Nebraska advertiser., 1859-05-26
By JAMES DUMAHs.

] knew an editOr-'tWas long ago,
Before the art was blessed by steam oR HOE;
When printers dimes on unsubstantial fare,
And nursed their hopes on whispers from the air,
Grew rich on poverty, and stuffed theirclay
On airy nothings- promises to pay.
Vel, as l said, knew him-a rare fellow,
Who kept his own and others natures mellow;
One Of those social souls we all enjoy,
Who bold in age the freshness Of thslloW....
Forth his paper neatly launched and frsighted
And when it come, the village was elated:
Ignoring party, in party sense,
Avoiding all that might excite offence,
1t praised the town, its prospects, its advances,
Its enterprise, resources, and finances;
lt praised the schools the teachers so profound,
Until their fame was known for miles around;
1t praised the village parsons eloquence,
His modest bearing, lack Of ali pretence,
But most his learning and his solid sense j.'''
1t praised the doctors, as uncommon skilled,
Adding, with great suavity and grace,
Their treatment cured more people than it killed;
ItspOke-and Of its truth some doubts will spring
Of honest laWyers-an uncommon thing
Who had a conscience--an uncommon case.
In short, it praised so well, that people grew
To think that praise was merited and due;
1t was his fault, and grew from excess
Of aim to please and proft-nothing less;
And had be been to self but half the friend
He was TO others, he bad met an end
That yoW might safely aim at and command.
His influence was felt: the towns fair fame
With all who read his paper found name:
The city pleasurists resorted there,
Enjoyed its quiet and its healthful air;
The artists came and sketched such charming scenes
Thatthey were sought TO grace the magazines,
And thithef, too, came men Of enterprise
BlOeksrOse on blocks and mills and factories,
Hotels palatial, and stores that WED
With those on Broadway, or along Cheapside.
In brief, the town. that ere the printer came,
Had scarce ga local habitation and a name"
As though 'twere touched by magic grew to be
An inland city: but-how hourished he
Come with me- up three flights of stairs, and there,
In dingy daylight and lead-pOisOned air,
Beside his desk he sits his hair has grown
Gray with the Aecks that time and care have s0Wn; ;
Around him lie exchanges scraps, and clippings,
Half-written leaders, local puHs, and sippings
Of PUneh-y humour manuscripts rejected,
From geniuses who think themselves neglected;
Obituary verses full of gloom,
And dOleful voices from doeful tomb;
" Lines TO a Lady," from Mister Dash,
Who's desperately in love With-his moustache;
A sentimental song about sea-shells,
Writ by moping, melancholy she,
Who would married, though her face yet smells
Of bread and butter and the nursery;
An eulogy on General Blanks GRAFTON,
Delivered off hand at the late ovation,
And which suggests, by way of mere reflection,
He should be hOnored with re-electioni
Modesty requests, which hope he'll not refuse
To notice this or that in next weeks Nei0sj
A bunch of bad cigars, that some one sends,
Expecting thrice their value in a 'focal; J"
Unopened invitations from his friends,
Asking his presence at a concert vocal,
Or at a lecture, party, hop or ball,
At such a date (please mention and such hall;
Novels and books not worth decent rating,
Sent out-tbey send few others but for cash
By eastern firms, who take that way of batting
The country press to advertise their trash;
In Short hundred things by men devised
To get their baubles cheaply advertised
There, patient tOiler ever at his work,
Himself his fOrman, publisher, and clerk,
He laboured hard-feW men had labOured harder
Grew lean in person, leaner in his larder;
And still he tOi,ed, from dawn to twilight gray,
The first of men to court-the last to pay!
Some said that he was rich-it might be true,
Provided that you reekoned what was due
But this his dearest friends both said and knew
His wants were many, but his dimes were few.
bis paper-blls came in, which must be paid,
So to delinquents he appealed for aid
he would take pork, potatoes, corn, or oats,
Axe-heves or bOop-poles, or, at worst, their notes.
In short, take any thing they had to pay,
ProEiden it was brought by such day.
And thus he turned short corners, always pressed,
sad example of Pores sagest saw,
AIan never is but always to be blessed"
The victim of fate that knows no law.
Beset by butchers, by his baker teased,
By creditors beseged, by bailifs squeezed,
He yielded slowly, in the desperate strife,
His dingy office and his troubled life,
And gave to quiet earth and modest stones
His many virtues and his aching bones.