Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1915-06-04
"Whaf newsY

you. Nelson. but that edition Of yours
today was a bad break. and l am
afraid 1t has ruined your life"
Ruined my life?v said Reginald
Nelson in a dazed way. Then he arous-
lands" he ordered. Il am the editor Of
the Courier The Englishman's eyes
we're shining as he spoke.
Sorry. old man." said the other ia
miliarly. "bat you'll have to take your
medicine. Here is my Introductory
editorial and Ned Rowlands handed
Reginald a sheet of typewriting. The
Englishman glanced ut the headline
and saw that the article was entitled.
Greetings From the Courier's New
Editor He tore the sheet of paper
into fragments and threw them on the
floor.
sect out of heref' he tlundered to
his former city reporter.
Ned Rowlands laughed sarcastically
In his face and sneered: You forgot,
Nelson, that you were not working for
the public, but that you were working
for the Courier Publishing company.
They have no more use for you"
"And | have no more use for your
exclaimed Iseginald, Selling the other
by the coat collar. 81 have wanted to
discharge you for a month, and I do
1t now. Your place is vacant"
As he was speaking these words
Reginald marched Ned Rowlands to
the door of his private office and push
ed him into the outer room. The GUST
ed city reporter made no resistance,
being alarmed at the excitement Of the
other, and he was Fastening away
when he ran square into a gentleman
who was approaching the editorial
sanctum.
Excuse me. sir" said Rowlands,
glancing up and seeing the face of Mr..
Graham, white with anger.
''Come back with me, you coward"
said the lawyer in a low tone. After
the expulsion of his city reporter Reg
inald had slammed the door and had
just seated himself at his desk to col
lect his thoughts when he heard the
voice of Mr.. Graham saying: you are
discharged as editor of the Courier.
Mr.. Nelson. We have no further use
for your services, and you will oblige
US by leaving the office at once. We
have appointed Ned Rowlands In your
place"
Reginald Nelson turned and glared at
the intruders.
"Come, come" said the lawyer
sharply. "Get out OF here"
"Who has discharged me?'' asked
Reginald. restraining himself with diff
iculty.
1.-The directors of the Courier Pub
fishing company"
"Who are these directors?" asked
Reginald. II am a part owner of this
paper. and | claim to have some voice
in the management" Reginald Nelson
had paid no attention to the business
management of the newspaper. leaving
that entirely to Mr.. Graham.
II control a majority of the stock
of this concern" said MI. Graham lofti-
ly, land l have decided that such a
person as you is not fit to be editor of
the Courier. You will oblige me by
leaving this Office at once or | shall
be forced to have you expelled by the
officers of the law"
Reginald Nelson slowly began to. see
his hopeless position. He had looked
on himself as part owner and manager
of his paper. He believed that his
co..rca q az adifar would ho iudood
successful If he could keep his sub
scription lists growing. as a newspaper
is saved or damned by this standard in
the commercial world. Reginald felt
that his declining number of readers
was due to the incOmpetency of his
city reporter, and the consequent loss
of confidence in the Courier by large
numbers of the working people. He
had been assured by the events of the
day that his bold attack on the city
administration and his exposure of the
evils which were tolerated by the Bron-
son officials had re~-established the
credit of the paper as a genuine friend
Of reform. He had an extra large edi-
ton of that days paper printed. but
after Allan Rutledge's speech at Bron-
son park the demand for the Courier
was so great that the edition was soon
exhausted and the young editor had
been congratulated ON every hand.
Il thought the Courier had deserted
u.s." an enthusiastic advocate of re-
form had declared to him during the
afternoon. but your issue of today will
make the Courier the popular
paper In all Michigan"
Encouraged by the marks of popular
approval on every hand, and deeming
that his position as editor had been as
sured by his Independence day edi-
ton, Reginald Nelson had returned to
the Courier office in high spirits. His
interview with Ned Rowlands and the
words of Mr.. Graham had almost UNI
manned him. He could not as yet
quite understand the situation.
II will admit the circulation of the