|THERE is something unique about an editor's lamp that, enables most
anyone to select it from a large number of other lamps. It is _sui
generis_ and extremely original. The large metropolitan papers use gas
in the editorial rooms, and make up for the loss of the kerosene lamp
by furnishing their offices with some other article of furniture that is
equally attractive.
_The Boomerang_ lamp, especially during the election, has had its
intensity wonderfully softened and toned down through various causes.
You can take most any other lamp and trim the wick so that it will
burn squarely and not smoke; but the editorial lamp is peculiar in this
respect. The wick gets so it will burn straight when you find that it
does not burn the oil. Then you get it filled and put in a new wick.
Experimenting with this you get your fingers perfumed with coal oil, and
spill some in your lap. Then you turn it up so you can see, and as you
get a flow of thought you look up to find that you have smutted up your
chimney, and you murmur something that you are glad no one is near to
hear. When our life-record is made up and handed down to posterity, if
a generous people will kindly overlook the remarks we have made over our
lamp, and also the little extemporaneous statements made at picnics,
we will do as much for the public and make this thing as near even as
possible.