Year: 1867

There was once upon a time a man
who kept a store and sold goods whole
sale and retail,


And become melancholy, because
customers were shy and times hard.


And he said: Lo! l am ruined, and
the sensation is disagreeable.
And my ruin is more painful to beal
because it is slow in progress, even as
water doth gradually become hotter il
the pot wherein the lobster boileth, un
til the crustaceous creature shrieketE
out his soul in anguish.


| Lo! 1t is better to be ruined quickly
t han to endure this slow torture.


Twill give my money away to the
poor man-even the poorest, which j,
be wh,, printeth newspapers and l vii
shut my shop and wrap myself in sack
cloth of o'esoIation, and pass my days
in the peril, ,1us or broken banks, ours
ing the harde, 1t of the times and rend
ing nay garments


And the howh.pg of Rome shall be
dnIcet sounds of dtlcimers, and they
who blow the flutes and instruments o
music, compared to din, l will make
the ears Of the wicked >eren in the
ears Of the bank directors.


And even AS he said, so h,Sdid; iol
he was not like other mems ions who
are foolish and they know it OF, and
viii do SO and so, performing that which
is contrary,


For the sons Of men are tickle, and
he that is born of woman doth spite His
face by diminishing the length of tbs
nose thereof.


And, 10 loltheprinter-even he who pub
lisheth newspapers-was made glad by
the bounty of him who sold wholesale
and retail; and he did sound bis praises
and print them moreover; and did blow
his trumpet of fame respecting that
mans dealings from the rising of the
sun even to the going down OF the
same.


And he-even the printer of pa
pers- did magnify and enlarge upon
the stock of goods which the trader
had in his store, and did publish the
variety, and the excellence, and the
newness, and the beatty, and the cheap
ness thereof, till the people-yes! all OF
them, far and near, were amazed.


And they said, 10! this man had
gathered from the east and west costly
merchandise and wares of wondrous
value-even the workmanship of cum
ming artifcers-and we know it not.


Go to, then. We will lay out our sill
yer and gold in those things which the
printer printed of, and that which he
doth publish shall be ours. For this
mans merchandise is better than the
bank notes of those who promise to
pay, and there in lie, even banks of de-
posit which beguild us of our money
and swindle us like sin.


But the trader was still sad, aud he
said, the money that the people bring
me for the goods in my store ! will give
to the printer, and thus will ruin my
self; l will do that which no man hath
vet done in my time, or before. | will
make the printer man. whom all men
scorn for bis poverty, rich, and he shall
be clad in fine linen and rejoice.
And the sons Of men shall meet
him in the market place, and the sheriff
shall shun him, and the scoffers shall be
rebuked and shall take off their hats tC
him that was poor.


And he shall flash the dollars in the
eyes of the foolish, and shall eat banl
notes and sandwiches.


For shall ruin my self, and he who
adyertises me shall enjoy my substance
| But, 10! the trading man-even ht
who sold merchandise became rich, ant
even as the unclean beast lieth in th'
mire, so stirred he not by reason o
greenbacks.


And the people tiocked to his store
from the North, and from the South
and from the East, and from the West


And the printer rejoiced and hi


"phat" did abound.


But the trader could not becom


poor, and his melancholy ceased, an
= the smiles of happiness were upon h
faca