Daily Eugene guard., January 01, 1897, Image 3

f.rwSPAPfcrt MEN.
fltES CI
'r, Aasocla-
,., isuo. W Aii'tn"
riwBtn." turn-1
Tho liiKlil wits dM
I.V uiPht and day
.""rioufcrnndwido
.I. hoD It Mi "n1 mcn
SS3ta?Sndtolr wltl.ln
-..ndnapcr, ink and pen,
nX, out tho "extra" made
Brffforew there nrrnycd.
? wuvcrycharmlngph.ee
JIT were walls, and o'er tho face
Jerideiiethattoi was there
InjBbiting the very air.
... , carpeted the floor
ff&yre. lntbtadebrli
Tht editor km dwP. wllllB or t
'flSdSwa. copy piled. But he
Waebesrhu, for I thought the t mo
ABonlaiiodellirhtfuL low the chime
UrStto I'"8 rame on lliB
PaxJaimlng Christmas cheer, and
through
n noise of printing Imcould hear
How weet and cheerful, clear and true
The strokes were ringing through tho dim
Old night to every one and Mm.
He "foe" was all on hand, for nono
Would leave until the whole of this
Ihe big edition well wag done,
For something might have gone amis.
Kith press or roller, type or power
Jtthln this last eleventh hour,
Bumhniat length tho press was still
And tabors done and all wero free
Fp spoke tbe chief: "How many will
Remain awhile nnd sit with mo
Bnide the stove and stories tell
aUnjhmsl days! What, allf "TIs well "
Vtowtth fntnt out hla desk ho drew
A lot of apples, crackers, chcuso,
Snough for all and over, too,
And munching happily at those
The loreman. pressman, every nno,
gat down to join the feast and fun,
And each w;is ready to relate
Of other Christmas tlmos, when thoy
Were yonnger far and mystic fato
Rude penciled what thoy wero today,
And chuckled low the stove at all
And cut its glows against tho wall.
Ita foreman first they chose to hoar.
A talllsh man was ho nnd spare.
kii!k,w,w pIo h, qjqq woro IjIae
And gentle, and his voire was low,
lost a trino sad In tono,
"Htoonany things he'd known
"cWsuulow whore he'd walked
Rn IH? lw"ne- "ixwh was slow,
J to hear whonc'or he talked.
Ill n j y and seemed to grow
"weal the year murks on his brow.
"gllt" ",ul "'""lows, where thoy fall
.tuon the dingy wall,
""""draeof a time," ho said,
lLriI'Mi!!ier rK,f n,r roo" " bed
r?011 my own. I guess
I.. .tare )u,t tllnil evon-ves
was two ymrs after mother died,
'", and just year that I d
fohL v bo,'t!, wlth tol'Mo Jim
2, "'Vc-k. I slept with him
wi!,'h,e,locl! t,,;" d when he
Crowl, perished frightfully.
l it" ,ROr! '"W thnt nlK"
"Tn?.1?r? """d nnd tight
Ik. w "',enlT alwut ns fell
If an? . M U""1'1 lnnk"l to see
ror i ."",BM '''ft to flee,
AndTn , ",p th0 dock '.
G.'nth we dreamed of iianirht
llonviT'f "" wa" ,Iown. "d then
'wC, k mo 0,lt nnd Wont "lln
Hedi , 0h- '"" wondrous brave)
with him ho tried to save
drir,trl"'M P"0' old Jim! Those two
i ,,Zy,trW their best to do
,Jn I looked so thin
.. and so thoy took me In
" olihtlV' unul ' 1,1,1 d,l5
nwnr
ntto
Th, 7T" I"1"1 more groat
Au,7i, Hl.lrgwn.lnm.
HUh "'",:,T All the same
JlVo?l ft"d bl hl"'
""ty (d r.U.ne could kuowl
1 wanfclV'n ,r"n ""' niOTn
AM B ll '' '. forlorn
OrZl" 1,1 r-or door
ibe cm-.,. . '
:d to ant
nn tho mrrmf
thht
Peni.i. .! , ' nam ni
Hl ZL:y ys.
it! kit
1 had 7 ' ' ' "-'in'tli,
"'J luek to try
I well remember how at last
Duo tiltfht I slyly slipped ajwiat
Tho guiird, nnd ou a IVrrybuat
I ft)und my riiKRl milt ui.uat.
It tovichwl tho other s'miv, nnd glad
Siis 1. - iso p if ico tt hi iif ihS bo hmt
An big Nuw York, I I -i'i:j.t. I nm.
Or stiiricd to, hut stru U .i man
And full hauUurtfimir-r, 8 tunned, and ho
Jiont aowii my vu.-t(-l ftirm to soo
And kindly Hpoko. Then up I stood
And suw hU fitco und knuw 'twits good.
"I thought t!mt ho wna nit her poor
Himself, hut tlum I wusn't suro,
r or though Ills clothes woro old and fmyed
Ho took mo hi ft placo nnd paid
For milk and doiihnutH riht nwny,
And when I'd look ut hiiu ho'd aiy:
uo on, you uttio rut, anu cat.
I Kiiess you've liwd alonj? tho sircjt '
S4JU10 tlmo.' And then, wli;n all was gono
And out wo wont, ho said, 4Comoii,
And ninyho If you'll silence k.jop
a a uuu a lor yuw to fiiwi.'
"At Inst wo found a door that ho
All softly ofwiied. 1 could see
A houp or pa)!rs In n uon
To whii'h ho took me, Quickly V.wn
lie whispered: 'You enn conjo In iiero
On nny niht. Tho cont is clear
Most always after dark; but, mind,
No singlo spark of tiro 1 find
You fetching in, 1wn;u( tlioy throw
Tho wasted paper hero. You know
Out front's the printing shop. Gwxl night,
My lad. I hoio you'll sleep all right. '
" And so ho loft mo. Through a liolo.
To whlidi all silently I stole,
A light was streaming. From the shop
It came, nnd sitting there on top
Of stools I saw tho men that Pet
The typo and saw the press that yet
Had not begun to work, and thure
A man was seated In a chair
And writing very fast. Tho door
In front was opened thon, and more
Of comfort did I feel, for he
Camo in to work who'd sheltered mo.
"The paicr there was warm and soft
To rest in as I thought, and oft
I sighed in pleasure; so 1 fell
Asleep and dreamed. I couldn't tell
How long I lay, but finally
Tho nolso of printing wakened mo.
The press was ronrlug, and I knew
The engine's pufliug. They were through,
And all dcjvirting after that,
Full soon, and lying still and flat
I saw upon tho wallw the glow
Cust by tho coals still burning low.
"Oh, those wero nights so good and sweet
Compared with those upon the street!
'Ti-s those I nm reminded of
liy nil the shadow up above
Us on tho wall tonight. I did
What things I could by day nr.d slid
Within my little home at dark.
At last 1 used to nightly mark
The tlmo when nil wero gone, then slip
Out front nnd often found a nip
To eat that, dry and thrown away,
Was left of some one's lunch that day.
"Thon somotimos I would get tho broom
And sweep nnd clean tho littered room
To pay my lodging hill. When nil
Were gone one night, upon tho wall
I saw a round and brilliant light
Thnt didn't seem exactly right.
I watched from out my snug retreat
And saw the door that reached the street
A 11 sof tly opened. Then there came
Two burglars in, whoso desp'rnte game
Was plain to see it was to force
And rob tho ofllce safe, of course.
"No sooner did I know their plan
Than, slipping out, I quickly ran
To hunt for help. I nlmoat bowled
A big policeman down, but told
Him all about it. Low ho blew
His whfstlo then nnd summoned two
Just llko him. Then nnother pair
Came umldenly, as If tho air
Were full of them. We luu-t'iiltig went
And gained the upot, nnd two wero sent
To outer at the rtar with me,
And then In ran the other three.
"Tho thieves were takon by surprise.
For hardly could they wink their eyes
IJeforo their hands wero cuffed, and I
Was taken, too, which made me cry,
Because 1 didn't understand
That only kindnesses wore planned.
Well, that's atmiit tho story's all.
It took a ininuto to install
My braining self as ofllce boy
And fill me inoro than full of Joy
When all tho facto were out That day
My friend was raised to extra pay.
" 'Twas Christmas week these things be
fell, And so I love tho season welL
No need to tell you how they let
Mo work ahead and learn to set
Tho typo, nor how I rose until
Fato's chances brought me here to All
A place among you. I havo had
My times of being gay and sad
The same as all must havo; but, oh,
This season brings a wondrous flow
Of memories! Hut, there 'twill do.
Let's hear tho pressman's story through."
fed
mm
A moment all were .llent when
The fcilo was done, and In the heart
Of nil was tenderness, and then
The pressman Rave a sudden start,
A. If ho thought his yarn would sound
Much bettor If 'twere swiftly ground
Out by tho bin machine. A round,
Contcutl looking ninn was ho.
Who always seemed to llko to pound
Ills list upon nis muny kiito
And laugh aloud If but n )fke
I Iu head from out Its shell would "ka
I
"My tnlo," unhide, "Is tame, I 11 say
llefore beginning Just tho way
I made my mother smile when she
Had nearly lost her faith In me.
loor motherl .She hal ha! ho! ho!
Once thought I really ought to go
To congress some fine day. Oh, dear,
If. funny, really me hut, here.
I've slipped a pulley. Well, It s true .
That wo were iir, and what tu do
COl'YKN.l.T, !''. !SY AMKKU'AN l':iKSS A.SSUCiATlON.
I couldn't quite decide upon,
But felt Inclined toward having fun.
"One day I read an 'ad.' that told
Of all the silver and the gold
A boy could make if ho would get
Their printing press 'twas called tho
'Pet'
Rolf Inking, standard, Iron, stool,
Complete! Superb! It made me feel
Llko jumping ten feet high. I read
Tho linos to pieces, and iu bed
I took tho pictured tiling at night,
And thou I strovo with all my might
To get the needed cash to buy
Tho thing three dollars rather high I
"Old bottles, sacks or anything
That I could rustle up t bring
Tho necessary sum I sol 1,
And mother soon besan to scold
About my 'silly scheme,' At last,
When all her patience long had iwssed,
I had the three and sent in hnste
To got the Pet ' I feared tho waste
Of time might fatal be r.nd thought
That all tho presses might be (sought
Before my order came; I ut, say,
That advertisement run today.
"It came, of courfe, ail right, and I
Was living somewhere l:i the sky.
I studied well its every part,
And soon I had it ail by heart.
But, oh, tho Impatient end tho pained,
The pitying, glances mr ther rained
When I Its merits gllh dascanted,
And 'platten,' 'lever,' 'roller,' chanted,
But all the samo I lxiunded In,
Determined that I'd mane it win.
"Oh, what a trail of Ink nnd grcaso
I left about tho place, but pence
Was in my heart that fa, until
I tried my level best to All
An order. For about a week,
I think, I hardly dared to sjwak
Of printing. But there camo a day
At hist when I had learned tho way
To grapple with tho thing nnd had
A lot of tyito, old, good and bad,
And started In, to my delight,
To print a paper. 'Tsvns a sight!
"Oh, youthful iwipers built upon
The hopes that 'laminate the dawn!
Could all of you together be
Within a potter's Held, nil, me!
That field were crammed, and there among
Tho rest and lalwled, 'Died so young.'
Would mine bo renting yea. ho? fan.
It makes me laugh today, tillhough
It cost me then a ng to Und
1 had no editorial mind.
But out of that I won a friend
Full glad to kind assistance lend
"With a due modesty, I'll state
lie saw my well, at any rate,
Ho (lot mo In where I mil Id learn
The things for which I to yearn
Concerning pros.1 Then t Si? way
Was Just Uk easy, i n a day
That always makes me i nj py whan
I think of It my path ag tin
Was mado as mnor.th as -ill, r-r I
Was taken In and phi'Td mi high
As thirtl assMUint prri:inn yea.
And washed the r.lleM - very day.
TTn! hoi you im:tirt i '"1 ".y smile-
t-, .Mi.L-i.x? of the lone, long while
r Pt-Ml iWore thf t day -id
I 1 f-'nr advance iiii towi nl t!:
hind.
lint, with the firt vrin tlon r
.-nie.
They haiidel me a d-.uhlc um
As weekly wages. Not w- n
I told to niortwr. thmh, but h.nl
H sighing still 1 1 think her s.rti
So little rvnl s;i v-' , .
But when It cn nm to rh.1-.tmM day
She nearly fainted d'-ad iay-
... i. int.I. 1,1,. you. th"U(rh,
T" . .i..! old It. I hroiu:n "",'" ,
I es, nrx . .. ,'...,, , :
t".i .,VI the n!Kht l-f'Te '"'(!" ;
i:id lulight
Aheavpef things mi .
And lumdi'd her besides a pile
I Of well earned money. Then tho siullo
I And kiss sho gave me and t ho way
! She asked forgiveness for tho day
Sho d scoffed at presses well, twas good
As If for congress 1 Isml Rtnod
And won. Thank God. she's with mo yeti,
And still wo treasure up the 'Pet,' "
Broad grins woro on the faces there
A lmt the stove. Not one but knew
The pressman's really modest air
Concerning all that ho could do,
And what success l.o'd made, find how
Ho'd share his every cent. Jlut now f
They turned around to lwwir the tnlo
Tlio old reporter had to tell,
For well they knew it could not fail
Of interest. Awhilo ho fell
To musing ero ho spoko and then
Addressed the nil expectant men.
"The first tliat I remeinlKr I
Was sent upon tho street to try
To ieddlc papors," ho Itogan.
UnJiku our foreman friend, who ran
Away from big Now York, 1 Ktaid,
I gut.'ss because I felt nfraid
To leavo the place or didn't know
Where eluo on earth that I could go.
I had a brother then Poor hull
Ills weazened form was pinched nnd sad,
And rare it was fur him to see
Beyond our street of poverty.
"The !iome from whirh I dally went
A basement In a tonemcnt
Was not so happy, gay nor clean
As some that since that tlmo I've seen,
And sho my father's second wife
When he was gone, made rlty life
Not wonderfully dear and bright
I know when I'd return at night
With pockets all but empty she
Would say some forceful tilings to mo
With either hand; but, hies your soul,
I mustn't weave a tale of dole.
"But then It's hardly more than fair
To say my brother died. Tlio n!r
And food were none too good, ymi know,
And maybe ho was glad to go.
You'd think it might havo meant ono loss
To feed, but greater was the stress
Of labor put on mo, for then
Tho woman said she'd lost him when
He'd soon have been of use, and I
Would havo to earn his sliaro. A sigh
tTsed oft escnpo mo then, but day
Was dawning lu another way.
"You see, tho scramble made mo strong
And active. All the summer long,
And part of whiter, too, my feet
And legs wero bare as on tho street
I rnn nnd scampered round fo yell
Tho 'extry event n papers.' Well,
My calve got very plump and round
And most delightfully were browned,
While on my saucy face tho glow
Of health made quite a-plcafdrig show.
You soo, I don't conceal today
That on co 1 had a comely way.
! "At lust tin nrtist dapled his ej-e.
Vpon me, sriylnir. 'Just the size,
,l And pfeturesffin. ' He thru nj pronrhfd
i Me shyly, mid his scheme was hronchod.
! I felt susiileluu. fvt the start,
! Hut lntT felt uncommon smart
! To think ff earnlnp In a d..y
' About tho whole of ol;e Willi's iay
' At edill!mr (viers; so I went
To kiso f'r h!m. for ho was lietit
On mnfciriK l'-e a iiirxh 1. I
Wa li4-d ui'i to i. t l.i.'ii try.
"We irot .long first rate, nnd h.
Was ofiim very kind to me.
I And nmylie hail I then lieen clenrj
He really mlKlit s nie time nave seen
Mv tr.i-r - ! M lt he tiiougltt
My likeness well enough was caught
And so we'd rest awhile. I kuew
It couldn't bIwjivh last, but do
Whato'er I would 1 f'lt the loss
When I no inoro could step ucroKS
Tho threshold of his studio
And watch his flno creations grow.
"To paper back I went, nor saw
Tho artist more. Tho days grew raw
As fall camo on und pissed and low
Hung wintry clouds. Uooemlxjr's snow
Came mwh Um soon that year and mads
Me cold and blue. But Christmas trado
Was lively, though, and you can guess
What crowds were on tho street. I bless
That time for doing more for mo
Than holiday festivity
Of long years since has done. Tho day
'Fore Christinas 'twas, nud this tho way:
"Upon a corner whore tho crowd
Waa surging thick I called aloud
My 'last edition.' Suddenly
Around tho corner, running free
Of reins or driver, camo a pair
Of tearing horses, and t he air
Was full of screams, and from the aireei
In wildest pauio of retreat,
The tloelug people rushed, nor cared
A singlo one how others fared
If only they wero safely out
Of danger's way. A i$art ul shout
"Rang loud abovo tho screams, for thcro
A tiny child, ns soft and fair
As down, had fallen, and she lay,
All helpless, fairly in tho wy
Tho fright blind horses had to go.
A man whose every struggling throo
Grow wilder sought in vain, alack,
To make tho frightened crowd keep back
That be might save the Bute ehiHL
But while ho raged in accents wild
I suatched her forth ami felt tho brush
Of horso against mo in tho rush.
"This but an instant hardly took
And then, with Hushed and frightened
look,.
Tho eager crowd iiround mo closed
With praises, as may bo supposed.
But swm tneroeiimoiMtek rushing through
Tho throng a man, and just as truo
As I'm ttltvo it proved, to bo
My artist frier d. His child was sho
1 held, and, oh, how palo his face
I'ntil he hugg&l her safol The place
We left at once, for I had won
Ills heart, with Just so little done.
"I'll ne'er forget tho scene nor place,
The look iiiMMi the father's loco.
While tears welled from his eyes. 'Bios
You, hoy ho said. 'I'll no er repay
You half for what you've dono today,
But as a proof of gratitudo
I 11 give yon clothes ami room ana looa
That you may havo a chance, with pluck,
To nuko a useful num.' Thus luck
Came unexpected llko tho light
That follows dally tlio dark night
"I'll havo to closo my story. Well,
Thore's UtUe left ut it to tell.
I went to school and studied, too,
And lifo took on a moaning new.
One day the chance eaino that 1 sought.
When I was fitted, as I thought.
The artist got mo on Tho News
And thcro I had a chance to uso
My boyhood training, and at last
My lot with scribbling mm wjm cast,.
And Christmas keep 1 till tho end
For lilia, my long departed, friend."
vm
The old reporter wuttfully
Looked out upon tho night It pee rued
As If his mollow oyos could soo
The past again, a If ho dreamed
Of boyhood days. Tho mcn around
Tho stove wero stllL Not any sound
They made, nor for a moment spoke.
But not for lung this silent mood
Continued, for a merry joke
Tho pressman cracked at last nnd wooed
Tho laughter 1km then said, " Vrepare
To hear tho editorial share."
"Good friend," then said the editor,
"Wo cannot stay much longer, for
The hour is 1&4 But, looking out
Upon the snow thnt lllos about
Tonight, I thought of long ago,
When such a storm of wind ami snofT
As this was on ono night nnd hero
Within this elty. Well, I fear
Tho tale's not now of how I grow
Cp hero and worked my progress through
Tho offloo till I came to hold
My present place, when I was old
"But imno of you, I think, has hoard
Tho chapter one, for not a word
Of it IJvo told for years. 'Twas fall
We camo to town, my father mil
A enrj water and sister Kate
And I. But soon the hand of fato
Upon us heavily was laid,
For nt his work my father made
A falso stop on a scaffold high
And had a Ml. We thought he'd die.
It kept him long from work, and we
Wore plunged, in sudden poverty.
"I feet again the fearful dread
Wo felt with winter coin for broad
Nor moat nor flro we liad. At lost,
When hope, It seemed, was nearly past,
This ofllce took me in nnd made
Mo carrier, and then, arrayed
In sc&rfs and mittens, 'gainst the ooM,
My life took on a sterner mold,
Nor did the wind or snow appall,
For prompt I served my pajer all.
Tho pay, though very small Indeed,
Supplied our hums with many a need,
"Oh, bltlor cold those mornings wore I
And mighty hard It was to stir,
liorig, long hefore tho morning light,
From bed, tbe f rost air to fight
Bonding lienoath a struggling load
Of papers dropped along the rwid.
Twas thus I served my dally route,
rereading the stream of knowledge muta.
HpttnttU)g shtvr and fo4 for thought
Oh, what a change old time has wrought!
The press of forty years ago.
Com mr It with the patters now.
And looking back the yinrs now fled
Who can but burn Pi iwk ahetf?
"Now, what w"esod my sinter Kate
I know not, but It may be fato
That she, bright, active, -hcerful, smart,
One morning gate me qnHv a Mart
Till I In iHlmlroilon tmd
Auuizi at all ber ImrdUiuod.
For with uio .lie had risen, too.
And said, 'I'll go alone tvitii you.
Jlooauso the routo 1 ought to know
In aim of iKvhkmt, so
Sho followed mo; but, bless yuu, she
Ciuue home a Utile wearily.
It camo along to Christmas week,
But nono of u would teareely .peak
A word of It, for wo wero poor,
Aa poor could be, uuu rarely sure
Of baro nooofettttos. I guess
I caught a cold a. If distress
re out enoughs-but on 1 went
With working, silently Intent
Oq keeulug up. Hut Christmas eve
I felt determination loave,
For weak and sick I fell In bod,
A little 'oft' within my head.
"Oh, snch a storm arose that night 1
With wind and snow, a sorry plight
The streets woro in. Tho drifts wero high
And piling higher, and the sky
Was fierce with specks as fine as wheat
And sharp as ise nnd nearly licet
As bullets as they drove before
Tho wlmL Beneath our rattling door
Tho searching bits oamo drifting In,
And all our clothes were far too thin
To keep tbe cold without or keep
Us warm enough to let us sleep.
It seems my plucky sister Kate
Next morn resolved at nny rat
To take my paper routo aiono
In air that chilled ono to tho bono.
But this sho bravely minded naught.
And out Into tho morning, fraught
With blizzard terrors, bravely set,
Nor minded what wns to be met
Lot him who will try to derldo
Tho muck, the courage, bona lluo,
Of women, but In easo of need
Where men would fail thoy oft aucooed.
"Sho struggled on until at length
llor Klrllsh form lost all its strength
Although 'twould conquer sterner mold
And, palsied by tho bitter oold,
Into tho snow she prostrate sank.
With scarce a moan, her mind a blank,
Whllo from, her frock wont scurrying
The papers. But this was the thing
Tliat saved her llfo, for at tho fee
Of ono tlion battling up tho street
A rended shoot was spread, nnd ho
Game then noon her suddenly.
"And, lot tho editor It was,
And not at homo n1od bocaue
Ho d gone to try to catch mo at
Tlio oflleo, Just to tell mo that
I'd bettor not attempt to go
Upon tlio route until tho snow
A nd storm si sated. But he'd found
Tho papers gono and turned around
For home again when accident
Throw rosoue In his way. Ho bent
Down over ltttlo Kate, and then
Ho wag the most surpriwxi of uicn.
"Near by ho lived. Oh, fortunate
Tho ol rou m stan co, for nearly fate
Had ended all with Kate. But soon
He had her housed, and from tin swoon
Of cutting wind and chilling snow
Kind hand soon brought tho ruddy glow
Of coursing blood In cheek and voin,
And soon she was horsolf again
High 6 grateful for the timely flld
And for tho new found friends she'd made.
How often in life's crooked course
Help comes from unci pec ted sou root
To them it was a ftry to think
They'd snatched her from tho very brink
Of death, and, oh, the things thoy did
For all of us until, amid
New comforts wo wore placed. The day
Was morreloiisly sweet ami gsy,
A Christmas worth tho having, though
A fellow was too 111 to know
Quite all the goodness of It Yes,
And thnt was not qulto all, for, bless
Tholr hearts, they never let us see
Again tho ghosts of povorty.
" 'Two. long ago, yet oror will
The carrier a corner fill
Within my honrt. Today, of euurw,
Our led'. pmvld with b,r
Hut doubtlos. he 1. poor, and you
And 1 tonight onn .omothlng do
To make hi. Christina. hrlKhc. Upon
Tho papers hero lot every one
ln what be ran. The little lad
Doserrn. It, and 'twill mako u. glad
To do It Then we'll write for Mm,
A merry Christmas, Ilttto Tiiul' "
They all ro, and willingly
Ihey emptied pockoU till s Clio
Of money, lying loose and free,
n a. there, and Ruon a nanny .mile '
Was on tho face of eaeh, and then
Out flted the bit;, ,t hmrtd men
And left the plane In darknc no,
it suite In darkness lor the anali
Still reddened, and the ehenrful glow
Yet played, ns If the wholewuio soul
Ifnd left wltMn tho nloee a mr
Of loTe to greet the Christmas day.
I'lULll1 YEKH1M. MU.iif.LiJ.
-tf.-.-f.
iff