The Harrows of Spring Read Online Free PDF Page B

Foxfire people knew, Daniel Earle might have been an alias,” Loren said.
    Nobody spoke for a long moment. Robert reached for the flask.
    â€œThe thing is,” Brother Jobe spoke across the room to Daniel, “now that you’re about to start this here publication, it would be prudent to keep your name out of it.”
    â€œEverybody in town knows that it’s my paper,” Daniel said.
    â€œMaybe so,” Robert said. “But people outside of town don’t know that. They don’t even know you live here or who you are. You see how these news sheets get carried far and wide. You can’t advertise yourself as editor and publisher of this thing right there in the paper the way it’s usually done.”
    â€œThe masthead, it’s called,” Daniel said.
    â€œJust leave it out. Use the space for an ad or something.”
    â€œI have to put the office address somewhere on it so people can come in if they want to advertise or want me to do a print job.”
    â€œOkay, put the office address on it somewhere, but leave your name out of it.”
    â€œThey have to ask for somebody.”
    â€œMake up some other name,” Robert said.
    Daniel rolled his eyes and snorted.
    â€œPen names are an old tradition in journalism,” Loren said. “James Madison wrote the Federalist Papers under the name Publius .”
    â€œMark Twain done it too, didn’t he?” Brother Jobe said. “Who was a bigger draw in letters than Mark Twain? See, I don’t even remember his real name.”
    â€œSamuel Langhorne Clemens,” Daniel said.
    â€œThat’s right,” Brother Jobe said. “A fine appellation. It’s got music in it, don’t it? And he give it up? Was the law after him or something?”
    â€œNo, he was just crafting a persona for himself,” Loren said.
    â€œHow’s that?” Brother Jobe said.
    â€œInventing a comic character for himself to play,” Loren said.
    â€œThere you go,” Brother Jobe said to Daniel. “You could do the same.”
    â€œI’m not funny,” Daniel said. “And I’m not trying to be some made-up character.”
    â€œLook, if you run a newspaper, you’re going to be a public figure,” Robert said. “You must understand that.”
    Daniel heaved a sigh. He’d been in the shop since just after daybreak. He returned to the woodstove and the others.
    â€œAll right. I’ll do what you say. How does I. P. Daley sound?”
    â€œKind of made up,” Loren said.
    â€œPut a little more thought into it,” Robert said. “You can do better.”
    â€œCan I have some more of this?” Daniel asked, reaching for the flask.
    â€œHave at her,” Brother Jobe said. “Maybe it’ll get some funny going for you.”
    â€œWhere I’ve been and what I’ve done wasn’t funny,” Daniel said, and everyone retreated into themselves again for a while.
    â€œThe thing is, anybody who tried to collect that reward would have to go all the way down to Tennessee to get it, wouldn’t they?” Loren said, eventually.
    â€œThat’s true,” Brother Jobe said. “Any jackass could turn up there and claim he done you in.”
    Brother Jobe looked up and discovered Robert and Loren scowling at him.
    â€œJust saying,” Brother Jobe explained. “I don’t see how anyone might prove it, though. Anyways, the news, such as it is, travels slow and there ain’t no regular mails in most places, so my advice to you, young man, is to keep well to the background in this here endeavor of yours. Maybe after a year or two it’ll blow over.”
    Robert lingered in the office after Loren and Brother Jobe departed.
    â€œHey, apart from all that,” Robert said, “I’m proud of you for pulling this together. You did a great job in here. It’s a fine place to work.”
    â€œThanks,” Daniel