Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1916-03-22
CHI A P T E r XXI.

Inc flttSDurS saturday Visitor.
After the war, abolitionists began to
gather their scattered forces and want
ed Liberty Party organ. To meet
this want, Charles P. Shiras started the
Albatross in the fall Of AZ. He was
the Iron City Poet" author of Dimes
and Dollars" and lowe no Man DOL
lar" He was Of an old and influential
family, had considerable private for
tune, was courted and f1attered, but laid
himself and gifts on the altar of Lib
erty His paper was devoted to the
cause of the slave and of the free lab
orer and started with bright prospects.
He and Mr.. Fleeson urged me to be-
come a regular contributor, but Mr..
Riddle objected, and the Journal had
five hundred readers for every one the
Albatross could hope. In the one I
reached the ninety and nine unconvert-
ed, while in the other I must talk prin-
cipally to those who were rooted and
grounded in the faith. So I continued
my connection with the Journal until
I met James McMasters, prominent
abolitionist, who said sorrowfully:
We'll, the last number of the Alba
tross will be issued on Thursday"
as it possible?"
POSSIBLE and true! That is the end
of it's first quarter, and Shiras gives it
up. In fact we all do. No use trying
to support an abolition paper here"
While he spoke thought struck me
like a lightning flash, and he had but
finished speaking, when I replied:
Il have great notion to start a pa
per myself
He was surprised, but caught at the
idea, and said:
Il wish you would. You can make
it go if anybody can, and Well do I'll
we can to help YOU"
I did not wait to reply, but hurried
after my husband, who had passed on,
soon overlook and told him the fate of
the Albatross. For this he was sorry,
for he always voted a straight abol-
ition ticket. I repeated to him what I
had said to Mr.. McMasters, when he
said:
"Nonsense!" then reflected a little,
and added, "Well, I do not know af-
ter all but it would be a good idea
Riddle makes lots of money out of
your letters"
When we had talked about five min
utes, he turned to attend to business
and I went to the Journal office, found
Mr.. Riddle in his sanctum, and told
| him the Albatross was dead; the Lib
erty Party without an organ, and that
I was going to start the Pittsburg Sat-
urday Visitor; the first copy must be
issued Saturday week, so that aboli-
tionists would not have time to be dis
couraged, and that I wanted him ia
print my paper.
He had pushed his chair back from
his desk, and sat regarding me in ut.
ter amazement while I stated the case
then said:
what do you mean? Are you in.
sane? What does your husband say?
I said my husband approved, the mat
ter was all arranged, would use my
own estate, and If lost it, it was no
body's affair.
He begged me to take time to think
to send my husband to him, to consul
my friends. Told me my project wa.
ruinous, that I would lose every dol
lar I put into it, and begged, entreate,
me to take time; but all to no pur
pose, when a bright idea came to him
You would have to furnish q desl
for yourself, you see there is but on
in this room, and there is no othe
place for you. You could not conduc
paper and stay at home, but mus
spend a good deal of time here!'
Then I suddenly saw the appalling
prospect thus politely presented. T ha
never heard of any woman save Mar
Kingston working in an Office. He
father, a prominent lawyer, had EN-
ployed her as his clerk, when his OF
flee was in their dwelling, and the sit
uation was remarkable and very pair