The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-03-24

weekly would be the only paper printing his drawings of local news For a minute I thought 1t was a hot idea.
 It was, of course, not a rare ambition, McDougall realized. He had worked at drawing boards ir newspaper offices long enough tc hear it on many tongues: If could. oniy buy me a good weekly l.. :" The newspaper mans song of independence.
 He, McDougall, was not a news paper man. He had never written a line in his life. Even his sketches had had editorial direction. Tc such venture as Mikes weekly he could not contribute a para graph, nor dic he know the first principles of soliciting advertising or job shop business. He could of course, contribute the sketches Mike had suggested, but they would be mere window dressing.
 There was, therefore, a problem of fractions.
 "One-half and one-half", he said aloud: that makes one. Then a third, a, third and a third; that makes one again. So there it iSl'
 What may have happened earlier in the evening I don't know" said Mike, but you've had only one drink here."
 Maybe he's balmy from listen- ing to you," Joan suggested across their visitor.
 Tt figures out perfectly" pro- tested McDougall, Look here: You have a piece of money. I'll match it. That doubles the down payment, makes the amount wha; you want it to be. And makes an easier mortgage. But also you are going to put in all your time. all your newspaper training. So we go partners. One-third to me for my money, one-third to you for your money and one-third to you for your work. Because I'll con- tribute nothing. And so we own the Gazette"
 But if you drew the sketches each week." said John, belatedly feeling the stimulus of Mikes ann bition, you would be contributing something. and one-third for you against two-ttirds for Mike would n't be fair to you"
 T know nothing about the busi- ness" grinned McDougall, but if my suspicious are correct I'll throw my sketches i1l to balance the overtime Mike contributes, and that evens that" Nike stood up. It was, for the moment, beyond him to reply to the offer.
 There IS just enough left in the bottle" ne said, not looking at them, flor about three more. MT. McDougall will get his one-third and will get my two-thirds." He went out.
 If you said boo at that guy now confided Joan, "he'd bust right out crying"
 For two hours they sat = Joan and Mike and McDougall with paper and pencils, and figured their tentative down payment against the remaining debt, and the prosperity of the earlier Gazette days against the slight profit 1t now showed when as Mike had pointed out, it was operated by an old and tired man who had living without 1t.
 And there still is a lot to. be said," Joan insisted, flor my idea of buying a house. The money each of you will put into the paper would get each of you a home"
 "What does he want a house for?" asked Mike, Hes not mar ried."
 He can get married. can't he?" retorted Joan reasonably. Really, Bruce - you and Mike have been talking about the Gazette as a bar gain, but there are lot of house bargains here, too, and you wouldn't b making any mistake if you got yourself at least a lot now, because they're bound to go up and when you need one you'll have to pay more for it."
 Leave him alone" said Mike What do you want to do = build his house for him, pick out a girl and get him married?"
 Somebody will have to arrange 1t for him some day." Joan replied Tt ri.ght as well be me"
 Tt might as well, I guess" said Mike. After all, you arranged mine."
 "I'll be going" said McDougall, before there's an argument. I walked in on one here while ago, and I'm walking out with newspaper on my hands. I'll get