Uncle John coughed to gain time while he thought of a suitable reply."That，my dear，"he informed his niece，"will depend upon how many subscribers you can get.Subscribers and advertisers are necessary to make any paper pay.""Advertisers！""Of course，"said practical Beth."Every merchant in Millville and Huntingdon will naturally advertise in our paper，and we'll make the major get us a lot from New York.""Oh，"said Patsy；"I see.So that dif？culty is settled."Arthur smiled，but held his peace.Uncle John's round face was growing merrier every minute.
"Patsy，do you think we shall make any money from this venture？"asked Louise.
"We ought to，if we put our hearts and souls into the thing，"was the reply."But before we divide any profits we must pay back to Uncle John the original investment.""We don't especially care to make any pro？t，do we？"inquiredBeth."It's fun for us，you know，and a—a—great educational experience，and—and—a ？ne philanthropy—and all that.We don't need the money，so if the paper pays a pro？t at a cent a copy we'd better cut down the price.""Don't do that yet，"advised Uncle John，soberly."There will be expenses that as yet you don't suspect，and a penny for a paper is about as low as you can go.""What's to be my position on the staff，Patsy？"askedBeth，turning to her cousin.
"You're a good mathematiciana，Beth，so I propose you act as secretary and treasurer，and keep the books.""No；that's too mechanicalb；no bookkeeping for me.I want something literary.""Then you can be sporting editor.""Goodness，Patsy！There will be no sporting news inMillville.""There will be a ball game occasionally，and I saw some of the men pitching quoitsc yesterday.But this is to bea newspaper reflecting the excitement of the entire world，Beth，and all the telegraphic news of a sporting character you must edit and arrange for our reading columns.Oh，yes；and you'll take care of the religious items too.We must have a Sunday Sermon，by some famous preacher，Uncle.We'll print that every Saturday，so those who can't go to church may get as good a talk as if they did—and perhaps a better one.""That will be fine，"he agreed."How about murders，crimes and divorces？""All barred.Nothing that sends a cold chill down your back will be allowed in our paper.These people are delightfully simple；we don't want to spoil them.""Cut out the cold chills and you'll spoil your newspaper，"suggested Arthur."People like to read of other folks'horrors，for it makes them more contented with their own lot in life.""False philosophy，sir ！"cried Fatsy firmly."You can'teducate people by retailing crimes and scandals，and the Millville Tribune is going to be as clean as a prayer book，if I'm to be managing editor.""Is that to be your of？ce，dear？"asked Louise.
"I think so.I've a heap of aexecutive ability，and I'm running over with literary—eh—eh—literary discrimination.In addition to running the thing，I'll be the general news editor，because I'm better posted on newspaper business than the other girls.""How does that happen？"inquired Louise，wonderingly."Why，I—I read the papers more than you or Beth.
And I've set myself to master every detail of the business.No more crochetinga or fancy work—no novel reading—no gossipy letter writing.From this day on we must attend strictly to business.If we're to become journalist，girls，we must be good ones—better than the ordinary—so that Uncle John may point to us with pride，and the columns of the Millville Daily Tribune will be quoted by the New York and Chicago press.Only in that way can we become famous throughout the world！""Pass me the bonbons，dear，"sighed Louise."It's a highambition，isn't it ？""A very laudableb ambition，"added Uncle John approvingly."I hope my clever nieces will be able to accomplish it.""How about pictures？"asked Beth."Modern newspapers areillustrated，and have cartoons of the leading events of the day.""Can't we buy those things somewhere？"asked Patsy，appealing to Uncle John again."There isn't an artist among us，of any account；and we shall be too busy to draw pictures.""We must hire an artist，"said Mr.Merrick，adding theitem to his memoranda."I'll speak to Marvin about it."All these details were beginning to bewilder the embryoc journalists.It is quite possible that had not Uncle John placedhis order for presses and type so promptly the girls might have withdrawn from the proposition，but the die was now cast and they were too brave—perhaps too stubborn—to "back down"at this juncture.
"I realize，"said Patsy，slowly and with a shake of her？aming head，"that we have undertaken an important venture.Our new enterprise is a most serious one，girls，for there is nothing greater or grander in our advanced age than the daily newspaper；no power so tremendous as the Power of the Press.""Yes，the press must be powerful or it wouldn't printclearly，"remarked Beth.
