The Shasta courier., 1858-04-03
A Parable for Business Mem

There was once upon time man who kept
d store, and sold goods wholesale and retail.
And he became melancholy, because custo-
mers shy and times were bad.
And he said Lo ! ] am ruined, and the SEN
sation is disagreeabe-
And my ruin is the more painful to bear, be-
cause it is slow in progress, even as water doth
gradually become hotter in the pot wherein the
lobster bOeth, until the crustaceous creature
shrieketh out his soul in anguish.
Lo it is better TO be ruined quickly than to
endure this slow torture
will give my money away to the poor man
to the poorest, which is the printer of news
papers; and I'll shut up my shop, and wrap my
self in the sackcloth of aesolation, and pass my
days in the purleu of broken banks cursng
the hardness of the times, and rending my gar
ments.
And the howliugs of Rome shall be as the
dulcet sounds of dulcimers and they who blow
flutes and instruments of music compared to
the din will make in the ears of the wicked
even in the cars of the bank directors.
And even as he said, so did he; for he was
not like other sons of men, who are foolish and
know it not and saying they will do so and so,
performing afterwards that which is contrary.
For the sons of man tickle, and he born of
woman doth spite his face by diminishing the
length of the nose thereof.
And 10 the printer-even he who did pub
lish newspapers-was made glad by the bounty
of him who sold wholesale and retail; and he
did sound his praises and print them moreover; !;
and he did blow the trumpet of fame respecting
that mans dealings, from the rising of the sun
to the going down thereof.
And he-even the printer of papers-did
magnify and enlarge upon the stock of goods
which the trader had in lis store, and did pub
lish the variety and the excellence, and the
pawnacs and tho heautv and tho chaapnacc
thereof, till the people-yeai all of them-far
and near, were amazed.
And they said Lo this man has gathered
from the East and the West costly merchandise
and wares of wondrous value-even the work
manship of cunning artifcers, and we knew it
not.
Go to, then; we will lay our silver and gold
in those things which the printer printeth of,
and that which he doth publish of shall be ours;
for this mans merchandise is better than the
bank notes of those who promise to pay and
therein lie-even banks of deposit which be-
guile of our money and swindle us like sin.
But the trader was still sad, and he said The
money these people bring me for the goods in
my store will give to the printer; and thus
will | ruin myself; | will do that which no man
hath yet done in my time or before me; | will
make the printing man, whom all men scorn for
his poverty, rich, and he shall be clad in fine
linen, and shall rejoice, and the sons of men
shall seek him in the market place, and the
sheriff shall shun him, and the scoffers shall be
rebuked and take off their hats to him that was
poor.
And he shall flash the FIVE dollar pieces in the
eyes of the foolish, and eat bank-note sand
wiches.
For ,oH ruin myself, and he who advertises
me shall enjoy my substance.
But 10 the trading mamie who sold mer-
;,H a,,l IL
clean beast lieth in the mire, SO stirred he not
by reason of much gold
And the people focked to his store from the
North, and from the South, and from the East
and from the West And the printer rejoiced
and the fat abounded.
But the trader could not become poor and his
melancholy ceased and smiles of happiness
were on his face.
And his children became mighty in the land,
by reason of the dollars which the people who
read his advertisements had poured into that
traders money bags.