Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-08-02

scrip into two pieces, so that l could
even up the fortunes Of two persons
Occasionally we cast them headlong in.
to space. We can't punish them, fol
they would be scourge to He'll itself
So we set them adrift in space"
Verify, thought l, can now account
for some Of the anomalies of earth. We
were interrupted here by an arrival at
the gate. The angel was at once all at
tention to business. He turned abrupt
ly from me and left me to myself. !
sat down near the gate and made obser-
vations. The arrival proved to be an
old lady from Dubuque county. After
addressing the angel she began to relate
the trials and troubles Of her life as re-
CARDS her financial difficulties on Garth.
For the last three or four years of her
life she had devoted her time to the
rearing of chickens. She had had no
luck. The eggs would not hatch out
well. The chickens nearly all died
young and the few that came to mature
life brought no price.
What was the cause of your de-
feats?" asked the angel.
The Democratic party" answered
the woman.
WAS it not the Republican party?"
queried the angel.
mo, there are more Democrats than
Republicans in Dubuque. 1t was the
Democratic party"
1t is OF no use to argue with wom-
an" said the angel in an undertone,
but" aloud, did you ever offer your
chickens to Mr.. Cooley?"
One morning." answered the old la
dy, Il caught the biggest and fattest
rooster in the yard and carried it to Mr..
Cooley's door; but his money, except
$1OO.O3, was invested in bonds; the 800
he had just enclosed in letter, and
had given boy the three cents to post
the letter to small town on the ILL
nois Central, Iowa branch. So | had to
carry the chicken home. | believe the
Republican and Democratic parties are
both the cause of my troubles"
"Walk in, walk in" said the angel,
throwing the gate wide open, in here
are no Democrats, Republicans, or in
terest bearing bonds
Scarcely had the gate closed before
there was another arrival This time it
was an old gentleman from the city of
Dubuque. He had left earth few
years ago, and had lost the way; hence
his late arrival. His complaint was
that chickens were so high he could not
buy them. The Republican party had
brought on a great war, and had sown
broadcast paper currency, so that the
chickens were more than doubled in
price. Also the Democratic party is to
be blamed for countenancing this mon
ey. Both parties are guilty of rob-
bing the poor" continued he.
You are welcome" said the angel, as
he opened the gate.
Similar charges were constantly laid
at the feet of both parties. There be-
ing lull in the arrivals, I noticed a
marked change in the angels counte-
nance. He said he had just received a
dispatch from Buchanan county. At
the same time I heard tbs sound of mu-
sic. On nearer approach | observed
it was sung in minor strain, and the
closing words of each stanza seemed to
be Gay Lord"
Some one has deserted the ranks and
fallen from grace" said the angel.
In very few minutes the party ar
rived at the gate. / did not look up;
but at the sound of the familiar name
of Winthrop l started up. There stood
Y. 2. r. with few friends he had col
lected on the way. Instinctively l
made an effort to shake hands with him
and enquire after the people and bust
ness prospects of Winthrop, but was de-
tered from so doing by the frown of
the angel. [ expected to hear the Dem
ocratic and Republican parties severely
censured, but in this l was greatly sur
prised. The talk was very short at the
gate. In derision | heard the names,
Democratic" and Republican used a
few times. Mr.. u. p. R. showed the
angel volume of the --latest Songs"
and passed in. He was making long
strides for beautiful orange grove on
the right, when the angel shouted:
Not so fast, Mr.. z. p. R.! That
grove is already appropriated. To the
left! to the left!'
At this call, two guides went out to
Mr.. r., conducted him and his company
to a rough building on the left-this
building l had not before observed
and gave every one of them pick and
spade. They were then conducted to a
path leading sharply to the left, and
lost to view. In sweeping the beautiful
fields with my glass, [ could catch no
view OF them. was surprised at this.
| expected to see the apostles climb the
highest tree. | asked the angel the
cause of this. He handed me a yet
more powerful glass and babe me look
at the blue ridge beyond the beautiful
fields and gardens. [ did so and the
even horizon was resolved into wild
prairie lands, woods, hills and Wales.
The angel asked me what l saw. | told
HIM l saw gothing uncommon; the scene
seemed to be part of earth. Just so,
said he, were once these beautiful
field; they have all been made; the spir-
it of man has groaned over every foot Of
that which now seems so pleasant. We
keep these in the foreground, contin-
ued he, that man may be encouraged;
what man has done, man may do" In
many persons, by viewing these, envy
and jealousy are excited; many under
take more than they can do, and, hence,
fail; many grow weary, and give up;
many sell out their possessions and
waste their greenbacks before they are
ready to invest. But few of those whom
you see in the beautiful grounds are the
original claimants. Yet, We must keep
up the appearances, and advocate the
doctrine of equal possessions of all, or
this Heaven would be no better than an
earth He'll. Now you are prepared to
understand the saying, mo Cross no
Crown" continued the angel. By his
direction, l again took the horizon in
the field Of my glass. Mr.. Y. p. r. and
company had just come into view. Their
portions were staked off and they went
slowly and sadly to work. Now, said
angel, if they work we'll and manage
we'll, they can come slowly to the front
but if they sit down and mourn their
lot, long for the front, envy those who
are at the front; compile Heavenly
songs, instead of piling stone; write long
epistles and spend their time in securing
subscribers for the same, instead Of
sowing, their portions shall be taken
from them and given to others. Truly
thought /, it is much like earth, the ad-
vancement of the persistent and intelli-
gent worker. Man is under law, and
what he may be by personal effort is
largely determined by circumstances
An advance of five cents bushel on
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