Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-06-19
CHAPTER I.
The CITY EDITORS Assignment.

ries OF letters on the educational
and social conditions existing In
III that section. AvCic the cities and
Desten tracks anc let your pic
lures be- drawn from life This will be an
order on the business office for what mon
ey you may need
Such were the orders ! found one
morning on my desk in the city ed
tors room OF a well known Boston
newspaper or the labor involved in
such an ass lgument ! was ignorant.
and / saw only pleasant trip in that
part Of my country In which / had
never Travelled | had been employed
on the paper FOR q comparatively short
linen tact. / had been in journalism
for a period OF less than two years
10 that such an assignment as the one
now given the was highly nattering TO
me. aud knew II would be equally
gratifying ~ ms father. who had
watched my career with that interest
" hich attaches solely 10 an only son.
] had not been out OF Harvard very
long when ! had taken the advice OF
III eminent literary man, a friend Of
NY father. and entered journalism as
a first stepping stone 20 literary dis
Junction. The few short stories | had
written, however. had been returned
Go me by the magazines 20 which had
sent them with a promptness that was
calculated 10 dampen my ardor and
Otherwise 10 discourage me. ] had been
led 10 believe that my style was exCep-
uoua!ly good and that / WAS not with
out a keen sense Of humOr, at the same
time possessing a proper appreciation
OF the pathetic.
had taken prize at the high
school Zoe an essay. and later. when
my talents began 20 develop at the uni
Nersity. / was elected 10 oil a place on
the editorial stan OF one Of the month
ly periodicals published there. was
chaErued. therefore. when my manu-
scripts written legibly on fine linen
papn. tied with the best silk ribbon
10 be had. came back 10 me. / began
90 form a very poor opinion Of our
magazines Possessing an independ-
eut fortune. I determined TO publish
my writings In book form AZ my own
expense. | took my manuscripts 10 u
publisher. who, honest man that he
WIS, was kind enough to tell me that
people did not think much OF books
published at the authors own expense.
Determined at length to get a proper
estimate OF my work. | sought out an
old friend Of the family who had
achieved fame by his pen. He review
I'd my stories and in a ruthless sort Of
way, as IL seemed TO NE then. told me
that some OF my ideas we're good, but
expressed Clumsily. He advised me
10 cease all attempts at literary com
position and to seek a place on a news
paper. Writing must become a habit
with you be said. before you car
hope % express your thoughts grace
fully. What you need most is ease
and II you can avoid the pitfalls Of
journalism you may In time succeed IL
your ambition IL took me Just an
other six months 20 make up my mind
20 follow his advice, and when I die
90 IL WAS With some degree OF humiha
ton that ! discovered that there wa,
not q reporter on the paper who die
not write better than |. Constant ap
plicstion in my new underta king. how
ever. and the hard work had done a
the university soon brought me my re-
ward. ] was being singled out con
staDty for important local assign
mentS. and once 1 had been sent {,
Washington on q delicate mission.
! picked up again the order whict
lay on my desk aud read it over tn,
second time. thought l saw the esr
marks Of politics ia il and. while tb,
racial question was not mentioned.
believe that IL was tbis problem | wa.
20 discuss. had made a suggestion OF
this line some months before. but tn,
managing editor had not taken kindly
10 the idea at the time The order a,
read IL over seemed indefinite.
thought aud / started with II to ia.
managing editors room As present
ed myself before that sustere httl,
cnPple-phyScal. but NOT mental. To-
mentally be was q giant-l Was out.
wardly calm. but my heart was beat.
ing q tattoo inside, for there were few
az l> Who did not fear to stand before
kiu Unless very sure OF the ground on
which we stood. said. however. IN a
husIuvSslike way. as IL such assign
m,u,S were daily occurrences 10 me:
@ have come 10 see you about thiI
EssisBmenI srs~
-l