The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1916-02-04
NJ. r. coNLEY, pubIish.r.

dinner should be. | only remember a
dark eyed. dark haired girl who II she
were sample OF Sandy loveliness waA
plenty good enough for me. My, my
and i am a bachelor yet.
Arriving at Louisa as the evening sun
was sinking behind the western hills
lit sinks behind the western hills on
Sandy just as IL does everywhere else
If there are any hills--we hitched up
in front OF Tip Moore's tavern-what
was the name of 1t, Louisa House?--
and was introduced to the immortal
Tip as the only editor in captivity in
that section, not counting Grain OF
The Greenup Independent who wasn't
really an editor, but an everlasting
hustler-and ! went into that tavern
feeling as though / had at last struck
the caravansary of my dreams. because
there was a bunch OF town takers sit
ting around in front and I knew I
couldn't sit with them after supper and
listen to the music OF their tongues by
the light of the stars. Maybe they were
not quite all that. but 30 1t seemed to
me, and / was glad to be an editor. il
only to fall into such pleasant places.
And all went joyously till the time
came to go to bed, Then Hager and I
went up to our room and when ! open
ed the bed assigned to me, could find
but one sheet on It. l counted the
covers once or twice to be sure 1 had
not missed 1t. but / hadn't. and in sur
prise / asked John what about the
missing sheet. In a tragic whisper,
hoarse with fear, John told me to say
nothing about 1t, because one sheet to
haI ha to- Axr o,.A
1t would start feud or something if
asked for two. OF course, my inten-
tions were entirely peaceful and went
to bed with one sheet. / didn't know
just how to handle it and John said it
was to go next the mattress and the
blanket was to go next to me. What
happened after ] got safely tucked in
l never did know, because my 80 mile
ride demanded dreamless rest and it
got it all right. kept my counsel about
the sheet business, but Tip Moore was
such winning sort that l was tempt
ed once or twice next day to say some
thing, but recalling Hager's admoni-
/ tions refrained. After a bully break
fast l went forth to do my first sub
scription soliciting. don't know how
many people were in attendance at that
court, but IL there were million,
went after each one, and when the
shades of night had fallen didn't have
a name on my book, nor a dollar in
my pocket / hadn't brought with me-
Nary one. StiIl, l wasn't bitter against
the unappreciative Big Sandians be-
cause knew the light had not yet
shone upon them and probably l would
have to come among them several times
ere they could see their way clearly
and get the Illuminating radiance OF
The Weekly Review at 50 per year in
advance. That evening / had a supper
fit for the gods and editors and the
next morning / mounted my steed,
thanked the genial and generous Tip
for courtesies, thereby saving three
dollars in cash, put him on my free list
and rode away to the north, feeling fit
Notwithstanding my failure / did want
to stop where had my dinner on Sum
day. but l did not dare and rode along
on a cracker and cheese bought at a
cross roads store. My spirits were
heartened some by meeting a man on
the road whom l approached on the
subject Of intellectual uplift and he
gave me a quarter for six weeks try
out. have forgotten that mans name
but wouldn't if he had renewed his
Subscription.
i When had once more reached my
base of operations wrote up that first
trip to Louisa for The Review and did
it so different from any Big Sandy lit
erature that had ever circulated in that
Ineighborhood that / must have secur-
ed at least half dozen subscribers,
some of whom haven't paid yet. But
don't care. An editor can't make his
first trip up Sandy more than once, and
why not enjoy it? 1 did, especially
what had to say about that sheet
to- -the-bed condition and Tip Moore
wrote me letter saying that every bed
In his house would have two sheets
apiece hereafter and when / came
again could have three or more il
necessary. Which was the gospel truth
for went back there more than once
and the power Of the press was ex-
emplifled in those hotel beds II no
where else. And here may add that
the good word went farther and the
good work went on until every hotel
visited along Sandy had two sheets to
the bed in which slept even IL others
| were skimped. Today l fancy hotel
keeper in those parts would laugh at
the very thought that the time ever
was when one sheet was the invariabie
custom. So much for the power. of the
press!
| Well. guess I've reminisced as much
as there is any demand for and now I'll
quit. I've enjoyed it, II nobody else
has, and have no apology to offer. But
believe me would like to come back
and take look in now to see what
nearly forty years has done.
Accept my very best wishes for ev-
erything you ought to have in 1916 and
IL there is a man in Louisa remembers
/, me. pin a rose on him with my compli-
ments and congratulations.
| Most cordially over the years,
| w. ]. HAMPTON.
100 West 54th st. N. Y. City. Jan. "a.