Democratic Sentinel, Volume 5, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 May 1881 — The Liars. [ARTICLE]

The Liars.

The other day a stranger walked into a Woodward avenue establishment employing about ninety people and inquired: “Have you any liars in your employ?” “Yes, sir; we have at least sixty!” was the prompt reply. If you were to go up and down the country asking each man you met if he knew of the whereabouts of a liar you would discover that sixty per cent, of the population of this country could be included under that head. You meet liars on every corner, you pass them on every block; you sit beside them on every street car,. and lying has become such a custom that liars are as well thought of as truth-tellers. The newspapers come in contact with the liar every hour in the day. Let a man fall from the roof of a shed on High street and break his arm, and the news travels about as follows: One block away—“ Broke both arms.” Two blocks away—“ Both arms and a leg.” Three-blocks away—“ Smashed all to pieces and was dead when they picked him up. ” Four blocks away—“ Committed suicide.” Five blocks away—“ Shot his wife and then blew his head off.” At the City Hall—“ Set fire to his house, brained the baby, stabbed his wife and then blew himself up. ” Every inducement is held out for reporters to exaggerate. Indeed, plain facts are of no interest to hundreds of readers.— Detroit Free Press. Drinking to drown sorrow is a mistake, particularly if you have to borrow money to pay for the fire-water.