The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-09-15
HOw he COilectcd mis- nh.
BY TllE0. l.. DE WINNIE.

kin, one of the old-fashioned printers Of
New York, was looking sadly over his
ledger As he turned over the leaf
that disclosed the account of Mr.. Quoin,
with an unsettled balance of 1915, and
more than two years past due, the sad
ness changed to grimness. How well
he remembered the first visit of deluding
Quoin, when, with corn basket full Of
wood-cuts, said to have cost 81 900, he
inveigled the crodulous Mr.. Bodkin into
printing book. For which Quoin had
never paid. But he h adj promised mag
nifcently
"As soon, Mr.. Bodkin, as [ receive
the $315-and the sales of the book, l
KNOW, will not be less than that every
week-you shall have the money A
debt of honor, Mr.. Bodkin You should
have it, if | have to sell my teeth.
And here he showed collection that
hyena would have envied for whiteness
and hardness Then again, Mr.. Bod
kin, you hold my wood-cuts as security.
Worth more than three times the
amount of your bill Finer collate valS
were never negotiated in Wall street.
Pooh !" And he swung his cane around
his head, as if ready to demolish any
man or opinion that might rise in oppo-
sition.
So Mr.. Bodkin, much impressed with
the rhetoric of Mr.. Quoin, although not
entirely convinced, gave up the work,
and Quoin went on his way rejoicing
Went to Rhode Island, where he sold
his books and pockcted the proceeds.
And Mr.. BOdkiu had waited for the
money. How often he had written to
Quoin How he had eXpostulatcd.
and coaxed and threatened How he
had tried to make payments easy for
Mr.. Quoin. How he had offered to
take calicoes, Goldfish, potatoes, OF shin
glc-nails, or amy other production OF
Rhode Island. All to no purpose.
Then he had put the account III
lawyers hands. Quoin was sued, and
Judgment was had, and execution was
issued, and was returned unsatisfed.
Neither Mr.. Quoin's property nor IN
come could be attached. Bodllin fairly
snorted as his eye fell upon the expenses
of that suit
Then he thought Of that security
those Invaluable collaterals, the precious
wood-cuts that had cost 81 900. Bod
kin had b,awkcd them at every publisher
in the city, only to get substantially the
same answer from all. Good cuts; of
course they are. Worth 1000 no
doubt to cut them; but to US, who
don't need them, and could not use
them, worth no more than fre-wood y
Such security Good Lord Such Sc
curity! Bodkin was growing hysterical.
He laughed aloud, not scornfully but
cxultingly, 1t was the laughter of in
SEPARATION. For the wood-cuts had given
him a new notion of how the debt might
be collected. With undisguised chuck
ling, he put on his hat, and went In
search of Mr.. Mallct, a young gentle
man of remarkably persuasive faculties,
aud faultless in dress-morcover, an
agent of the PoBomoke Lottery, and an
excellent judge of the game of pea and
thimbe What transpired between
Bodkin and Mallct is purely conjectural
But it was odd that Bodkin should, OIL
his return, have directed his foreman tc
print dozen cards with this inscrip
ton" Henry Mallct, Publisher, No
2450 Washington Street, Buffalo.
Hen. Mallet a publisher Why, ever
the fcedor-boys laid their fingers aside
their noses when they read it.
Two days after this Mr.. Mallot laiC
one of these cards on the desk Of Mr.
Quoin, and begged to inquire Of tina
gentleman the probable value of tn
wood cuts used in his book. Was h
disposed to sell them, or could they b
used ? To be candid land cantor wa
always a weakness of his), he neede
them sorely He had made arrange
ments to publish a certain book with
three months. If it was out by tina
time he would make $4,000, sure if
was delayed week, his chance of prof
was gone forever. The miserable ell
gravers wanted three months to do tn
work, whereas he could not spare tire
weeks. Quoin's cuts were not exacgl
what he wanted, but they would serve
Would he take $50 for the use of them
Quoin smiled at his innocence, an
shook his head. -" | don't lend cuts
but [ will sell them to you for $500
and that ii, cheaper than you can g
them made to order
There was no denying this but
took more than an hours hard boring
make Quoia abato the price to $50
The most potent argument Mallet use
was his apparently careless productic
of long fiat wallet filled with ne,
crisp, and cracking bank notes of his
figures only, the sight of which ma,
Mr.. Quoin show his beautiful viii
teeth. Mallct was undoubtedly ca
buyer.
Next came the question OF terms