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Show rrciorrcri rynr. nt tfvOLsMVO. Active KeoHers In the Small I'lacea Make I'retty 1 air Waxes. Tim most important perquisite for reporters re-porters is that known us "lineago." Daily newe-puiiers, for example, have recognized corriponileuts in nearly every ev-ery town of any importance throughout tke country. A reporter living in one of these places, and connected with a local newspaper, may be appointed correspondent corres-pondent for ft dozen or even more jour-" jour-" -uuIb. All events of importance have, of course, to be attended for his own paper, and should anything occur of sufficient interest to justify notice in the papers he represents, ho writes a report aud forwards for-wards it by telegraph or by train. From eftch. paper he receives the cost of the telegram and is paid fr his report re-port at so much per line, varying in different dif-ferent towns between one penny and twopence per line. Some of the London T4pers puy as much as threepence per line, and in the case of matters of unusual un-usual importance or value the leading provincial newspapers will sometimes pay a like amount, By this means it is no unusual thing for a smart man to innko as much as five pouuds in a single iL'ght. In a good district a reporter looks forward for-ward to doubling his weekly income by "lineage" alone. Even when not the recognized rec-ognized correspondent of any paper, he luakes a considerable addition to his (earnings by "lineage." Take, for example, ex-ample, an interesting event coming to the knowledge of the reporter some morning. Ho writes out a telegraphic message and wires a paragraph to the t principal evening papers. A special re duced charge is made for press messages. Up to ft o'clock in tho evening seveuty-fivo seveuty-fivo words can be sent over tho wires for one shilling, and one hundred words after 6 o'clock for tho samo amount. I Every repetition of the message cost tvAipence. From each paper which inserts hi paragraph tho enterprising scribo receives re-ceives half a crown or three shillings mid sixpence, usually the latter sum. So, taking it that lie sends his news to twelve newspapers, tho cost of the telegrams tele-grams would be three shilling and ten-pence, ten-pence, and if the report were used by nine out of the. twelve papers he would receive (taking as a moderate estimate that he would be paid half a crown by tach) 1 i.'s. Od. Deducting the cost of tho telegrams it will be seen that he clears nearly a sovereign by the transaction. trans-action. The risk is small, for any spicy item of news told in an interesting way is always welcome, to the evening papers pa-pers especially. If only two papers were to insert and pay for his report he would still bo a gainer. In the large cities and towns there are men known as "penny-a-liners," unconnected uncon-nected with any particular newspaper, who make a decent income by keeping a watchful eye for items of news which may escaio the observation of the ordinary ordi-nary reporter. Any terrible calamity in n district is a golden harvest to the (scribes. A railway accident, colliery explosion or startling murder means pounds, shillings aud ieuce to the reporter. re-porter. Another source of profit to the "Knights of the Pencil" is shorthand , writing in the local law courts. In many towns the reporters are tho only compels compe-ls tent shorthand writers, and to their lot Vfall the shorthand notes which from time lio time are required by solicitors and other people. London Tit-Bits. |