At  the  same  time,  in  the  face  of  my  growing  estimate  of
myself,  backed  by  the  plaudits  of  such  men  as  Peter  and
Dick  (who  were  receiving  twice  my  salary),  to  say  nothing  of
the  assurance  of  my  brother  that  I  had  that  mysterious  thing,
personality,  I  was  always  cramped  for  cash,  and  there  was
no  sign  on  the  part  of  my  employers  that  I  would  ever  be
worth  very  much  more  to  them.  Toward  the  very  last,  as  I
have  said,  they  changed,  but  then  it  was  too  late.  I  might
write  and  write,  page  specials  every  week,  assignments  of  all
kinds,  theatrical  and  sport  reviews  at  times — and  stiU,  after
all  the  evidence  that  I  could  be  of  exceptional  service  to  them,
twenty-two  or  -three  dollars  was  all  I  could  get.  And  dog-
ging my  heels  was  Miehaelson,  a  cheerful,  comforting  soul  in
the  main,  but  a  burden.  It  has  always  been  a  matter  of
great  interest  to  me  to  observe  how  certain  types,  parasites,
barnacles,  decide  that  they  are  to  be  aided  or  strengthened
by  another,  and  without  a  "by-your-leave"  or  any  other  form
or  courtesy  to  "edge  in,"  bring  their  trunk,  and  make  them-
selves at  home.  Although  I  never  really  liked  Miehaelson
very  much,  here  he  was,  idling  about,  worrying  about  a  job
or  his  future,  living  in  my  room  toward  the  last,  eating  his
meals  (at  least  his  breakfasts)  with  me,  and  talking  about
the  country,  the  charm,  ease  and  profit  of  editing  a  country
newspaper !

Now,  of  all  the  people  in  this  dusty  world,  I  can  imagine  no
one  less  fitted  than  myself,  temperamentally  or  in  any  other
way,  to  edit  a  country  paper.  The  intellectual  limitations  of
such  a  world !  My  own  errant  disposition  and  ideas,  my  con-
tempt for  and  revolt  against  the  standardized  and  clock-work
motions  and  notions  of  the  average  man  and  woman!  In  six
months  I  should  have  been  arrested  or  drummed  out  by  the
preacher,  the  elders,  and  all  the  other  worthies  for  miles
around.  Let  sleeping  dogs  lie.  The  louder  all  conventional-
ists snore  the  better — for  me  anyhow.
