The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-07-09
A Suggestion.

We have not space in the Register tOl
IN extended tale; but we have evolved
IN idea for one, which idea we arc toe
unselfsh to withhold from waiting
public because we cannot get all the
glory of it. Ifsome skillful pen will but
fill in this bare outline with rich rhe.
toric and vivid imagination, not only
will some "interestin' readin'" lie pro.
duced, but a great moral engine will be
sent into the world to accomplish great
good. We should, perhaps, entitle our
romance
"a BRAND FROM THE BURNING
OR, THE DELINQUENT SUBSCRIBERS SAL
vATIoN."
We would introduce the first chapter
with picture of the heretofore honest
and prosperous farmers happy home.
The angel of peace dwelleth there, and
the country paper comes to his postoffice
box every week.
Having been supporting this county
paper for some four years without paying
for it, he is surprised one day to get a po-
lite note from the publisher to cash up.
Indignant at being dunned, he resolves
to punish the base insulter of his dignity
by beating him out of the whole bill.
All, rash resolve! "This, this. the source
of all thy ills!"
Asd...ly makes his fatal purpose mani
fes:., direful consequences follow; his
friends fall away and recognize him no
more; the wife of his bosom deserts him
and files an application in a Chicago po-
| lice court for divorce: his daughter
clopes with ightning-rod peddler and
his best horse and buggy; his son, losing
I'LL self-respect in his fathers degrada-
tion, goes to the city and enters politics
his cattle start on "a journey to the CEN
! ter Of the earth" through neighboring
quagmire: his hogs die of cholera; his
corn yields only tassels-all mankind and
nature seem to conspire his ruin. Job
had his comforters, spiritual and human
but "wllat charm shall soothe the melan-
choly" of the wretch who bears upon
his soul the purpose of defrauding the
trustful editor!
CHAPTER AIT last, deserted by all
but his faithful dog (who has been kept
in ignorance of the facts of the case), our
delinquent resolves to end his bitter
existence by suicide. owe suggest to the
reviously-mentioncd skillful pen that
the scene here should~be very gloomy
dark cliffs, stormy sea, blood-red sun,
etc. Just rs he is about to drain the
fatal draught Cor shoot the fatal shot. OF
stab the fatal stab-we also leave this to
the taste of the filler-in )-the spirit Of
mercy, willing to give the old man an
other chance, inspires within him the
thought" Suppose I Rn;yy y the 9e;I;r printer ter;
idea With aviidity, and the dog by the
town. Realizing there thirteen dollars
from the sale of this faithful animal, he
repairs to the editorial sanctum, pays his
I arrears and for year in advance. and
has enough left, to "set 'em up al
around" His atonemcnt is complete
! and he walks forth once more "a man
among his fellow-men." (The editors
astonishment and joy at being the pos.
SCISSOR of eleven dollars all at one time
should be artistically pictured.)
, CHAPTER3 shows the inevitably happy
result of this Christian action. Fortune
smiles broadly upon him once more-his
wife withdraws her divorce suit and re-
turns to his arms; the clipping lightning.
rod peddler turns out wealthy Russian
count in disguise, and restores to oul
farmer the lost broad acres; the sor
abandons political life and becomes once
more respectable citizen; his kline way
fat, and his wheat fields yield some sixty
and some hundred-fold. The scene
closes with a bright picture Of the
prompt-paying subscribers happy fire
side. ..';
If the above sketch, graphically de.
lineated and broadly published. does not
rouse many delinquent conscience into
action, then is all moral suasion vain
and the butt end of tie law our only re-
course.-Printers' keqiSter.