STARTING THE SPORT SET 



ment, and I was in luck that evening, for then and the 

 next day at luncheon I got eighty pounds for the next 

 week's issue, which showed an advertising revenue 

 of nearly one hundred and fifty pounds. Not so 

 bad, but directly racing was over the advertisements 

 dried up. Then the football season was the only 

 thing to depend on, and it wasn't worth a carrot, 

 despite what boosters of the game considered it would 

 be. Oh, that long dreary winter! The boys kept 

 cheery, and on the eve of publishing day some of them 

 would stay on till ten or eleven o'clock reading proofs, 

 and really buckle to and use their best endeavour. 

 " Nicko " was one of the best ; he was really trying 

 hard and would be gratified in the extreme when he 

 got his little weekly cheque. He was really very 

 humorous in his articles, written in an inconsequent 

 way, but with great pride. He would never leave the 

 article for me, but like many other beginners bring 

 it in and watch my face while it was being read over, 

 and squirm when it was blue pencilled. But there 

 was the determination on occasions to do his best. 

 He would go out and get an advertisement. It was 

 always advisable to let the boys know that there 

 could be a " touch " on account that week so long as 

 the signed order for an "ad." was delivered. 



Poor Jim Hill (Major Hill), son of Lord Arthur Hill, 

 who died in 1913, would come to the office with his 

 pal Nicko, and I can tell you there was quite a 

 gathering of well-known men about town. Of course 

 it was a scream having such a staff, but they loved the 

 place and I must say that no one was more sorry than 

 myself when the publication had to cease. But it 

 wasn't funny to take a nice packet of notes and gold 

 from Shoe Lane, which I drew every week from the 

 Express and the Evening Standard, to keep the show 



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