Not infrequently the copy reader keeps two or even three stories moving in sections to the composing room at the same time. While he is waiting for an “add” to a fire story, he may edit the first installment of a dispatch from Washington, prepare an “Insert Murder” and in the intervals write heads and take care of several small items. The example is extreme, but it illustrates the condition of stress under which the copy reader often works. To seize and retain the main facts of a story, so he can write the head after the copy has left his hands, he must keep his mind keyed up to the highest notch of efficiency. Names above all must be closely watched. A moment’s wandering of the attention may lead to the statement in a headline that Jones killed Smith, when in fact Smith killed Jones. Plainly the day of the irresponsible “Bohemian” in journalism is at an end; the modern newspaper demands clear-headed, alert, dependable workmen.
Copy reading has its lighter side. Gems of unconscious humor come to the desk over the wire, through the mails and now and then from the “cub” reporters in the local room. Witness the following, taken verbatim from a story that did not get into print:
Patrolman Prim of Twelfth District Station suffered two broken knuckles of his right hand, when he struck Charles Wilson, of No. 2324 B street, yesterday afternoon on the nose. Wilson resisted arrest and the fight followed. The latter’s nose was slightly scratched, and is held at the station.
Sneak theaves made away with the contribution box Sunday eavning just after there had been a liberal donation from the congregation of some fifty dollars at the Methodist Church.
It seams that no one was paing eny atenshion to the countribution box after the colexion was taken.
It setting in easy reach of a good many on the alter.
The person or persons that speited it away was very boald as well as slick, at eany rate it was taken while the congercation was still in the house.
Some say they think they know who took it and there will be a clost watch on them for the next fiew days.
A suburban correspondent contributed this:
John Angel, the man who was rescued from a horrible death last Thursday night by being killed by a passenger train, passing over his body, by Fred Anderson, is yet in a very serious condition but is somewhat improved from his condition on Friday.