f87(5 



Dim IIOIMES. 



It has bi'cn remarked that editors of newspa- 

 pers arc the "biggest liars in tlic worhl," and 

 that "it has iKjcome suoli a rofogiiiKcd fact, 

 that no one ever expects truth I'roiu tlicni." es- 

 peciallj' ill the uiatter of subscriptions. Now 

 at lirst gh\nco, there aiiipears to be no very 

 good reason why an cnlitor is obliged to say 

 anything at ail in the matter, yet it is well 

 known ti^at a subscriber isatnrally would like 

 to know in subscribing whether the paper is of 

 large circuls.tion, or whether it is only a very 

 •small affair, and kencc the temptation for the 

 <'ditor to indirectly say that it is larger than it 

 is ; when an adv'crtiser asks to know the cir- 

 fulatiou, it seems ver3' plain that he is entitled 

 to real facts, yet we are compelled to say that 

 our experience of the last few years has shown 

 that in many cases the printed statements arc 

 so largely exaggerated that the amount is some- 

 times nearer so many hundreds, than the thous- 

 ands that are given. When such statements 

 are called in (luestion, we are told that all do 

 Vlie same thing to such an extent, that there is 

 really uo other way to <lo to give a prop- 

 er idea of the value of the sheet as an adverti- 

 sing medium, just as they mark the spools of 

 thread "200 yds" when "they mean 40 or oO. 

 Is not such a state of affairs most comforting 

 and assuring — that the one who can tell the 

 most plausible falsehood is really the best 

 ''Hisiness maitV Xow, although I, have told no 

 such talcs in regard to Glkanixgs — for I have 

 avoided saying any thing about it — 1 fear I 

 Slave indirectly led my readers to imagine it 

 5;reater than it really is ; and as the lirst step 

 in any reform is generally made by each one 

 <-ommencing to reform himself, I shall hereaf- 

 ter give the actual number of subscribers in 

 <'ach issue. If our fricncU are disappohited in 

 finding we nre really but a small atfair, it will 

 only be a just ])unishmcnt. Vol. I. readied 

 about 500 subscrilx'rs, Vol. II. about 800, and 

 Vol. III. i-eached 1071, but to accomplish this, 

 ;ibout .$;?00.00 have been spent in advertising it. 

 It may be proper to state that a large part of 

 this last sum was paid to ])apers representing 

 that they had a large circulation, whereas 

 judging from the meagre number of applica- 

 tions received, it must have been a gross mis- 

 statement. The Advertiser's Gazette un- 

 V)lnshingly admits that they habitually quote 

 papers much above their real circulation, and 

 the result is as all may see; the figures given 

 by difterent agents disagree to the extent of 

 many thousands. Editors are only one class 

 <!Ut of many, and the question comes right 

 5\ome to us all, are we to give actual facts at 

 the expense of a loss, when others all around 

 us deal in fictionV or shall we do as the rest do ? 



If to make money is the most important thing 

 in life, it may be that solitary cases demand 

 that we do as others do, or at least keep still 

 while we see our fellows laboring under a piece 

 <')r deception that a word from us would set 

 right. The real work in hand however, is for 

 each one to determine that he will correct liis 

 own faults in this respect; that, regardless of 

 what custom is, and of what the conse(|nenccs 

 may be, he will tell the "flat" tridh, and if no 

 other good be accomplished, he will at least 

 have the consciousness of standing; on liis own 

 feet. A queer feature of hunutnity is tiiat when 

 appealed to in this matter, each one seems 



ready to exclaim that "-lie haw told no untruths ; 

 thathe treats his fellow men precisely as he 

 would be treated," and there is no such tifing 

 as getting any further, for he argues and twists 

 out^of every case that can be brought, and in 

 some cases even (luotes scripture with a most 

 wonderful perversion, to sliow that he is doing 

 precisely the "right thing." Hence, it seems 

 the tirst thing, and in i'act the only thing, is to 

 convince one — in a spirit of kindness — not by 

 argument — that he really is not doing duty, 

 ami that his life needs amending. One person 

 can do but little it is true, but whether he has 

 any ell'ect in moving humanity or not, there is 

 One who sees and approves, and sure is tlie re- 

 ward even thougii it be but the widow's mite 

 in the right direcuion. 



It is quite customary to advertise one's busi- 

 ness in a sort of "spread eagle ' style in these 

 days of "3'oung America," and so prevalent has 

 this custom become — putting a large stone 

 front building on one's business card for in- 

 stance, when there is only a cheap wooden 

 store — rented one at that — that we are met 

 again with the assertion that it is so custom- 

 ary, like the pound jars of honey that hold only 

 a half pound, that no one is deceived by it. 

 And by the way I can think ot one illustration 

 that will hurt the feelings of no one now, un- 

 less of my relatives, who will blush for me yet 

 perhaps. In the bottom of an old trunk are to 

 be found some hand bills that read to the eflVct 

 that ''Prof. A. I. Koot, will deliver a lecture on 

 chemistry and electricity, etc., etc." The ex- 

 periments were all very well, and generally 

 gave satisfaction we believe, although the ap- 

 paratus was principally home made ; but the 

 17 year old lecturer (?) had hardly education 

 enough to know the definition of the term 

 Prof., that he directed the printer to put on 

 the hand bills, because he feared people 

 "wouldn't come" unless he did so. In all frank- 

 ness, dear readers, I fear the same spirit still 

 lurks about ray work in spite of repeated weed- 

 ings ; will you please be lenient when it shows 

 its'elf':' 



What is more painful than to hear some one 

 in attempting to appear more learned than 

 they ]'eally are, use words without a proper 

 idea of their real meaning? if it be one's own 

 relative, how humilating is the feeling, and 

 how we dc wish he would be content to appear 

 what he really is, and to frankly acknowledge 

 his ignorance on a particular point. I have 

 known a young lady to refuse to attend school 

 because she had not the courage to have it 

 known how deficient she was in the common 

 branches. It is hard, and takes much courage 

 I know, to frankly avow one's ignorance upon 

 all occasions; especially, as we are all liable 

 to make lamentable bluiiders at times; but is 

 it not always the true manly way to own up, 

 and thus get into the only position to learn V 

 even at the expense of having it thought we 

 are ''nwfully stupid," (perhaps v.-e really are) is 

 it not by far the best way to own it all \\\> 

 good naturedly ? I well know this to be a try- 

 ing ordeal for some, and the hot blood may 

 rush to one's face, as he finds himself the centre 

 of a circle of surprised and perhaps pitying fa- 

 ces, but oh I assure you a frank and truthful 

 ground is a safe one on which to stand. It is 

 a simple matter to be awkward, but it is a 



