"THE WOOLLY WEST."

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 3121, 6 April 1915, Page 5

"THE WOOLLY WEST."

ITS NEWSPAPER PRESS

American newspapers, and those of the 'wild and woolly West," v.hen it really was wild and woolly, are particularly interesting. This pathetic paragraph is culled from an old Oregon paper :—'"Will the gentleman who stole my melons on last Sabbath night be generous enough to return me a few of the seeds, as they were a rare variety ?' A San Jose editor refers to a rival journalist in the following terms : "He can tell the difference between a whisky straight and a gin cocktail with his eyes shut ; he is a professional loafer, and may generally be seen round drinking saloons, not only at election times but for years after. The preponderance of his brains is located between his ears. He makes a game of polities, and plays as he would a game of short cards, or cutthroat monte, to win.,.." This and much more, whirh leave; the reader with the impression that the man described was not a desirable acquaintance

An explanation of a typographical error runs as follows :—"The editor of the 'Oakland News' apologises to the editor of the 'San Leandro' for calling him a monkey—he meant a donkey." A San Diego, paper, growing somewhat mixed, announced the arrival of a vessel thus :—"No passengers but Nathan Brown, who owns half the carc;o, and the captain's wife."

A good story, not guaranteed, is told of an editor who, in the last issue of his paper, gave a detailed account of his experiences thus : "Been asked t 0 drink, 14,302 times. Drank, 14302 times. Requested to retract, 306 times. Didn't retract,

:-: !i times. Invited to parties, re- ' .I'.ions, and other elegant functions by parties fishing for puffs, 2911 times. Took the hint, 29 times. Pi.i; ' . 2*82 times. Threatened to be whipped, 235 times. Been whipped, 0. Been asked the news, 200,000 times. Told, 9 times. Didn't know, 150,000 times. Lied about it, 49,991 times."

Mter reading these extracts one ro;iiisrs that fifty years ago the editors of newspapers "out West" h?'\, indeed, to be men of courage and endurance.—"Globe."