The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1869-11-19
HOW 1 GOT RICH AGAINST Fn WILL
By MAC ARoNE.

AFTER battling for many years with
misfortune, misery, reverses and disap-
pointments, have squatted in ST Louis.
lam now rich mana nabob. The
assessor has assessed me at $275, 900. /
have Mac Arone Castle" nearly COM
pleted, and a crowd of upholsterers and
supply merchants solicit my patronage
Piles Of sweetscented notes daily beg the
favor Of my society to dinners, suprers
and evening parties.
And vet e scas not dlsodys 20. l can
recollect when was as poor as poverty
when vainly solicited employment where
by might live honestly and decently.
Nobody would listen to me; nobody cared
for me. Bankers looked suspiciously at
NV appearance. Clergymen gave me q
mess of "cold shoulder" They could
nsake nothing out of me. Grocers and sa-
loon-keepers eyed me with mistrust when
asked for FIVE or ten cents worth of
their wares. MY tailor soould have the
money in advance for q suit of clothes l
badly needed
Unable TO do anything in ST. Louis, l,
with two friends companions in misery
Iresolyed that we would try our
luck in Kansas City. Their names
were John Smith, vender OF pat
ent rights, compiler of directories, and
protector of advertising dodges; and Al
bert Robinson, Bohemian, who was for
some time local reporter on one of the St
Louis dailies, but at the time speak of,
out of situation. money, friends and hopes.
Robinson had manuscript of five hun
dred and forty pages of foolscsp, entitled
"Millerism Exposed; or the Perpetuity
of the Earth" Il was a well-written, log
icsl treatise, and would have made him q
reputation to be proud Of But no pub
Usher would undertake to print it for the
poor fellow.
We three packed up our little valises
and took cheap passage on one of the
boats for Kansas City. There we were
more fortunate. Smith obtained q clerk.
ship in dry goods house, Robinson Sc
cured q position on one of the morning
papers, became salesman and book keep
er in q grocery house. We had about
seventy-five dollars month. 1t was not
much; but it enabled US to have little
reunion once in while, talk of the past
and devise projects for the future over 9
quiet glass of beer, in retired room just
off from Main street.
After long chat one evening on oul
hopes and fears, Smith said: "An non
sense, my dear fellowsi we have neither
OF us the means of making a fortune
But an idea strikes me-could we not gel
the credit of being richf"
"And to what purpose ?" sug
gested.
at gives one position in the world
A large inheritance augments the con
sideration in which we are held. Their
everything becomes easy"
II recollect," said l, "cf an uncle oi
mine, who went out to California at the
time of the gold fever, and he has never
returned nor been heard from since"
"That's Just it. Well bring your uncle
to life-or rather, we1l kill him. 1ngots
gold dust, shares in mines and crushing
mills, shares in railroads, banks and gov
ernment securities, will have grand
effect. No doubt there are many re
turned gold-seekers of that time, for
tunate and otherwise, from st. Louis tc
ST. Joseph along the river towns, that re
member your uncle or have met him II
the gold-felda"
Let us kill himf'' continued the two
scamps, and leave the bulk of his for
tune-three millions and half of dol
lars-to Mac Arone."
We laughed heartily at the joke, and
had another round of beer. thought NJ
more of the circumstance, and you may
guess of my astonishment when took uI
the paper, on which Robinson was local,
and read among the city items:
"a Lucky Fszoto-We learned yes
terday, from q party of gentlemen JUS
returned from Montana, of the death o
Mac Arone, Sr., one of the most fortunat,
of miners, who was attracted to the gol(
regions several years ago. He was NOR
tally wounded by party of Indians, and
after being carried to Helena, had jus
time to make his will, and leave the bull
of his savings-some $500, ,000-to hi
nephew, Mac Arone, who now Occupie.
the humble position of book-keeper a
Brown & Co.'s grocery house on MaiI
his good fortune and as he was always
hearty, jovial kind of fellow, he has nov
three and half million additional claim
on our regard"
The evening papers and the othe
morning papers rehashed the item, ant
the two fellows retailed the story with al
the seriousness imaginable.
The next day people came in groups Il
compliment me. N.Y. employers wantet
me to 60 in partnership with them and ex
tend the business. I disavowed the re
port, as a matter of course, but nebod,
would believe me. Many in Kansas Cit!
knew my uncle well-they had met hin
in different mining districts of Montan,
and California. Some had been fellow
travellers of his from one place to another
All put him down as lucky, shrewd, in
telligent miner.
Among the number of these visitor
was one not the most agreeable. Wit
the whim of young man, = had som
time previously ordered fashionable sui
of clothes to 60 out in. 1t was nearl,,
worn out, and was yet owing about hal
the price of it. There had been for som
time past o GOODNESS between the tailo
and myself His opportunities l wishe'
to avoid. The rumor of my legacy mad
him hasten to find me. Such was tn
penalty paid for the foolish pleasantr.
of my friends.
aGood day, Mr.. Snip" said 1 wit
some embarrassment, al suppose yO
have come for those fifty dollars that
owe your"
"By no means, my dear Mr.. Mac Arone
I never thought of it. You do not imagih
I would think of dunning you for such
paltrv trffie? No, sir; came to solici
you for the manufacture of your mourn
ing suit. ..,,,. ,,,,, ,n
"For your uncle. No doubt you wi
desire two suits for a change-silk ha
crsped, white shirt, black studs, etc"
1Just now, Mr.. Snip, such an orde
from me would be impossible"
al hope you don't think, Mr.. Ma
Arone, of Withdrawing your patronag
You know my materials are prime, m
workmen irst-class, and my prices 9
moderate as you can find them-even j
St. Louis"
al tell you again, have not yet n
ceived-"
al beg of you, my dear Mr.. Mac Aron
not to speak of money! am not presse
it will come soon enough"-and M
Snip, who had already taken out his sci
sors, passed his measure round my wais
was certainly in want oi clothes, an
therefore permitted him to take his mea
urements.
No sooner was he gone than another II
dividual entered. He began:
"Mr. Mac Arone, you must do me
great service. Buy my house and 10
You are rich-very rich; you want som
real estate in Kansas City. Forty thousan
dollars are nothing to you, and at presel
am in urgent want of money. Iexpecte
Mr.. Hardcash to buy it. but he does n,
decide, and have some pressing engag
ments to settle"
"Ibuy your house-what nonsense
at is no nonsense. 1t is a safe inves
ment In two years it will be wort