Omaha daily bee., 1918-01-06
I.1c cR.<m

constituted, with perhaps an extra literary
kink in his mental makeup, has had an am
bition to become an editor and has indulged
portunty offered. From the eruptve, semi
occasional periodical published at the age of
10-appropriately printed on foolscap with
the aid of lead pencil and a protruding
tongue, for which publication, may add, his
immediate relatives were the only subscrib-
ers and OF which his darling mother was
the only reader-from this earliest manifes-
tation of the symptom. say, up to the age
OF 10, and his first anonymous comnunica-
ton to the city press lover the quaint and
curious nom de plume of 'Vox PopuliO he
has simply been pluming his wings and
preening himself for the glorious career of
a full-fedged editor.
AT the age OF l6 sent to the editor Of
Our daily paper, The Omaha Bee, an item
Of news over the nom de plume Of 'Vox
Populi-of course. I was proud and happy
when it appeared in print the following
morning. It was considerably altered as to
language, TO be sure; still the central idea
the great and luminous thought expressed
that is to say, the item of news--was there
in all its glory; my manuscript had been ac-
cepted. Later on, when l fell in love,
tackled the editor on poetry. But that man
uscript, for some occult reason, was not ac-
cepted.
Finally there was presented an opportu-
nifty of lifetime. Mr.. Rosewater's city
editor, who was also his only reporter--for
a newspaper man in that time played many
parts-had been given a vacation and pre-
vious to his departure had visited the high
school to engage one of the larger boys to
assume his duties. was the lucky chap to
be invited and ! accepted with aacrity. For
just what pleased, but what wrote was
bound to be published Moreover, was to
have $40 per week into the bargain.
"The first morning l was at The Bee Office
bright and early. Mr.. Rosewater dropped
into my 2x4 sanctum to wish ME good morn
ing and success in my experiment and to
indicate my route. incidentally he remarked
that quartet of male voices had serenaded
him the night before and it might be we'll
to say an appreciative word about their
singing. did. said that four roysterers
had made last night hideous with their ,cata-
wauls and had selected the editor OF this pa
per for their especial and particular victim;
that men with such voices as theirs ought not
+ to be permitted to run at large, etc, etc.
The fact is was songster myself and be-
longed to rival quartet. When arrived at
the Office next morning / met Mr. Rose
water going out to post letter He gave
me stony glare and fastened his footsteps.
afterwards learned that this letter was ad-
dressed to the absent reporter, commanding
his immediate return. Mr.. Rosewater had
scarcely made his exit when the second basso
called and stopped his paper-stopped it off
short, never to go again. He also said in
his most raucous voice that he wanted to
see the responsible. editor of that dirty sheet;
told him that the responsible editor had
just stepped out, but that he might consider
me the irresponsible editor, if he were so
disposed. He laughed--a hollow, mocking,
blood -curdling sort of laugh-and vanished.
During the day the remaining members
of the quartet dropped in one after the other
and cancelled their subscriptions. The cheer
full idiot who edited column in our "loath-
some contemporary" called the public
Fountain" took up the cudgel on behalf Of
the quartet and through the medium of his
column intimated that the ad interim re-
porter of The Bee was not yet dry behind
the ears. ! retorted that that was because
was in the habit of washing my ears and
thought it would be sanitary if he would
occasionally follow the example. Wash 'em
in the Public Fountain said, along with
your dirty linen. What an appropriate freak
OF chance it is anyway that such fountain
should~be run by a squirt
50
"On receipt of his chiefs letter Mr.. Al Sor-
enson, the reporter for whom ! was substi-
tuting, shortened his leave. of absence and
hastened home, but not until | had time to
be thoroughly licked by saloon keeper
named Taylor, not until Mr.. Rosewaters life
had been several times threatened on my
account and not until had involved The
Omaha Bee in $4,000 libel suit: Then the
editor came out in one of his famous edi.
torais, over his own signature, and explained
to bewildered public just what had hap
pened. He commented severely upon my in
aptitude for a. journalistic career and attrib-
uted his recent sorrows to what he called
my 'trick-mule performance And yet l
swear when hurled my reportorial thunder
bolts indscriminately at the public it was
more for the fun of manufacturing thunder
bolts than for the purpose of injuring those
| who happened to be in the way Of them. But
that phrase, 'trick-mule performances, stuck
in my craw. If the much-vaunted liberty OF
| the press would not permit gentlemen to in
duIce in a LITTLE personai badinage without