The Osceola times., 1881-04-02
A BIG SCHEME.
by which Every Man Can Becoms n Mil
uouare.
Nashville Banner.

Nashville Banner.
"I've got the biggest scheme of the
age" said man about forty years old,
as he dropped into a chair by the city
editors desk in the Bonner editorial room
this morning. lie wore a brindle-colored
duster. and his head-gear, an ancient
plug hid his ears from view.
Have eh?' said the person address
ed
Yes stree. Biggest thing you ever
heard Of It'll revolutionize the hull
country. Make me rich, make yon rich
and everybody rich"
"Yod don't appear TO be very rich
II don't. Cause why? I've been foolin'
away my time Just like you are doing
now. I've worked harder than a mule
for three years and not cent laid up.
About three weeks ago an idee struck me
kinder suddent-ike. / begun to think.
| laid awake nights and thought Finally
about four o'clock this morning while
lying in bed thinking, suddenly riz up,
and my wife she says, What's the mat
ter? Got night-mare?' ! told her no,
that ! 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 | set out for your
office. had heard that you were will
ing to help the poor, and so ] says TO
myself I'll contide 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 schemei is to
have these rich men help the poor men
get rich. See? And when we are all rich
what a beautiful world we'll have. How
do | propose to do this? For instance:
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
50 on, until everybody is on the rich list
See how it works? Beautiful, isn't it?
81 guess it is"
ooh, it's boss. It's wonder some
body didn't think of it 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?"
81 want you to publish the scheme and
let the people know what we are doing,
and tell 'em where TO send their fifty
centses-Elijah Pudd, station d. Nash
Vile, Tenn. Iou see, ], being the origi-
nator of the plan, ought TO be made rich
first, so as to show 'em how it works
Now, the honor Of organizing the plan i
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 now
and I'll enter your name on the tiy-leai
of this book, mentioning in brackets that
you are the first man. Shall ! put you
down for fifty cents?'
II don't think | care to-"
no? Remember, it's nothing TO ne
who puts his name down first. It's priyi-
lege that will be granted to but few. II
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 III enter your
name and give you credit for the amount.
No? I'll 90; and as you wont give me a
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 a id poor man who won't
give ten cents towards making another
man rich.n