The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1848-11-02
From the N. O. Bulle .in.l
a CtyAvC

.
A SHAVE.
A Kentucky friend some years sgo re
lated to us the following anccdotc, rs hav
ing actually occurred in that State:
There was a registering sort OF fcllov
named Peter Russell. but usually Gale
Pete Russell, wins owned good deal q
property, and, therefore, had a pccuniar
responsibility, though he was always il
wan, Of money, and frequently 10 the hand
Of shavers.
On one occasion he went to certain &C
commodoting friend to borrow two thousanc
dollars. ''Yes, (snid his friendly Pete,
will lend you two thousand dollars, and
without interest, too, If you will give inc
your bill Tor the amount on London"
"Oh, no, (replicd Pcte) emit stand
that. III give YOU bill on London the
cursed thing will be back on me here under
protest in four months at furthest, and
then ! must paw you the amount aud
trenty per cent damages. That's too deep
. Dig"
"Well, (said Shylock.) that is cutting il
rather fat; acknowledge; but will tell
you Pete what | will d.; will take yonr
bill on London for fro thousand dollars,
and pav you for il, tmO thousand fmo hun.
dred, md when il comes back protested
you will have to refund two thousand dol.
lars and twenty per cent damages, making
together two thousand four hundred, which
win leave me only two hundred dollars"
"Agrecd. (ssid Pc,c,) am willing to
stand that" So down they sat to prepare
the documents.
"Who the deuce shall | draw upon in
London?" said Pete, Il do not know liv-
ing soul ,here.''
at is perfectly immaterial who you draw
upon, (said bis friendly SO far as ! am
concerned, am willing you should draw
on the town pump"
"By Jove! {snid Pe,e,) ] have it: I'll
draw upon my cousin, the Duke Of Bed
ford"
Il will be recollccied that the family
name Of bis Grace is Russell, and Pete was
in the habit Of Boosting TINT he had de-
seconded from the same stock. So Pete
"let 6y his kite" for frO thousand on his
Grace Of Bedford, and received the stpula.
ted amount Of hro thousand tro hundred
dollars. The bill, Of course, had to be
sent out to London to be presented TO hi,
Grace, and regularly protested, in order to
establish legal claim upon the drawer
One morning il was accordingly found
with other documents, on the table in the
Duke's study, having been left for acccp-
lance or payment.
"And who, said his Grace Of Bedford, tn
king up the bill, and addressing his man OF
business, is this Peter Russell that is draw.
ing on me for two thousand dollars?
never heard Of him before. nnd do mol know
by what authority he does So"
~ am equally ignorant, your Grace
said the homme drotairs. Il know moth.
ing Of him."
"Well," said his Grncc, after musing a
moment, "it is very probable now that he
10 some poor and distnn, brunch of nv fam
ily who has wandered AWAY off there to the
wilds Of Kentucky. and is in distress. The
amount is but trifle: let the bill be paid; =
and paid it was.
In due course Of time Petc's friend 90,
back tro thousand dollars, less bankers
commissions, and without interest, for trd
thousand fro hundred be had paid Pete
some months previously.
II was n regular share, only the share,
became the sharec.
Our friend. from whom we Ind tho story,
said he never heard whether Pete ever re.
nered the operation.
We can only add that we have often
wished We had such a cousin in London.