Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1881-03-26
A Big scheme.
BY WHICH EVERY NAN CAN BE-
COME A MILLIONAIRE
Nashville Banner,


: ave got biggest scheme of the
age" said a man about forty years
/. old, as he dropped into a chair by
the city editors desk in the edito-
rial room this morning. He wore
brindle. colored buster, and his
head-gear, an ancient plug, hid
| his ears.
Have, eh ?" inquired the per-
son addressed.
yes, stree. Biggest thing you
ever heard of. It'll revolutionize
the hull country. Make me rich,
and you rich, and everybody
rich"
"You don't appear to be very
rich,' replied the editor.
Il don't. Cause why? I've
been foolin' away my time just
like you are doing now. I've
worked harder than mule for
three years and not cent laid up
About three weeks ago an idee
struck me kinder sudden-like l
begun 10 think. l 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,
WHATS the matter? 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. / was too happy to
sleep. got up and walked around
till breakfast, and then / set out
for your office. / had heard that
you were willing to help the poor,
and SO / says to myself 'I'll con-
fide my secret to you T"
Possibly you've found a large
pot of gold ?"
mo; 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 to get
rich. See? And when we are all
rich what 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 list we will
take up the next man and make
him rich, and 30 on, and SO on,
until everybody is on the rich list.
See how it works? Beautiful, isn't
it?"
II guess it is"
"Oh, it's a boss. It's q wonder
somebody didn't think of it be-
fore. So simple, you know. Why,
we can all be bond-holders in a
few years, and own stock in rail-
roads and canals and national
| banks"
"Well?"
II 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 ID. Nashville.
Tenn. You see, 1, being the orig
inator OF the plan, ought to be
made rich first, so as to show 'em
how this works. Now, the hon.
or of organizing the plan il glory
enough for me; so, if you say so,
I'll let you have the privilege of
laying in the first half dollar, and
you can pay it now, and I'll enter
your name on the fiy-leaf OF this
book; mentioning in brackets that
you are the firsr man. Shall / put
you down for fifty cents ?"
mo"
"No? Remember, it'sno thing to
me who put his name down first.
It's a privilege that will be grant
ed to but few. If you want you
can pay me the tW enty- five cents
now and hand me the rest at an
other time. Shall l 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 full amount. viii you ?"
mo"
"Pll go; and as you won't give
me dime, maybe you wouldn't
mine loaning me chew of tobac-
coz"
"No, sir"
"All right" and he passed out.
An hour later reporter found
him working on the streets with
the changing, and, as he passed
along, heard him mutter:
Its id poor man who won't
give ten cents toward making an
other man rich"
The richest nnina in Naw Naxi-