South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1882-05-12
THE EDITORS WAGER.

islahu fsess association Mr.. r.. Il. To-
hey, OF the Providence Journal, read the
following poem. in which he happily il
illustrates the influence Of the weekly
Journal
The editor sat in his chair alone
"A busier person there never WAS known,
WHEN IN came farmer, a Jolly Old soul.
whose nanis foi long years had been
borne On The roll
VI paying subscribers. He had come
into town
To bring bis good wife and some farm
produce down,
And having q moment or two he could
spare
Lad run in as usual, TO bring in share
vi ais own inward sunshine, to tighten
the gloom
vi The maa Of the press and his dull
cheerless room.
The EDITORS smile, as he lifted lis eyes
And saw who was there, was of joyful
surprise;
And lie greeted his friend with deal
OF glad zest,
For good chat with him was like tax
ing a rest.
n
When at length, the old farmer got rea-
dy TO leave.
He said, with a sly little laugh in his
sleeve,
"My dear friend, there Is one thing I
just want 20 say
Now, tisase do0't get yexed, for you
know i's my wxy-
But VIA! makes you put in each paper
you print
So much that is worthless do You take
the hint i?
Well, petty misforlunes-andi little mis-.
deeds
And lots Of small matters that moody
reads"
The ediIor looked at him square in the
fec.
At fret with frowp, then a smile took
It's place.
M dear friend" he replied, I'm sur
prised yon don't know
Every line in the paper is read but its
So:
And nov, II you wish, will make my
word good.
And Prove what ] say, as every man
shoEld.
III Pa; In The very next paper line
Or two about you-in cDarse print or
fne
whichever YOU choose, and just where
YOU nay say,
And # on don't end on the very next
day
Tha. your neighbors all read it, prom.
Use 70 eve
Free subscriptions to you, just as long
IS YOU live"
" Agreed said the farmer, "you shall
sing IA new song;
Pot IL right in the middle Of one OF those
Fice-iype advert;sements-I never We,
Any person OF sense to read one Of those
through;
II 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 wen, out,
And The editor laughed 10 himself with
out doubt,
AS he thought Of his wager and how il
wo.ld end,
And ttre rice little joke no would have
on his friend;
Then he wrote just two lines and he or.
dered them set
l. The smallest Of type thinking, 'l'ii
win that bet"
And he placed them himself, to be sure
and not fsjl,
~, 1t 6 81
sale.
For. 20 better succeed in his little de-
signs,
He'd selected place where to put these
two lines
And bay them connected with what fol.
loved aud make
a sentence complete in itself, without
break.
These the lines that be wrote: "Our old
friend. good James True,
VINO S one OF the best men the world
ever knew,
OF the weli-known Hope Fsrm"-ihat
wsS sill thai he sail
About James, but the line next fellow
ihese Two read
"Wiii be sold very cheap - tren went
or 10 0NtO "a
The beauties AMI bouud2 al the e.'eie
TO DC sold.
The paper was printed. The mex. dsv
but one,
The farmer came in, with his eyes fan
Of fun
You have wou," he began, 'just % sure
"a you're horn;
Why. before I'd got breakfast ste ye,ter.
day morn,
Tso or three OF my neighbors call Ell,
purpose TO zee
What that meant in The ra7e, tbey saw
about me.
q badn't seen it YETI Then, during
the dag,
Every neighbor that met me had some.
thing to say
About tny being sold. was sold very
rhaan