Evening star., 1931-12-13

~> OLLINS knocked the ASH out OF ms
pipe We had been talking about
great newspaper men-Dana, Gree
ley and the rest
when you talk about great
newspaper men, Collins SAID 1
am with you about those fellows. But When
it Genes to the greatest good deal depends
on what you mean by greatest, and on what
you mean by newspaper man DO you no"
anything about Lee Tarcyp"
Lee Tarcy?" 1 said. Wait minute isn't
he the man that owns chain OF 10 or IL
small-town weeklies out in the Middle West
somswhere?"
That's the man." said Collins. Let me tell
you about him" And he did:
HOWN in Arkansas-said Col.ins-there is
- town called Hextervine the county seat OF
Hexter County and old fellow named Brent
ran a paper there along after the Civil War, the
Hexter County Clarion. 1t had circulation OF
about 23o copies and was eight pages, small
size and never did amount to much.
Old Brent was 10 and rheumatic and the
paper lust about paid for his food and rheu-
matism medicine. He had an old press, fiat bed
and hand power, and one decrepit job press
and type cast about the year one.
One day long. lank hill billy, gaunt as a
skeleton, climbed up out Of Whisky Gorge and
tramped into the Clarion office, rifle in the
crook of his arm a sack with gallon of moon
shine slung over his shoulder. q l5-year-old boy
following along behind him.
Old Brent was sitting behind his pine desk
inside the window, and he looked up.
"You all the man that runs this yere paper?"
the giant skeleton asked. This yere boy OF
mine he wants to rarn the newspaper busi-
ness"
mot here" said old Brent Il can't afford
helper. 1 do everything myself. I couldn't
pay him"
I'VE amt wantin no pay" said the hill billy,
hoo
shine He amt worth none, reckon. I got
nine sons and he's the ninth. He's the least
of the lot"
The boy was undersize, even among ordi-
nary boys. He timid, too, which mighty
few hill billies
At any rate after lot Of palaver, old Brent
and Wash Tarcy came to agreement that
Lee Tarcy was to have trial as a helper IN
the printing shop, to receive food and sleeping
place and no wages for a year, and at the end
of that time old Brent would decide whether
Lee Tarcy was worth wages Wash Tarcy was
fully satisfied; he said the boy was no use to
him and he left the jug Of moonshine.
so long, pap" Lee Tarcy said as his father
went out.
"Slong" the old fellow said, and went back
into Whisky Gorge to distill his moonshine and
cut railroad ties and grow his corn and pota-
toes Old Brent questioned Lee Tarcy and
learned that the kid had got himself some
schooling a privilege he was permitted because
he was not much in the work at home.
Lee" said old Brent, II reckon you and
will get along together right well. There's
quite bit Of work you can ease me with, and
I can teach YOU all know about newspapers.
That amt much. And it's hard life"
81 want to be newspaper man." said the kid
"I don't care how hard it is. I don't want to
be hill billy and make Shine -
Just So" said old Brent. Here's this weeks
Clarion. Read it over and see what it's like
and if you want to- then you can go out and
see if you pick up an item of news and
write it up. I'm going to snooze."
IA nth that the old closed his eyes and
wv went to sleep, and the young hill billy
took the copy of the Clarion end read it.
On the fourth page fir N, old Brent
had his editorial. Sonnet te the edi-
torial and sometimes he it, and this
time he had clipped it. 1t was headed Superb
ority of Poland China Hogs" and old Brent had
clipped it from some agricultural paper print
ing it in full. Lee read this. 1t seemed wise
ard sensible editorial.
He read on through the locals and the filters
and old Brent slept on. Lee finally folded the
paper and stuck 1t in his hip pocket and went
out, closing the screen door gently behind him
He was going OFT to pick up his first news
item.