Preble County Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1857-1859, 1858-11-11

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,sanguine of success. Such glowing
pictures were presented to his mind, anc
such assurance of ultimate success, that
other papers, which were a reality, and
not utopian dream. He was induced
to believe that tho "Investigator" would
soon be the 6rst paper of the country
that its subscription list would go up
to thousands-that everybody's children
would soon be attending Cornhill col
lege; and of course every body's paren nts
would take the paper, to learn how
their sons or daughters progressed; that
Smile would adorn and enrich the col
umns of the new journal with sparkling
gems from their ''classical'' and 'gifted'
pens. This was bright picture to be
contemplated by an ambitious, cnthu-
siastic mind. ...... Il.
The city was immediately visited, and
the necessary materials purchased for
issuing country newspaper. In due
time the press and fixtures arrived at
Blowtowp, when there was great hur-
rah, and exclamations of "what peo-
pie We are !'' Every one patted, the ed.
itor on. the shoulder, and said ''good
fellowt'' The amateur. publisher, now
set to work in good earnest with his
assistants. to ':.'set up the matter" for
''Vol. l., No. l." Expectation was on
the quirice, and for two weeks the con-
versation of the printers was mostly in
answering the all prevailing question,
"When will the first number of the InE
yestigator be out2 '4- g.. ..,.-...... ..
After days of toll and nights of
waking" tic long looked for paper ap-
peared. It was very creditable sheet
with a flaming introductory, replete
with adiectives, full of promise for the
future, and -.done up at the close with
an eloquent quotation from Shakes
peare 1t was triumph of art and in
tellect among the people of Blowtown.
The citizens, with unanimous voice,
shouted "bravow and the editor CON
sidered himself immortalized. He was
the subject of discussion in the sowing
society,"" the social circle, and-the bar
room Old women with daughters were
all his true friends, (thc editor MAS sin
gle,) young misses even cast upon him
a loving smile, young widows and old
maids greeted him with the most
abounding Aattery. ..-...
Many new names were added to the
subscription list, and advertisements
came rapidly in with PROMISE of
prompt payment. So the new enter.
prise was fairly under full sail, with i
fair sky, clear off-ing and banking
breeze a larger number Of suhscri-
bers were on fhe book than had been
anticipated, and though but few had
paid in advance, yet there was every
assurance that the pay would be. forth
coming when needed. With full hope
our hero pursued his prosperous voy-
age on the sea editorial. little dreaming
of cloud or storm in the future.
Months passed away Novelty ha6
withdrawn its charm, while plain reali
ty began to present to the publisher Of
the Investigator" the asperities of the
enterprise. Bills were coming due,
and money must be had to meet them.
An attempt was made to collect, but on
ly a dollar here and there could be
raised. Subscribers began with one ac-
cord to make excuses, and fair promises
for the future. Still hoping for that
millennium of publishers, when dclin-
quent subscribers will pay their bills,
recourse was had to borrowing money
at three per cent. This was rash ex-
pedient, but the only alternative, as the
many warm friends of the press refused
to do better Repeated dunns appear
ed in the columns ofthe @Investigator," ;"
calling on delinquents to pay up their
arr earges; but with little effect.
Disaffection now began to creep in,
n rd Ch TO n
well doing" They couldn't see why it
needed money to carry on a small pa
per. A paper with fve hundred names
on the list ought to live without com
plaint. The Skinfinters thought they
were not pulled enough, and heaped
their maledictions on the editor for
presuming to charge for editorial no.
tees Pussyman thought his puff not
quite SO good as Slow-and easy's. The
politics of the paper began to be
denounced in as many different ways as
there was political parties. Thus hun
dreds of complaints were entered against
the hapless editor, because he ''dared
TO call for Justice" --
By this time our hero finds himself
in no enviable position-sans dollars,
sans friends, sans hopel He had been
charged exorbitant prices for all that he
received-high rents, outrageous bills
for boarding, &c. Amid incessant labor
at the case and press, he had failed to
make his paper as interesting as was
demanded. But no allowances were
made; Inability was'the excuse of ex-
acting readers. SMILES had written
some dry trash for the farmers, on
gathering seed corn a subject of
which, the author was profoundly igno-
rant. Also, another article on the ito
biography of frog rond.' with ''critical
notes" concerning the inhabitants there
of.
The volume was half closed. A crisis
in business affairs had almost paralyzed
trade; money was scarce, and collections
almost impossible to be made. The
last bundle" of paper had been used
while the paper mills refused further
| credit until former supplies were pait
for. At this critical juncture, our al