The service over, the congregation,
a very much excited array, was marshalled
to the parish house in the rear
of the church where the great Christmas
tree and a gorgeous feast were
awaiting them. There were moving
pictures, too, that showed the journey
of the Wise Men from the East and
the Star that guided them.
Writing Obituaries. News stories of deaths, with
the biographical sketch, or obituary, which usually
accompanies such announcements in the case of men
of more or less prominence, constitute another type
that differs somewhat from general news stories. The
essential facts for the lead are the name of the person,
his position, his address, the cause of his death
and the duration of his illness, the names of the members
of his family that survive him, and any important
circumstances connected with his death. The significance
of his career, or an estimate of his life work,
may often serve to connect the lead with the biography
that follows. Every well organized newspaper office
files biographies of well-known men of the city, state,
or nation, when these are published in newspapers or
magazines, or are furnished by news bureaus, so that
they may be ready for instant use when an obituary is
to be written. To this "morgue," or "graveyard," as
it is called, the reporter or editor goes to get whatever
material is on hand concerning the person whose obituary
he is to write. "Who's Who," biographical dictionaries,
city, county, and state histories, and other
similar books of reference, furnish valuable data for
biographies.
How a biographical sketch of a well-known man may be written up in the newspaper office when the news of his death is received, is shown in the following
