The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1859-02-10
The Rural Editor.

u.
REGlsrER at the Dayton Editorial Coapsaiioa.
Come thou who taught'st me by the cooling spring,
Mid pleasant airs and sylvan shades to sing
Where of, my youthful footsteps idly straysd,
And numbers rude 60 ruder songs essaysd
Alas in vain ! call upon the Muse,
Entreat, invoke--now fattsr, now abuse;
Like Baals stupid gods who wouldn't peep"
The aucent virgin must BIO fast asleep
In hopeful mood asked her to inspire
NV awkward ngers and unsounded Tyre.
And loan coal from her celestial 6re
She cut me short. and Poetry" said she,
Hath its own pure, peculiar pedigree;
1t comes like measles in II perfect Hood
A nd, like the measles, runs in certain blood ~
This much It's proper should here confess,
Nor claim of talent do not possess;
You do not look for SHOWS in tropie lands,
Nor flowers fruits in wastes of scorching sands;
Much less expect poetic thoughts and views
From one by you anointed-not the Muse;
No HARRIS I, who sings whate'ar he feels,
With all the Muses. fockug at his heels,
who never asks, and gets uncertain sums,
Nor churns for butter but the butter comes;
No DoDGE mproyise for you song
He finds words ready as he goes along,
And like the Pixies Peak miners-as it's told
From every common clod kicks cut the gold.
Yet, since the task is mine for you TO rhyme
This frst--I trust the last and only time
Like Job, who sang his own Affections best,
Aud found experience gave uncommon zest,
Be you indulgent, dull though may seem
And be the RURAL EDITOR my theme.
Unhappy wight illusion fills his days
Who thinks the occupation ever pays;
And thrice unhappy, who. in quest of fame,
From rags and lsmpblack" " thinks to earn name.
II hopes, perhaps, illustrious to shine,
a me teor in the editorial line;
New themes to breach, new projects 70 advance
And lead the startled world dizzy dance;
Perchance to wake and find himself mistaken,
| When unpropitous hour !-he ST his to see
His last great leader wrap the grocer's bacon,
| Or folded round his favorite Bohea-
! Fame if he seeks it let him volunteer,
| Join Brigham's Saints or Walkers ragged force,
Or, what is surer, sue for q divorce,
! A AnIr n he unD et Ofn
| He'd stand chance, Mt least of notoriety,
| In all the circles of our best society.
Find bad life served up quite newspaporial,
With worse picture in the next pictorial.
Once ON time-so run all tale prefacss--
U make mention here of dates places
| knew an Editor-twas long ago,
Before the blest by steam Hoe,
When printers dined on unsubstantal fare,
And nursed their hopes on whispers from the air,
! Grew rich poverty and stuffed their clay
! On airy nothngs-promsest to pay.
| Well, as said, knew hm-a rare fellow,
| Who kept his own and others natures mellow
One of those social souls we all enjoy,
Who hold in age the freshness of the boy.
| His bright philosophy could brook no tears,
For he was cheerful as lad at taw.
And would be. tho the world were drowned in tears
(O'er mintjulep) happy with 4" straw"
! He was abitous tool can't say wise
And though not prudent, full of enterprise;
For twas show of wisdom. you'll confess,
| In those sad days to calculate success
! From doubtful profits of country press.
But then, he purchased one with type and cases
Some ancie mt racks and stands and rules and chases
(They were all secondhand, tits well to mention,
And had seen service worth, of pension)
And with this outfit, in rural town,
To liies stern toll he bravey settled down.
Fol- til came his paper neatly launched and fre GIFTED
And when it came. the village was eated;
lgnorin2 party, in aparty sense,
Avoiding all that might excite offense,
1t praised the town. its prospects,its advances
It's enterprise resources and finances
Itpraised the school, the teachers 80 profound.
Until their fame known for miles around
1t praised the village paI sons eoquence,
His modest bearing-ack ofall prctence;
But most his learning and his solid sense;
So it fe il out between the spring and fall,
That worthy from the city had a call,
With such an offer for his pseach-ed word,
| That he felt sure that call was from the Lord
| 1t praised the doctors as uncommon skilled,
Adding with great suaviter and grace
Their treatment cured more people than it killed
1t spoke-and Of its truth some doubts will spring
or honest lawyers-an uncommon thing
Who had a conoience-an uncommon case.
| In short it praised so well that people grew
10 think that praise was merited and due;
| 1t was his fault aad grew from
| OF aim to lease and proft-nothing less;
! And had he been to self but half the friend
He was to others, he had met an end
| That y0a mis- ghG safely aim at and commend.
| His influences was felt the towns fair fame
| With all who read his paper, found name
| The city peasurist resorted there
Enjoyed its quiet and its healthy air;
The artists and sketched such charming scenes
That they were sought to gra,e the magazines
nd thther too, came men of enterprise
Blocks blocks, and mills and factores
Hotels palacial, and that We'd ..
With those on Broadway or along CheapSi de-
In brief, The town, that, ere the printer came,
Had scarce habitation or name,'
AS though 'twere touched by magic, grew to be
An INLAND city-but how dourished he?
Come with M up three ghts of stairs and the re,
In dingy day gat aud lead poisoned air.
Beside ais desk he sits his hair has grown
gray Wlth the dacks that tina anl care have sown
Around him lie exchanges, scraps and clippings.
Half written leaders locals, pufs aud sippngs
OF Ppach,y humor; manuscripts rejected,
From gonuses who think themselves neglected,
Obituary verses full Of gloom,
And doleful voices from doleful tomb;
- Lines TO Lady" from Mr.. Dash,
Who's despratsiy in love with his-monstachs
sentimental song about ssashels.
Witt By moping. melancholy she,
Who would be married, though her face yet smells
OF bread-and-butter and the nursery
An euogY on Gen. Blanks oration,
Delivered otf.hand at the late ovation,
And which suggests Ivy way of mere reflection,
lie should be honored by reelection;
Modest requests, " ich hope he'll not refuse
Ionouce this or that in next weeks News;
bunch OF bad gsgaTs that some one sends
Unopened invitations from his friends
Asking his presence at concert vocal,
Or at lecture party, hop ball,
Al such date (please mention) and such Hall;
Novels and books not worth decent rating,
Sent out they send few others but for cash
By eastern firms, who take that way of batting
lhe country press to advertise their trash
In short an hundred things by men devised
10 get their baubes cheaply advertised.
There, patient toiler lever at his work.
Himself his foreman, publisher and clerk
lie IahoreG hard-few men had lah9red harder
Grew lean in person--leaner in his larder;
And still he tocd, frem dawn to twilight gray
The first Gfmen TO court--the last to pay
some said that he was rich--it might be true,
Provided that YOU reckonei what was due
But this his dearest friends both said and knew
His wants were many, but his dimes were few.
Hispapcr bills came in, which must he paid,
So, to delinqUents he appeals for aid
He would take pork, potatoes corn or oats
AXe-helyes OF hoop-poes or, at worst, their notes
In short, take anything they had TO pay,
Provided 1t was brought by such day
Andthn' he turned short corners, always pressed
sad example of Pope's slgess saw,
" Man never is, but always TO be blessed"
The victim of fate that knows no law