"
REPORTING
A noted artist was recently visited by an interviewer, who fired at
him from a question-sheet questions such as these:
"Were your parents artistic? Which of your paintings do you consider
your best work? When, where, and why did you paint it? How much did
it bring you in? Who is your favorite dead master? Favorite living
master? What is your income from art? How much--"
But at this point the artist seized the interviewer by the arm and
began in his turn:
"Just a moment, please. What is your name, age, and salary? Is
journalism with you a life-work or merely a means to a higher literary
end? How do you like your editor? State his faults and salary. What
was the best interview you ever wrote? Give a brief summary of same.
Have you ever been fired? How does it feel? Where--"
But here the interviewer, jerking his arm from the painter's grasp,
fled from the studio, and the artist cheerfully resumed his work.
A "cub" reporter on a New York newspaper was sent to Paterson to write
the story of the murder by thieves, of a rich manufacturer. He spread
himself on the details and naively concluded his account with this
sentence:
"Fortunately for the deceased, he had deposited all of his money
in the bank the day before, so he lost practically nothing but his
life.
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