren to support. John was only twelve
years old. but he arose to the occa-
sion. He insisted upon quitting school
so that be might help. He got job
In grocery store. A grocer's boy has
no snap as a job. but some of them
have snap as individuals. John John
son-they probably called him Johnny
then-got $40 month. which he turn
ed over 10 his mother. He found time
to deliver laundry washed and ironed
by his mother. his splendid. heroic
mother. and also TO deliver papers on
the carriers route-the town paper.
After two years OF this grocer's boy
life he got job in the drug store at n
slightly higher rate OF pay. From this
time on his mother quit taking I'm
washing. John supported the family.
Ia the years following three OF the
little sisters died, and John Johnson
was Ia debt 10 the undertaken. The
boy studied hard while working in the
drug store. The little public library
was In the same block. He read many
books from the library, being chiefly
interested In history. Meanwhile he
studied pharmacy, too. and eventually
he became registered pharmacist.
Real Journalist With a Real Job.
After nine years In the drug store
John Johnson became journalist. In
the cities journalist is sometimes de-
scribed ms newspaper man out of a
Job. In 81. Peter John Johnson was
4 real Journalist with real Job, pay |
Ing for a half interest IN the Herald.
FOR which friends who believed In him |
had put up the money. johnson had |
paid on the undertaken He had bought
~ the two room family homestead.
which was about to be sold for taxes,
ind he had added other rooms and |