Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1868-10-01
A Parable.

A Parable.
There was once upon time man who
kept store and sold goods, wholesale and re-
tail.
And he became exceedingly melancholy,
because customers @sre shy and times were
bad.
And he communed with himself and said ::
Lo, am being ruined, and the sensation is
disagreeable.
And my ruin is the more painful unto me
because it is slow in progress, even as water
doth gradually become hotter in the pot wherein
the lobster boileth, until the cristactous crea-
ture shreketh out lis soul in angsh.
Lo, it is better to be ruined quickly than to
endure this slow torture.
will give my money away to the'poor man
even the poorest, which is he who printeth
newspapers aud l will shut up shop and wrap
myself in the sackcloth Of lesolation, and pass
my days in the purlieus of broken banks.
cursing the hardness of the times and rending
my garments.
And the howlings of Rome shall be as the
dulcet sound of ducimers and they who blow
flutes and instruments of music, compared to
the din will make in the ears of the wicked
even in the ears Of the bank directors.
And even as he said, so he did; for he was
not like other sons of men who are foolish and
know it not, and say they will do so and SO,
performing afterwards that which is contrary.
For tie sons OF men are fckle, and he Tat
is born of woman doth spite his face by dimin-
ishlng the length of tie nose thereof.
And 10, the printer, even he who did pub
lish newspapers, was made glad by the liberal
ity of him who sold wholesale and retail, and
he did sound his p!aises and did blow the
trumpet Of fame concerning the mans dealings,
from the rising of the sun to the going down
thereof.
And he, even the printer Of papers, did mag
Nifty and enlarge upon the stock of goods which
the trader had in his store, and did publish
the variety, and the newneSS, and the cheapness
thereof, till the people-yea, all Of them, far
and near-were greatly amazed.
And said, 10, this man has gathered from
the East and from the West, costly wares aud
merchandise of wondrous value, even the work
manship of cunning artifcers, and we knew
it not.
Go to, then. We will lay out our gold in
those things which the printer man printeth
of, and that which he doth publish shall be
ours.
For this mans merchandise is better than
bank notes of those who promise to pay, and
therein lio-even banks of deposite, which be-
guile US Of our money and swindle US like sin.
But the trader was still sad, and he said, the
money that these people bring will Destov
upon the wretchod printer man, and thus will
ruin myself
! will do that which no man hath done in
my time, or before me- will make the print
er man, whom all scorn for his poverty, rich /;
he shall rejoice, and the scoffers shall be re-
bukcd and take off their hats to him who was
poor, and The ladies shall smile upon him.
For | will continue to ruin myself, and he
who advertisoth me shall enjoy my substance.
But 10, the trading man, even he who sold
merchandise, became rch and even as the un-
clean beast who lieth in the mire, so stirred he
not by reason of much silver and gold.
And the people fockod to his store from tie
North
And from the South;
And from the East;
And from the West.
And the printer rejoiced and was glad, and
his fat abounded.
But the trader could not become poor, and
his melancholy ceased, and the smiles Of hap
pinoss were on lis face.
And his children becamt mighty In the land,
by reason ofthc dollars which the people who
read bis advertisements did pour into the ira
dcr's money bag.