Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1912-07-12
CHAPTER I.
The City Editors Assignment


EIR- PALMER-You will start for the
M south tomorrow and write . -.
M RE: Of Letters on the educational ; =;
~ that section. Avoid the cities and
beaten tracks and let your pjo.
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 I found one
morning on my desk in the city edl-
tors room Of a well known Boston
newspaper. OF the labor involved In
such an assignment l was ignorant
and I saw only pleasant trip in that
part Of my country In which had
never Travelled. l had been employed
on the paper for comparatively short
time-in fact, l had been in Journalism
for period Of less than two years.
70 that such an assignment Is the one
now given me was highly fattering to
me, and l knew 1t would be equally
gratifying to my father, who had
watched my career with that interest
which attaches solely to an only son.
! had not been out of Harvard very
long when l had taken the advice Of
an eminent literary man, a friend Of
my father. and entered Journalism as
q first stepping stone to literary dis
tinction. The few short stories had
written. however. had been returned
to me BY the magazines to which had
sent them with promptness that was
calculated to dampen my ardor and
Other wise to discourage me. had been
led to believe that my style was excep-
tionally good and that was not with
out keen sense Of humor, at the same
time possessing a proper appreciation
Of the pathetic.
| had taken prize at the high
school for IN essay, and later, when
my talents began to develop at the uni
versity. was elected to gil place on
the editorial stan Of one Of the month
~ periodicals published there. was
chagrined, therefore, when my manu-
scripts, written legibly on tine linen
paper, tied with the best silk ribbon
to be had, came back to me. l began
70 form a very poor opinion Of our
magazines. Possessing IN independ-
emit fortune, l determined to publish
my writings In book form at my own
expense. took my manuscripts to I
publisher, who, honest man that be
was. 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 proper
estimate Of my work. sought out an
old friend Of the family who had
achieved fame BY his pen. He review
ed my stories and In q ruthless sort Of
way. ~ It seemed to me then, told me
that some Of my IDEAS were good. but
expressed elumsily. He advised me
TO cease all attempts at literary com.
position and to seek place on a news
paper. Writing must become a habit
with you." be said, before you can
hope to express your thoughts grace
fully. What you need most Is ease,
and Il you can avoid the pitfalls Of
Journalism you may In time succeed Ia
your ambition" Il took me just an
other six months to make up my mind
to follow his advice, and when did
20 1t vas with some degree Of humilia-
+ ton that discovered that there was
not . reporter on the paper who did
not write better than I. Constant mp
plication In my new undertaking. how.
ever, and the hard work had done at
the university soon brought me my re-
ward. was being singled out con-
stantly for important local assign
ments, and once had been sent to
Washington on a delicate mission.
! picked up again the order which
lay on my desk and read It over the
second time. thought saw the ear.
marks Of politics in It. and. while the
racial question was not mentioned.
believe that It was this problem was
to discuss. had made a suggestion on
this line some months before. but the
managing editor had not taken kindly
to the idea at the time. The order a.
] read It over seemed indefinite. I
thought. and I started with 1t to the
managing editors room. As ] present
ed myself before that austere little
cripple-physical. but not mental. for
mentally be was q giant-I was out
wardly calm, but my heart was beat
ing tattoo inside. for there were few
Of US who did not fear to stand before
him unless very sure Of the ground on
which we stood. said. however. in q
businesslike way, as II such assign.
ments were daily occurrences to me:
Il have come to see you about this
assignment, sir"
"What assignment" he asked.
"For me to so south tomorrow"
answered.
''Oh, you are Palmer. are you?" he
said, calmly looking me over through
his spectacles. 81 thought you were
older. / have noticed your work and
gave you the present assignment on
account Of it. Have you come to say
you are not equal to itT'
was somewhat surprised when l
learned that he did not even remem-
Der me, but the fact that he had judg-
ed me by my work was at least graft
flying. SO I hastened to say:
mo. sir. | feel perfectly able to do
the work. but the order appears q little
indefinite to me as to time"
Without looking up again. for he had
resumed hts proofreading. he said:
Take your Own time. but l shall