Democratic Sentinel, Volume 20, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 May 1896 — COUNTRY JOURNALISM. [ARTICLE]

COUNTRY JOURNALISM.

Experiences that Enliven the Work of Publishing a Rural Newspaper. The lines of editors are often cast In hard places. In the ’7os I was editor and publisher of a newspaper in Central Ilinois. I had secured quite a corps of country correspondents, and among the number was a young lady of bright attainments and very populof In her own village. Very often personal squibs are meaningless to anyone outside of the neighborhood covered by the “country correspondence” column. An Item of this character came in one day from the young lady In question. Of course, it went into the paper, as it was supposed to be something smart, and harmless as well. The day following the issue of the paper, while seated in my sanctum, I was surprised on looking up on the entry of a visitor to find that I was looking down the barrel of an enormous revolver in uncomfortably close proximity to my nose. Behind the gun stood one of the most excited individuals It has ever been my luck to encounter. This bloodthirsty personage was In turn supported by a lusty person who stood guard at the door.

“Who wrote that article?” said the man behind the gun, pointing to the paragraph in question. “We” explained promptly and vigorously that our fair correspondent !n his village was the author. Why he did not shoot then and there has always been a mystery to me. He denounced me as a prevaricator of the most villianous type and insisted that editors wrote everything that appeared in newspapers. A written retraction and apology was the only thing that would appease the gentleman, and as the circumstances did not admit of argument the apology was furnished with all the alacrity possible. Within twen-ty-four hours the man returned to humbly beg the editorial pardon. He added that if I would lick him out of town and abuse him to the best of my ability in the next Issue of the paper he would thank me. He had learned the facts in the case and that the young lady, his particular friend, had Intended the squib as a compliment to him and to his family. He was arrested and fined some S4OO or SSOO for his rash act, and to this day I have regretted the course I pursued In the matter, for he was a prominent citizen, a good man, and ever afterward my special friend. But the dignity of the profession had to be sustained.—Kansas City Journal;