The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1882-06-16
THE EDITORS WAGER.
1itor sat i'm his chair alone

The editor sat in his chair alone
a buster person there never was known
When in came farmer, jolly old soul,
Whose name for long years had been borne
on the roll
OF paying subscribers. He had come into
town
To bring his good wife and some farm pro-
And having a moment OF two he could spare
Had run in as usual, to bring in share
or his own inward sunshine to tighten the
gloom
OF the man of the press and his dull, cheer
less room.
The editors smile, as he lifted his eyes
And saw who was there, was of joyful sur
prise;
For good chat with him was ike taking a
rest.
When at length. the old farmer got ready to
leave,
He said. with sly little laugh in his sleeve !:
"My dear friend, there IS one thing Just
want to say
Now, please don't ge vexed, for you know
it's nv way
But what makes you put in each paper you
So much that is worthless-do you take the
hint?
Well-petty misfortuues-and little mis-
deeds
And lots of small matter that nobody reads "
The editor looked at him square in the face.
At first with frown, then a smile took its
place.
''My dear friend. !" he replied, "I'm surprised
You don't know
Every line in the paper is read-but it's so +;
And now. il you wish, will make my words
good,
And prove what say, ss every man should
III put in the very next paDer a line
Or two about you-iu coarse print or fine,
Whichever YOU choose, and Just where you
And If YOU don't find on the verv next day
That your neighbors all read it, I promise to
give
Free subscription to YOU as long as you live. &"
agreed" said the farmer, ''you shall sing
a new song;
Put it right in the middle Of one of those
long
Fine type advertisements-Ine never yet knew
Any person OF sense to read one of those
If I hear from it twice, will bring down to
YOU
The best load of garden sauce ever grew.
Then the good days were passed, and the
farmer went ont,
And the editor laughed to himself without
doubt,
AS he thought Of his wager and how it
would end
And the nice little joke he would have on
Then he wrote just two lines, and he order
ed them set
IN the smallest of type-thinking 'T'n win
that het 4"
And he placed them himself, to be sure and
not fail.
In the midst of a close agate rea Lestate sale.
For, to better succeed in his little designs,
He'd selected place where to put these
lines
And have them connected with what follow
A sentence complete in itself, without break.
These the lines that he wrote "Our old
friend, good James True,
Who is one Of the best men the world ever
knew
OF the well known Hope Farm"-that was
all that he said
About James. but the next line below these
two read
'Wfl he sold very cheap''-then went on to
The beauties and bounds of the estate to be
sold.
The paper was printed. The next day but
one,
The farmer came in, with his eyes full of
fun
lyon have won" he began. ''just as sure as
you horn
Why, before I'd got breakfast ate yesterday
morn,
Two or three neighbors called. purpose to
What that meant in the paper they saw
about me.
q hadn't seen it Yet) Then. during the
dav,
Every neighbor that met me had something
tn say
Ahont nv being sold. / was sold very cheap,
And you did it well, too it was too good to
keep:
So I've told the whole story, and came with
all speed
To bring you the garden sauce, as Iagreed."
The editor hooked from his window and saw
His friend had brought in all his hor> es
could draw
All for him; he declined to accept it, but
found
That his friend would not listen, and was
off with bound,
Saying, cheerily, as he went out: 'In your
next
just say Jim True's preaching, and this is
his text
There is naught in the paper-fruit, flowers
or weeds
Not a line in the paper that nobody reads
- proTideDce r 7 \ ,To,gr1oL