having
kept on printing three thousand copies, under the belief that the list
must go up to that.

Day after day went by after this notice appeared, yet not a single man
answered to the invitation. I began to feel serious. Subscribers
continued to come in, though slowly, and people all spoke highly of the
paper and said it must succeed. But its success, so far, was not over
flattering. Finding that people would not take the plain hint I had
given, I went over the books and made out all the bills. One thousand
and eighty dollars was the aggregate amount due. These bills, except
those for the country, I placed in the hands of a collector, and told
him to get me in the money as quickly as possible. Those for the
country, about one hundred in number, I enclosed in the paper. On the
faith of this proceeding, I promised the paper maker and printer each
two hundred dollars in a couple of weeks.

Four days elapsed without my collector making his appearance, greatly
to my surprise. On the fifth day I met him in the street.

"Well, how are you coming on?" said I.

"Oh, slowly," he replied.

"I expected to see you a day or two ago."

"I had nothing of consequence to return. But I will be in on Saturday."

I felt a kind of choking in my throat as I turned away. On Saturday the
collector called--he opened his memorandum-book, and I my cash-book,
preparatory to making entries of money returned.

"Mr. A----," said the collector, "says he never pays in advance for any
thing."

"But the terms of the paper are in advance after the first three
months."

"I know."

"Did you call his attention to this?"

"Oh, yes! but he said he didn't care for your terms. He'd been swindled
once or twice by paying in advance, but never intended to give anybody
the opportunity to do the same thing again."

Mr. A---- was a man whom I had known for years. I cannot tell how hurt
and indignant I was at such language. He took my paper, knowing the
terms upon which it was published, and when I sent my bill, refused to
comply with the terms, and insulted me into the bargain. I turned to
his name on the subscription-book, and striking it off, said--

"He can't have the paper."

"Credit Mr. B---- with six months and discontinue," said the collector,
as he passed to the next name on his list. Mr. B---- was a man whom I
knew very well by reputation. I had looked upon him as one of my best
subscribers. He was a merchant in easy circumstances.

"W