Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 April 1885 — A Proof-Reader. [ARTICLE]

A Proof-Reader.

CapL F. M. Duffy, a newspaper man well known in Tennessee, was for a time editor of the Franklin (Ky.) Patriot. On evening, shortly after he began his work on the Patriot, the foreman went into the editorial room and said: » “Captain, I left some proofs there on your desk. I wish you would read them to-night, for I have to ‘ make-up ’ early in the morning.” “I have an engagement to take a young lady to a moonlight picnic tonight,” the Captain ruefully replied. “Can’t help that; we must have the proofs. It won’t take you long.” The Captain broke his engagement and went to work. There were only three columns of long primer, but by mistaking the advanced slips of a stereotyped story to be the proof-sheets referred to, he devoted himself to them, a cheerless task, indeed, for they told all about “Rachel, the Miser’s Daughter.” »' Early next morning, when the foreman reached the office and saw the mistake, he promptly exploded. The Captain had read thirty-six columns, and had found a turned comma. On his desk the following note was found: “Have worked all night on these blasted proofs and have found one error. You’ve got a splendid lot of compositors, I must say, but I notice they set fiction much better than they do local matter.”— Arkansaw Traveler. '