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Read Ebook: Paul and the Printing Press by Bassett Sara Ware Scott A O Arthur O Illustrator
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Ebook has 1142 lines and 46419 words, and 23 pages
his companion.
"I hadn't got as far as that," answered Paul blankly.
Paul clapped a hand on his friend's shoulder.
"You wouldn't want to issue a sample copy first, would you?" Melville suggested.
"No, siree! That'll be the fun. They must go it blind. We'll make the whole thing as spooky and mysterious as we can. Nobody shall know what he is going to eat. It will be twice the sport."
"But suppose after you've collected all your money you find you can't get any one to print the paper?"
"We'll have to take a chance," replied Paul instantly. "If worst comes to worst we can give the money back again. But I shan't figure on doing that. We'll win out, Cart; don't you worry."
"Bully for you, old man! You sure are a sport. Nothing like selling something that doesn't even exist! I see you years hence on Wall Street, peddling nebulous gold mines and watered stocks."
"Oh, shut up, can't you!" laughed Paul good-naturedly. "Quit your joshing! I'm serious. You've got to help me, too. You must start in landing subscriptions to-morrow."
"Sure!"
Melville grinned.
"Well, you have a nerve!" he affirmed.
"You're going to do it just the same, Cart."
There was a compelling, magnetic quality in Paul Cameron which had won for him his leadership at school; it came to his aid in the present instance.
Melville looked for a second into his chum's face and then smiled.
"All right," he answered. "I'm with you, Kipper. We'll see what we can do toward fooling the public."
"I don't mean to fool them," Paul retorted. "I'm in dead earnest. I mean to get out a good school paper that shall be worth the money people pay for it. There shall be no fake about it. To-morrow I shall call a class meeting and we'll elect an editorial staff--editor-in-chief, publicity committee, board of managers, and all the proper dignitaries. Then we'll get right down to work."
Melville regarded his friend with undisguised admiration.
"Shall it be a dollar, a dollar and a quarter, or an out and out one-fifty?"
"Oh, put it at one-fifty. We're all millionaires and we may as well go in big while we're at it. What is one-fifty for such a ream of wisdom as we're going to get for our money?"
Melville vaulted into his bicycle saddle.
"Well, I'm off, Kipper," he called over his shoulder. "Got to do some errands for the Mater. So long!"
"I can depend on you, Cart?"
THE CLASS MEETING AND WHAT FOLLOWED IT
The following day at recess, after a noisy clamor of conversation and laughter, the class meeting came to order.
"I have called you together to-day," began Paul Cameron from the platform, "to lay before 1920 a new undertaking. I am sure there is not one of you who does not want to make our class a unique and illustrious one. The Burmingham High School has never had a paper. 1920 has the great opportunity to give it one and to go down to history as its founder."
He paused.
"The big dailies do not appreciate us. They never write us up. Why should we not write ourselves up--chronicle our doings, that such noteworthy deeds may never be forgotten?"
A ripple of laughter greeted the interrogation.
"Mr. President!" shouted Melville Carter.
"Mr. President!" came at the same moment from Donald Hall.
"Mr. President! Mr. President!" The cry rang from every corner of the room.
Paul listened to each speaker in turn.
Paul, descending from the speaker's desk, was the center of an admiring and eager group of students.
"I say, Kip, where are you going to get the paper printed?" questioned Donald Hall.
"I don't know yet," replied Paul jauntily.
"We'll have to see how much money we are going to have."
Paul started.
"No matter," was Donald's cheerful answer. "I guess we could live through it if he did sit on us. Besides, maybe he wouldn't. Perhaps he'd enjoy fostering young genius. You said you were going to make the paper worth while and something more than an athletic journal."
"Yes, I am," retorted Paul promptly. "We've got to make it tally up with what the subscribers pay for it. I mean to put in politics, poetry, philosophy, and every other sort of dope," he concluded with a smile.
"You certainly are the one and only great editor-in-chief!" chuckled Donald. Then he added hastily: "There's Melville now. Why don't you buttonhole him about his father?"
"I will," cried Paul, hurrying across the corridor to waylay his chum.
"Hi, Cart!"
Melville came to a stop.
"What!" The lad was almost speechless with astonishment.
Melville was plainly disconcerted.
"Maybe not," said Paul. "But don't you think if your father knew we were trying to run a decent paper he might like to help us out? Who knows but some of us may become distinguished journalists when we grow up? There may be real geniuses in our midst--celebrities."
"Great Scott, Paul, but you have got a wily tongue! You've kissed the Blarney Stone if ever man has!"
But Paul was not to be cajoled from his purpose.
"Won't you put it up to your Pater when you go home, Cart?"
"You absolutely refuse to ask him?"
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