The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1881-04-21
A Big Scheme.

I've got the biggest scheme of the
age" said a man about forty years old,
as he dropped into chair by the city
editors desk in the Banner editorial
room this morning. He wore brin-
dle-colored duster, and his head gear,
an ancient plug, hid his ears from view.
''Have, ehP' said the person ad-
dressed.
"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.''
''I 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 suddent-like l
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, whats the matterp
Got a nightmare?' / told her no, that
l was going to be rich. She called me
an old fool, and turned over and went
to sleep. But was too happy to sleep.
/ got up and walked around till break
fast, and then 1 set out for Your office.
I had heard that you were willing to
help the poor, aud SO says to myself,
"Ill confide my secret to the Ban
ner.'"
POSSIBLY you've found a 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 to get rich. See? And when we
are all rich what beautiful world we'll
have. How do l 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. Seep | will take that
money and start me family grocery.
and then we rich men will take up a
similar collection for you, and then you
are rich. Then with you on our list
we'u take up the next man and make
him rich, and so on, until every body is
on the rich list. See how it works.
Beautiful, isn't itp"
81 guess it is" 8eE.,fs
80, it 8 boss. It's wonder some
body didn't think of it before. So SIM
pile, you know. Why, we can all be
bondholders in few years, and own
stock in railroads and canals and Ma
tional banks'' HaF..
sWellp'' 4
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 ID,
Tenn. You see, /, being the
originator of the plan, ought to be made
rich first, so as to show 'em how it
works. Now, the honor of organizing
the plan is glory enough for me; 50, if
you say so. I'll let you have the privil-
ege of paying in the first half dollar,
and you can pay it now, and I'll enter
your name on the fy-leaf Of this book,
mentioning in brackets that you are the
first man. Shall l put you down for
fifty cents?'' @4
81 don't think care to- H.t..f
'.Nop Remember, IT'S nothing to me
who puts his name down first lisa
privilege that will be granted to but
few. If you want you can pay me twen-
ty-five cents now and hand me the rest
at another time. Shall | put down
twenty-five centsP 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. No? I'll go; and
as you won't give me a dime, maybe
you wouldn't mind loaning me chew
of tobacco? No? All right and he
passed out. $685.
An hour later the reporter found him
working on the streets with the chain
gang, aud. as he passed along. heard
him mutter: "It's a mighty poor man
who won't give ten cents toward making
another man rich. Nashville Tenn.
R0uno, ~