Year: 1876

For the benefit of those who have
not heard it, or forgotten it, we will
give the story of a back woods editor j


Years ago. when n certain Western
State (Which we shall not name) was a
territory, and with few inhabitants, a
young lawyerfr one of the old States,
emigratcd thitheI, and settled in the
town of K. He succeeded admira-
bly, in his profession, and rose rapidly
in popular favor. He had been there
nearly two years, when he induced a
printer to prin&a weekly paper, of which
he was editor aud proprietor. Squire
S. was much pleased for while with
editing paper. He was man OF very
low stature, but he used the editorial
We" as frequently as if there were
a dozen of him, and each as big as
Daniel Lambert.


Strange to say, there were at that
time men in Office who were not par
tice more honest than they should be 4;
a thing which probably never happen
ed before and never will again. Squire
S. felt all the patriotism of son of '76.
and poured out grape and canister
against public abu es. This soon stir
red hornets nest about his ears but
as there was no other paper in the ter
ritory there was no reply, and he en-
joyed his warike prOpensites in secu-
rity.


At length he published an article
more severe and cutting, against NAL
feasance in Office, than any that had
preceded it. In fact, though pointed
at no one individual in particular, 1t
was " scorcher."


Some three or four DAYS afterwards
he was sitting alone in his editorial Off
ce, which was about quarter of a mile
from the printing establishment his
pen was busy with paragraph, when
his door opened without much cere-
mony, and in staked man about six
feet in his stockings. He asked, " Are
you S., the proprietor of this paper 2"
Thinking he had found new patron
the little man with one OF his blandest
smiles, answered in the affirmative
The stranger deliberately drew the last
number of the paper from his pocket,
and pointing to the article against
rogues in office, told the af1irighted edi-
tor that it was intended for him"
1t was in vain that S. protested he had
never heard of him before. The wrath
of the visitor rose to fever heat, and
from heing so long restrained, boiled
over with double fury He gave the
editor his choice, either to publish a
humble, very humble recantaliou, or
take logging on the spot. Either al
tentative was wormwoOd but what
could he do ? The enraged Office hold
er was twice his size, and at ona blow
would quality him for an obituary nos
tice. lie agreed to retract and as the
visitor insisted upon writing the re-
TRACTION himself, he sat down to his task.
Squire S.nade an excuse to walk to the
printing Office with a promise that he
would be back in season to sign it as
sOonas it was finished


S. had hardly gone fifty rods, when he
encountered man who inquired where
Squire S. Office was, and if he was al
home. Suspecting that he, too was or
thesame eIrand as the other visitor, he
pointed to the office, and tod him he
would find the editor within, writing 0
most abusive article against office hold
ers. This was enough. The eyes o.
tho new conner flashing fire, he rushed
into the Office, and assailed the stranger
with the epithets, "liar, scOundrel, cow
ard :" and told him he would teach hin
how to write. The gentleman, sup
posing it was some bully sent there by
the editor, sprang to his feet and a fgb
ensued. The table upset and smashed
into fire wood, the contents of larg'
Jug of ink stood in puddles on the floor
the chairs had their legs and back
broken beyond the skill of surgery Il
cure them. They seemed only to in
spire the combatants with still create
fury. Blow followed blow with tn,
rapidly of lightning. First one wa
kicking on the floor, then the other
each taking it in turn pretty equally
The ink on the floor found its way t.
their faces, till most of them cut tn
most ludicrous figure imaginable. Th
noise and uproar were tremendous. Th
neighbors ran to the door, and exclaim
ed with astonishment, that two negroe
were lighting in squire SIS office. Nom
dared separate them. AT length, com
pletely exhausted, they ceased fighting
The circumstances became known, ant
the next day, hardly able TO sit on horse
back, their heads bound up, they star
ted homewaId, convinced that they bat
attained very little satisfaction from
the attempt.