The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1910-02-17
THINKS AND THINGS.
YOUNG STEADY.

3ther work that Chords more op- q
portunities for advancement than +
does and while the writer
81 this column may not rs yet be r
very we'll qualified to deal with the 8
subject necessity compels him to t
sacrifice same in the interest of his 8
weekly stunt. {
Some nine months ago when l {
was promoted to the exalted posi-
ton of printers devil in The Mir {
ror Office / can not but confess, ,
even in the face of a natural mod
esty, to a full realization of the
honors the position conferred upon
me. To say that I was obsessed
by fulIgrown desire to emulate
the efforts of such men as Franklin
and others, who got their start in
life by "chasing the quoin with a
shootingstick," would be putting
it very mildly, indeed. 1t might
be we'll to remark that previous to
my entry into the local sanctum |
had, like thousands of others who
read and enjoy all manner Of pub
locations and periodicals, given no
thought to the laborsuch pleasures
made necessary. In fact [ was al
ways Of the opinion that type grew
on trees and that all the printers
had to do was to make pie-and
of course, eat it. | think this lat
ter belief-the making, not eating
must have been very closely al
lied with my conception of print
er's duties as it seemed to exert a
} powerful influence over my maiden
, efforts.
In order to become good print
er common school education, is OF
course, necessary. A man must
t be good speller and thoroughly
t understand the art of punctuating
s properly. 1t is not strictly neces
sary to he poet though he must
) by all means, possess more patience
J than the average man cares to boas
: of. Being possessed of none o
e these qualities to very marked
8 degree-except patience, of cours'
b the manner iu which I triumph
it ed over my evil inclinations-evel
70 to the point ofsparing the life o
J. the Office cat-and reached the dis
II tinctive position that entities M
n to the sole right of attaching tn
honorary titles of poet-prlntel
pirate to my humble cognome
can not fail to make a favorabl
impress upon the reader.
y. The man who said the author
Is born not made, never, I am SUR
r. served an apprenticeship as prin
ers' devil. The truth is-thoug
they try to keep it quiet-man
of the most brilliant writer's of t.
- day began life as disciples of Gu
teuburg aud Faust and enjoyed n
greater distinction than falls
thelot of the average topographic
artist until becoming animate
with desire to follow in the foo
% steps of those whose poor copy ht
10 caused them so many uneasy hour
4 That such a desire will sooner
20 later find birth in the mind of ever
VA manipulation of the 'stick and rul,
. is a fact that none will doubt. {
oe course there is a reason for thi
Old Hutch says it is the dust, tt
fragrant smell of printers ink al
- tho natural illfeelings against ,
" unappreciative public. Persons
~, l am inclined to lay the blan
- upon the shoulders of the mar
brilliant contributors to our fsmi
journal. That the classical eff
sions of Anglicus and the brillia
witticisms of Heliograms first j
spired me with a desire to contri
ute my humble share to the wort
cause of elevating aud enlighteni
the masses IL a fact that will pr