The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1913-05-22
ROBERT MCGREGOR
true story of taCtfu newspaper full of grit and
honor genius of his kind who had knaCk
of making little money
the Side---hOnestIy
IN THREE PARrs-PARr ONE
Four Double Lone.

instilled in our lives from baby
hood, and with tears streaming
down our cheeks we rushed back to
tell the news to Macs father.
In an almost incredulously short
time the street in front of the news
paper office was surging throng of
excited citizens anxious for partic-
ulars of the shooting. Bulletins
were posted as quickly as they were
received and Mr.. Barnes had enter
prisingly started the presses on an
Extra" the first the paper had is
sued since Lincoln was assassinated.
The first Extra" consisted of
two columns about fourteen inches
long giving the bulletins just as
they had been received up to the
time it went to press. Mac and /
full of excited interest were at the
side of the press when it started,
and the first hundred printed. Mr..
Barnes divided between us saying:
Here boys, take these out there.
that crowds crazy for the latest
news"
When we reached the street there
was grand rush made for us. The
local papers-in fact almost all pa
pers in those days sold for a nickle
copy, and every hand stretched
toward us held a nlckle, dime or
quarter. Why, that hundred "Ex-
tras" didn't last as long as a peck
of nice ripe peaches would in factory
K" and back we started to get
some more.
We met Mr.. Barnes coming out
with bunch and he divided those
between US. Mac asked him how
much, apd he said: Nothing to
you boys" so out we started and
didn't get ten feet from the door
until we were sold out again.
Well, to make a short story of it.,
the presses were kept busy all day
and we'll into the night printing
Extras" giving the news as it was
received, and each one larger than
the other. Mac insisted upon pay
ing for ours same as the other boys,
and Mr.. Barnes charged US a penny
apiece for them, but would never
stop to count them, just pick up a
bundle and say, 1 guess there's about
fifty there, and hand 'em over.
The result was we had money
stuffed in every pocket, in fact, we
had to go to Macs fathers several
times to unload, and he kept our
earnings seperate in drawer in
his safe. That night when we turn
ed in about nine o'clock, our little
legs were tired out and our bodies
and minds so fatigued with the
days success and excitement that
it was some time before either of
us could sleep.
1t was indeed happy Fourth for
us, Notwithstanding the nation was
plunged in grief over the tragedy at
Washington. With our earnings
we each bought new suit, saw the
circus and had fireworks galore, the
remaining money we put in the
bank, and Mac told me not long
ago that his nest egg" as he call
ed it, was still there untouched.
Well, to get down to brass
tacks," that was the beginning of
Macs newspaper career, at least it
put the bee in his bonnet and he
kept it there.
When we had advanced in our
school to the higher grades Mac
suggested to the principal that we
issue school paper. it was agreed
too and aneat little four page month
ly with Mac as editor was the re-
suit. His nose for news" was re-
markable and attracted fatterine
comment from all who saw The
! Echo" as he had named the paper