"THE PORT FOULKE WEEKLY NEWS." 177 



some things that are " rich and rare," and very clever, 

 and many of the best came from the forward part of 

 the ship. 



Its appearance makes quite an event, and, as a 

 hygienic agent, its importance cannot be too highly 

 estimated. The project set everybody on tip-toe of 

 expectation, and for several days past very little else 

 has been talked about but " the paper." All the de- 

 tails of its getting-up have been conducted with a 

 most farcical adherence to the customs prevailing at 

 home. There is a regular corps of editors and report- 

 ers, an office for "general news," an " editorial depart- 

 ment," and a " telegraph station," where information 

 is supposed to be received from all quarters of the 

 world, and the relations existing between the sun, 

 moon, and stars are duly reported by " reliable corre- 

 spondents," and pictorial representations of extraordi- 

 nary occurrences are also received from "our artist 

 on the spot." 



Of course, much depended upon the eclat with which 

 it burst into being ; and, conscious of this important 

 fact, the editors spared no pains to heighten public 

 curiosity, by the issuing of " hand-bills " and " posters," 

 and all other means known among the caterers for 

 the popular intellectual palate. McCormick lent his 

 assistance, and directed the preparation of a somewhat 

 better dinner than usual ; so that, no matter what 

 might be the merits of this eagerly expected prod- 

 igy, it was sure of a hearty reception. Mr. Knorr 

 had charged himself w r ith the mechanical execution, 

 and was known to have the infant periodical in his 

 keeping ; and accordingly, after the cloth was re- 

 moved, loud calls were made for its production. 



While he was hauling it out from under his pillow, 



12 



