apparently insurmountable obstacles, and attained to the eminence he occupies. In conclusion, we are led to exclaim: "His life is gentle, and the elements so mixed in him, that Nature might stand up and say to all the world—'This was a man!'"
John Edward Bruce, (Bruce Chit).
February 22, 1855, in the town of Piscataway, Md., the above all-around newspaper man was born of slave parents. When but four years old, he moved with his mother to Washington, his present residence, where he attended the private school of Miss Smith, and also the Free Library school. In 1872, while Gen. 0. 0. Howard was president of Howard University, he took a course of three months at that institution, and, after this, some private instruction from Mrs. B. A. Lockwood, once the female candidate for president, on the equal rights ticket.
At an early age, he 'developed a taste for journalism, receiving his first lessons in 1874, in the office of L. L. Crouse, an associate editor of The New York Times. In the same year he became special correspondent for The Progressive American, published by John J. Freeman, a pioneer journalist. His first contribution to The American, was under the caption, "Distillation of Coal Tar," which evoked many complimentary expressions.
From this he began a career as a general news-man, which has hardly been surpassed by any of his race. Under the nom de plume of "The Rising Sun," he wrote Washington letters for The Richmond (Va.) Star, and over his own signature sent letters to The Freeman's Journal of St. Louis, The World of Indianapolis, and The St. Louis Tribune. To these papers he wrote from 1877 to 1880. Having now gotten fully into the work, young Bruce became special
