The Ely miner., 1924-08-01
Why Artists
Cartoons Lost
Their Effect
By FRANK COBB

= brains of the campaign against
Saul Jones, the boss of Lawrencetown.
His cartoons created a nationwide
sensation, and did much TO turn the
tide Of public opinion against the man
who had long been supreme in the
city. The one which made the sensa-
ton of the week depicted Jones in con-
vict garb, ascending the wall Of a
building marked Public Efficiency"
And Jones won the election Four
weeks before 1t occurred Brainerd
seemed to lose his grip. True, he drew
cartoons as Of yore; but they were
mild and milk-like in comparison with
his vitriolic contributions TO the Eagle
during preceding issues.
The word went round that Brainerd
had been fixed" He lost his post,
of course, and no other newspaper
would employ him.
/ happen to know what occurred, be-
cause Brainerd told me when he came
to ask a loan of 500 to take him to
New York.
Brainerd was heart and soul in his
work. He was all for reform and good
government. He went home to sleep,
after planning a new cartoon that
would pulTerize all that remained Of
Jones.
He got a telephone message in the
morning.
This is Saul Jones, Mr.. Brainerd," !"
said the voice. 81 want to see you
very much. Can you come TO my
house before going on to your Officer"
Brainerd was surprised at the quiet,
ladylike woman who came in as he
waited in the library and announced
herself as Mrs Jones.
MY husband will be down In a
minute" she said. 81 know who you
are, Mr. Brainerd, and you can't ex-
pect me to feel very kindly toward
you"
With that she founced out of the
room, if such an expression can be
applied TO the angry swish of an angry
woman's gown.
Hiding behind a woman's skirt" !"
he said to himself Wont 1 trounce
him tomorrow !"
Then Jones came in at the door.
Brainerd had seen the boss at dis
tance.
You are Mr.. Brainerd?" inquired
the boss. "Sit down. / have asked
you to come here with reference to
your cartoon in yesterdays Eagle"
YES" answered Brainerd, thinking
that his fun was just going to begin.
How much?" inquired Saul Jones,
sinking into a chair and resting his
chin on one hand.
Brainerd rose UP. 'I was expecting
that question, Mr.. JONES'" he answered.
81 take it that you are offering me a
sum of money to cease cartooning you.
Let me tell you that am not to be
bought, sir, for all the money in Law
rencetown."
As Brainerd was going toward the
door the boss sprang from his chair
and caught him by the arm
I'm not asking you to stop attack
Ing me-" he said huskily.
"Ah, you young menl" he resumed.
''It is so easy TO crush your enemy,
isn't il? But when you have lived
as long as l have you viii have come
to see that magnanimity pays.
"You saw my wife? l sent her In
TO you, so that you should be able TO
Judge. She knows nothing about ii.
She thinks I am the best man In the
world. And it is thirty years ago
my GodI 1 didn't think anybody
would have found that out against
me-
IT was a young fellow of twenty
two. 1t was my first and only crime.
I put my employers name on a check.
They gave me six months In states
prison for It And 1 escaped-like a
fool, escaped, wearing the stripes,
too, and 1 had only three months to
serve"
Jones had connected the cartoon
with the secret in his past life, and
he read In il q threat Of exposure
which Brainerd had never meant, and
for a crime of which the artist had
been entirely ignorant.
"WeIl?" asked the boss. raising his
head Are you going TO break up my
home and ruin my life, young man,
to crafty your hate; or are you goins
to let bygones be bygones and take
s. 5,O00?'
That was where Brainerd did the
right thing. II he had told Jones that
he had not known about that episode,
he would have left the man crushed
and Inundated by his folly In betray-
ing it, He stretched his hand out and
grasped the boss'.
mfr. Jones'" he said, "I was young
fool and you have taught me a much
needed lesson. There Is no question
of money-and the Eagle, will never
again publish a cartoon Ike the Con
vict.'"
He kept his werd.
You see," Brainerd explained ts
me- afterward. Il was really quite cap
able of doing such thing with de
/ liberate design, II / had known But
nobody knew, and the man had been
the victim OF his own conscience And
after had seen him in his home. and
learned that all men are made more
or less out of the same clay-why,
the thing came home TO me. And
somehow / could never put my heart
into my work again. The managing
editor thought / had been fixed Sc
do the public. / guess I'm going u
New York-and, say. I want you 10
let me have a couple Of hundred TO
keep things going til I get started :