Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1921-05-20
SOME OLD.TlME PRINTERS WHO
ROSE TO FAME.
The Case" Has Proved Poor Mans
Univsrsity to Many Who
Wandered Far.

Now that printer and publisher
has been elected President of the
United States, and another printer and
publisher was an aspirant for the
same honor, the country has naturally
been awakened to a keener interest in
the tart preventative" and has
focused attention on a craft which has
provided big men for every position
in life, observes a writer in the Chris
tian Science Monitor.
Where is the old-fashioned printer?
With his disappearance, the world
loses type of worker who from Ben
Franklin on has furnished the country
with men who have made their in
nuenoe felt, not only as master print
ers and master journalists, but who,
through the liberal education and
ideals acquired in their training. have
swelled the ranks Of the learned pro-
fessions and become actors, minister's,
authors, humorists and leaders in var
ious lines.
The first and most important class
was composed Of the elect; the we'll
born and well-bred; the. ambitious
young man who desired higher edu-
cation, and who entered a printing
office with the intention Of learning
the business thoroughly and fitting
himself for a position Of importance.
The printing office was the ror mans
university, and highly esteemed as
such.
A newspaper office was the natural
forum and gathering place for all the
brightest thinkers and Of men in the
public eye.
Printers and Writers.
To q now almost extinct class of
American printers belonged such shin
ing lights as Bayard Taylor, Bret
Harte, Artemus Ward, William Dean
Howles, Ben Shillabar, Opie Read,
Charles B. Lewis and a whole galaxy
Of good men and good printers. That
the system Of becoming printers and
writers Through the fingers" was j
splendid one, the mere recital Of these
few names among many, is evidence.
It was natural for men Of this
stamp to seek to enlarge their knowl-
edge by travelling about the country
while they worked at their chosen
calling, studying types, gathering local
color and satisfying their desire
Strange places for to see."
Travelling in those days was not
as easy and universal as now. Print
ers travelled afoot when there was
anything to see, hear or learn there.
by. They patronized the railroads
when that best served their turn
They were respected and respectable
they paid their way, and if they were
not weaithy-why, nobody else was
either. When they had absorbed the
atmosphere or sights Of one place
they took the next in which they
were interested. They were in nc
sense tramp printers" as most PEG.
pie understand the term. When the
travelling printer Of this first class
found his niche he settled down and
filled it. 81
Bayard Tayler's Wandsrings.
It was in this manner that Bayart
Taylor, the famous author, traveller
and diplomat, covered the United
States and Europe. A more polished
gekleman and q more graceful writer
and poet it would be hard to find il
this day, and that his "Views Afoot'
were acquired while continuing worl
as printer added to rather than de
tracted from their-value.
Most Of the old-time printers wer'
writer's as well. They gravitated natur
ally into the writing profession. No
infrequently, too, these newspaper
men and the humorists who con
Quoted or contributed columns Of
humor, set much Of their matte
fright outer their hands" at the case
It seemed at one time as though ever,
good American humorist had been
travelling printer at one time o
another.
Ben Shillabar's Mrs. Darlington an,
Ike made their debut in the col
umns Of the Boston Post. Artemu
Ward hiked all the way from Port
land, Me-, to boston and then by cas-
stages to Cleveland, o. En- route h
studied human nature, gathered locs
color, making the acquaintance o
theatrical and circus people Of ever
type, gradually visualizing in his ow
imagination that Snowman throug
whose mouth he later launched him
self into fame. The idea which h
acquired as travelling printer cam
to fruition while he was on the Plat
Dealer of Cleveland.
Speedy "Tsxas jack"
"Texas Jack" was another aristc
crat Of printerdom who elected t
travel. After walking from Spring
field he entered into a Worceste
(Mass.) daily composing room an
asked to "sub." He was tall an