The Russellville Democrat., 1881-04-07
A BIG SCHEME.
By Which Every Man Can Become s ;.iit
 Ii0nare.
Nashville Banner.


 i've got the biggest scheme of the age" said man about forty years old, as he dropped into chair by the city editors desk i'll the Bonner editorial room this morning. He wore brindle-colored duster and his head-gear, an ancient plug hid his ears from view.
 "Have eh2' said the person address ed
 Yes, sir-ee Biggest thing you eyer heard of It'll revolutionize the hull country. Make me rich, make you rich and everybody rich"
 "Yoa don't appear to be very rich"
 "I don't Cause why? I've been foolin' away my time just like you are doing now. I've worked harder than mule l for three years and not cent laid up. About three weeks ago an idee struck me kinder suddent-like. I begun to think laid awake nights and thought. Finally about four o'clock this morning, while lying in bed thinking, I suddenly rig up and my wife she says, Whats the mat ter? Got a night-mare?' 1 told her no, that l was going to be rich. She called me an old fool, and turned over and went to sleep. got up and walked around till breakfast, and then I set out for your office. I had heard that you were will ing to help the poor, and so l says to myself I'll confide my secret to the Banner.'"
 Possibly you've found pot of gold?"
 "No; my scheme is this; There are thousands and millions of men in this country who are rich. There are more who are not rich. Now, my scheme is to have these rich men help the poor men get rich, See? And when we are all rich what beautiful world we'll have. How do propose to do this? For instance: l propose that every man and woman in the state who can afford it shall give me fifty cents. That will make me rich. See? will take that money and start me a family grocery, and then we rich men will take up similar collection for you and then you are rich. Then with you on our rich list we'll take up the next man and make him rich, and so on, and so on, until everybody is on the rich list See how it works? Beautiful, isn't it?"
 q guess it is"
 "Oh, it's boss. It's wonder some body didn't think of < before. So simple, you know. Why, we can all be bond holders in few years, and own stock in railroads and canals and national banks"
 "Well?"
 "I want you to publish the scheme and let the people know what we are doing, and tell lem where to send their fifty centses-Elijah Pudd, station D. Nash vile, Tenn. You see, I, being the origi nator of the plan, ought to be made rich first, so as to show lem how it works. Now, the honor of organizing the plan is glory enough for me; so, if you say so I'll let you have the privilege of paying in the half dollar, and you can pay it new and I'll enter your name on the fly-leaf of this book, mentioning in brackets that you are the first man. Shall 1 put you down for fifty cents?"
 q don't think care to-"
 'ssNo? Remember, it's nothing to me who puts his name down first It's aprivi- lege that will be granted to but few. If you want you can pay me the twenty-five cents now and hand me the rest at an- other time. Shall put down twenty-five cents? No? Then I'll be more liberal still; give me ten cents and I'll enter your name and give you credit for the amount. No? I'll go; and as you wont give me dime, maybe you wouldn't mine loaning me a chew of tobacco? No? All right" and he passed ont.
 An hour later the reporter found him working on the street with the chain gang, and as he passed along, heard him mutter: Its d-d poor man who won't give ten cents towards making another man rich"