The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-02-24

the puDllSneT Oh IL County :
down in North Carolina, and during
my summer vacations he paid me q
twenty-five cents a day to work in his
printery. I swept out the office, dis
tributed "pi," did the rolling On the
old Washington hand-press, and in
the course of time learned to set type.
Now, when the smell Of printers ink
once gets into your system, you can
never get il out. So, when I was
about seventeen years old, l persuaded
my father to let me go to Raleigh
and learn the art of printing as it
should he learned-a thing impossible
in a one-horse country office.
Having a fair knowledge of type
setting, and a reputation for clean
proofs, I had little difficulty in secur-
ing work in the State printing office,
at that time one of the largest print
shops in the South, where | began a
regular four-year apprenticeship.
At the age Of twenty-one | was
turned out a f~ull-fiedged journeyman
printer: and about the proudest mo-
ment of my life was when l joined
the local typographical union and re-
ceived my first working card.
l had been employed as a journey
man only a month or two, when one
morning the proprietor came to me
and sal that a manufacturer OF
printers supplies in a big northern
city had asked him to recommend a
practical printer as travelling sales
man for his wares, to cover a certain
territory in the South, and that if l
wanted a try-out, he would recon-
mend me. AS a starter, it was to be
a straight salary and expenses-no
commission business.
After thinking over the proposition
for a day or two, | accepted the offer,
and started at once for the city where
- .,-- .a ~-t;- hnr
/ "nozed" around for a week getting
an insight int things, then grabbed
my price-list and specimen books, and
made a break for Dixie
I a never had a single days ex-
perience on the road; had never tried
selling anything whatsoever, and as
neared the section of country where
my activities were to begin, l / began to
feel symptoms of cold feet"-tO
doubt the wisdom of the step ] had
AIKEN. To make matters worse, on
the train l met an old friend, Billy
Pratt, by name, who was the editor
of a successful semi-weekly-those
were the days of country semi-week-
lies-located in the central part of the
State. He soon learned of my new
position and was anything but encour
aging. He said:
My boy, you've got a hard road t.
travel. There are few large cities il
the South; and as for country editor
they are lucky if, at the end Of tn
year, they have enough left to bait
mouse-trap!' Then, with q sly twinkl
in his eye, he asked:
Know old man Trimmer, who run
the Palladium at F~orestville? No
Well. you might sell him an order
for, by the Lord Harry, his old out
fit is q disgrace to the noble art Q
printing!" At that moment tn
whistle blew for his town n he lei
the car.
l reached Charlotte late that after
noon and registered at the best hott
in the town. After supper, Bill
Pratt's tip about old man Thinner an
his palladium" required to me.
knew the town of Fo~reStville was NJ
more than an hours ride from Cha
lotte, out toward the Blu Rids
country, but I had never heard Of tt
owner OF it's only newspaper. TT
hotel clerk, however, soon enlightens
me. He said old Trimmer was ric
Close-fisted, and very eccentric
sometimes violent. His pet aversic
was people with things to sell" +
employed a working foreman, tv
compositors. and a boy. When Il
clerk dug up from the files Of Il
hotel a copy of The paper for my i
spection. l resolved then and the
that the Palladium" should ave
new dress. for a more d~isreputat
piece of printing l never saw exhib
ed.
Early next morning I was on I
way to Forestville, where i arriv
about ten O'Clock. Instead of gOi
to the hotel, l resolved to go direct
the Palladium office. have it c
with its owner, and catch the II:
train back to Charlotte. Opening I
door of the editors sanctum, / bold
entered. Seated at an implanted vi
desk was a grizzled old chap,
face buried in his hands. He "
about sixty years of age. Hearing
door close, he looked up, and
scrowl on his face was enough
Brighten n veteran roadster. Bef,
had ADVANCED half way to the de
at which he was seated, he shouted
Got anything to SELF"
Yes l replied.
Then take it with YOU and
Out''