Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1941-07-25
"Chirps''
from the
Democrats Pen

Well, Sir, I've found out how TO IN
crease the number of readers OF the
Democrat; or, to put in another
way, I've learned a way to find out
Just who does read the paper. All
we've got to do is to make a mistake,
and it's astonishing how many anx-
ious souls there are who will rush to
our rescue.
Last week, an error in a date line
crept into the paper, and you have no
idea how many sympathizers we had
among the people of this vicinity.
Trouble is, their coincidence was not
mixed with tears; they were a little
bit too prone to laughter, altho' l be-
lieve I did read one time something
said by a poet who was of the opin-
ion that laughter and tears lie close
together.
In a way, the mention of the fact
that last weeks Democrat" started
its run with July % on it's front page
date line, instead of July Is, was a
compliment. It implied that so few
mistakes occur in the paper, that
when one does pop up, it's bound to
occasion remark. The inconvenient
part about the thing is, that a mis-
take in a newspaper can't be remed-
ied-it's down there in black and
white, and it can't be rubbed out.
There are lots of errors in the ex-
perience of humanity in general that
can be remedied, but these pesky
types they stamp for keeps, and when
it's in there to read, it stays put.
Now, when you come to think of
it, a newspaper writer does pretty
we'll, when his stock in trade'is taken
into consideration-which is words"
If somebody would like the trouble
to count how many there are in one
edition, and then take the percentage
of mistakes, the result would compare
very favorably with any other voca-
ton or avocation.
How-some-ever, Shakespeare says:
"The evil that men do lives after
them; the good is oft inferred with
their bones" The good is taken for
granted; the bad is what catches the
eye. And a funny part about the
whole thing is the thorough enjoy
ment experienced by those who show
you where you slip your trolley.
don't know whether that comes from
a desire to have company in ones
misery; or a desire to suggest to
you that you should be like "me"-
never make a mistake.
Reminds me of the lawyer who ask
ed a doctor what he did with his mis-
takes.
II don't know" said the medico.
"You bury them, six feet under
ground" was the explanation.
"And what do you do with yours ?"
asked the doctor.
Il don't know" said the lawyer.
"You hang 'em higher than Ha-
man." shot back the pill singer.
That only goes to show that almost
every one-except you-makes mis-
takes. Just by way of explanation,
I'll say that there were few copies
of the Democrat" run off with a
wrong date line, but the error was
discovered and corrected before the
entire edition was printed. But, as
said in the beginning, the Demo
crat" surely is perused-not single
mistake is overlooked.
Well, to make a mistake proves
only that we are human. If the big
mistake had not been made in Eden,
then mankind would still be living in
blisful serenity. Maybe it was a
mistake even in Omniscience to sur
round our first parents with the de-
lights Of Paradise, and afterwards
subject them to a temptation beyond
their power to resist and thus bring
woe to the whole race of mortals.
But it is only human to err. The
Divine plan can not be questioned.
Sydney Smith once wrote: Errors
to be dangerous must have a great
deal of truth mingled with them. It
is only from this alliance that they
can ever obtain extensive circulation.
From pure extravaganza and genuine
unmingled falsehood, the world new
er sustained, and never can sustain,
any mischief"
And Longfellow said: "The little 1
have seen of the world teaches me to
look upon the errors of others in sor-
row, not in anger. When I take the
history of the poor heart that has
sinned and suffered, and think of the
struggles and temptations it has pass
ed through, the brief pulsations of