Year: 1878




There is an erring, incorrigible, lower
type Of printers, who has much that is
extremely ludicrous in his character.
He is prone to error, as the sparks fly
upward and joined to bis love by the
cup which both cheers and sn4Et -iiffraehsriates
there is delicious Yagabondism which.
considered from an artistic point of view.
is positively adorable Every foreman
has had experience with ene or two
wanderers who arrived before him clad
In remnants Of departed grandeur who
in husky voices with beseeching accents.
ask for work, and who are grufly In
formed that they may "sub' for anyone
who is willing that they should do SO.
To the editor of a paper In small and
prosperous New England city once came
two of these woeful wights, who APP
peared to have sounded the depths of
adversity. While the editor was peace
fully celebrating an article one Summer
afternoon he heard timid voice at the
door saying, mister, can I speak to
you a minute r An affirmative answer
forthwith procured the introduction Of a
short, prematurely fat and bald man,
followed by an immensely, lean party
with tremendous shock of hair. Both
seemed to have been for some time on
the road from some remote point, and
to have slept by roadsides without dof-
fng their garments. Their shoes were
in the last stage of disreputable seediness
The short man wore huge broad
brimmed white felt hat, and the tall
man held in his hand stove pipe"
which might at some period early in the
previous year have been second hand,
but which was now poor specimen of
tenth or twelfth hand. The editor de-
string to know to what he was indebted
for the honor of this visit, the short man
waving his hand and mastering courage,
spoke thus:


"Me'n my pardners looking for work,
and we jest went IN to see the foreman,
n he sent US in here to see you"


The editor endeavored to explain that
he had nothing to do with the engage
ment of compositors.


"Well, sir, that amt exactly it, con-
tinued the short man, whose confidence
seemed to increase IN alarming proper
tions. You see the foreman said he'd
let us come on as subs, as he was
mighty short of men, and some of the
regulars was going off on vacations but
we-we-was a little hard up, and
sounded him for-for dollar or two, n
he sent MS In to see Won u


The editor, who knew that the fore
man was wag, and who was, withal,
somewhat touched by the desperate plight
of the two peripatetic printers, discov
cred that they had really been taken on
as subs, and advanced them the twe-
dollars. .But where did you. .~e6me
from y he inquired, his curiosity quite
overcoming his discretion


sFrom Chicago Men pa1dner have
been taking little promenade We
had good sit there, but we got little
airy, and they lifted US. We got clean
dead broke and had to hoof it all the
way. We were going to Boston, but
when pardner struck this town he said
it pleased him, and we kinder con-
cluded to reform and settle down you
know"


This frank confession helped matters
good deal The men seemed willing to
work, and the foreman found them able.
Besides, he needed them. There were
some faint whispering among the hand
somely dressed and orderly compositors
when the couple first made its appear
ance, but they speedily began to remove
any Objectionable features During the
first week, however, they did not remove
their coats, owing to a presumable abb
sence of linen of that quality well-to-do
persons are wont to wear. But the Sec
ond week the short man blossomed into
a red flannel shirt, which was gorgeous.
ssIt amt SO heating as linen, you know,
boys, he said apologetically. Then both
men had new shoes. Then they went
from better TO better. The editors two
dollars were faithfully returned. Can
dor eompells him to add that the short
man said In patronizing vein: 81
thought I'd hurry and give it back to
you, for I know you editors haven't got
any more money'n you know what to do
with" This was gratifying. One day
as Summer was melting into Autumn,
the editor saw In the composing room,
two richly apparelled men, in whom he
had some difficulty in recognizing his
shabby friends of some time since They
had attained financial ease, and were at
that moment informing the foreman that
they couldn't work that evening, and
so would put ON s'subs. They were
going to indulge in carriage drive to .
st.burb. "Must enjoy this weather, boys,
you know, said the short man; tits awful
NICE


The next day the Office was crowded
with rumors of their exploits Filled
with seductive and entangiing fluids
which they had imbibed in suburban
hotels, they had wrecked the carriage
and lamed the horse, and horrifed at
the idea of having to pay three or four
hundred dollars damage, had inconti-
nently decamped leaving their equipage
to be picked up by passers-by.


81 knew" said one Of the cornpositors
thoughtfully next evening" that those
bloats wouldn't last long. They were
too fresh And now they're on the
tramp again.


Whereupon the digni6ed artisans who
were above the folly Of tramping re-
sumed their wonted serenity Of de-
meanor.