The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1873-05-02
SeIsftea Storp,
occAs1oNALs.
BT A cINIc.

BIZ A CYEIC.
Kind reader, 1 bespeak your in
diligence. This may, or may not, be
our first meeting. To some of you
I know it is-others I have met quite
often in the past. We have seen
each others face, yet "as in a glass
darkly," because of the vail that
intervened.
But to some of you 1 am an utter
stranger. Please try me before you
reject my acquaintance. 1 will not
be presumptuous nor am 1 vain.
Vain folks are apt TO be assuming,
and the superficial are usually
vain. There, 1 have "put my
foot into it," for for that is as much
as to say that 1 am not superficial,
EWhich.is presumption, if 1 know Whist
the word means.
1t is perhaps best-I am very hum
BILE now-that we be formally intro
duced. There will be less restraint.
You have doubtless noticed how
awkward strangers are in each 9th
ers presenec-in draWing-ro for
instance, and how stiffness disap-
pears after an introduction. All!
here comes the editor-our mutual
friend. That reminds me of Dick
ens-yes, "the Diekens"-but not
the odious parsonage whom we
usually mean by the expression.
How our mutual friends countenance
beams with good naturel Ought 1
to credit that expression by the use
of quotation marks? l am at a loss
what to do. Yes, I know it is not
original with me-Diekens wrote a
book by that name, but then it was
used long before he was born. A
queer title, and inappropriate too.
The mutual is fitting, but his hero
was a funny friend. Stop! stop!
Presumption again-I criticising
Dickens! Brass enough to make a
five-pail steW-kettle-in me, not in
Dickens. Dear, dear! Imust beat |
retreat.
But our mutual friend, the editor
assurance again-how do l know
he is my friend! That is a dear
term-yes, it is sacred-I fear it is
often misapplied! But / was about
to remark, had I not been interrupt
ed, by myself it is true, that the edi-
tor will intoduee us, who are stran-
gers, to one smother. He is in con-
slant practice, and will do it with |
neatness and dispatch. There, the
brief ceremony is past, and we are
as well acquainted as if / had known
you all your life. Not SO fast, you
say, more presumption That is so
we'll, / did not intend it. But now
that the bars are down, will speak
ofa matter that has been on my mind |
since began. 1t does not concern |
me, but it concerns the editor and
you. Unselish you think am.
Perhaps. What / mean is this.
The Journal is tip-tOp weekly
don't spell it with an ais it not2
BFim fall of news, and sparkles
with wit-see locals-don't You
think so? The editor works hard
and gets up a good paper-or if
he don't do the work, he hires, it
done. The price is-let me look
yes, two dollars a year-about the
same as one of these small and poor
" bound books sold by subscription.
You read such a book in day or
two, and then lay it by for good, be-
cause its contents are old and stale.
Here is paper that comes to you
fresh and flashing every week. How
many numbers would make one of
those two dollar books? Cipher it
out. Rather surprising, isn't it'll
Well, the question is how many
Of us pay for the paper, in
advance or at the years end? Now
| do not wish to be either ungener-
Ous or impudent, but, unless the
publisher has lately pruned his sub
criptiOn list, l am not afraid to avow
that one tenth of his subscribers do
not pay for the paper. The amount
is SO small-only two dollars. What
difference 'loes it make, if don't
pay? Two dollars! That is moth
ing~ Well, if il is so little, why ],
not pay it? Itis the publishers due.
II the paper were got upjust to pass
The time; or if it cost nothing, or if
editors could live on air-some do,
Judging by the way they blow; or if
some millionaire would eat, sleep
and clOthe them and their families
what families married editors have