Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1871-02-25
LOCKING on Born SIDES.


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Much is said to those whose pros
poets are under a cloud, or who have
met with disappointment in life, of the
necessity OflOokiug on the bright side.
No doubt this necessity exists, as there
are people who persist in looking
at only one side, and that generally
TIE least attractive. An amusing IL
Illustration of the advantage and neces-
sity of looking at both sides has Just
come to II knowledge.
As every one is aware, the failures
in business that have occurred at the
opening of the year have made all bus
iness men keenly alive to every report
or rumor affecting the mercantile
credit, while the losses of some firms
by ~shrinkage of values and the mis-
fortunes of customers have caused
them to look after all available means
pretty sharply, A firm of this ClaS
which had been prospecting as TO how
10 make every dollar possible, tn,
other day had an interview with a re-
spOrsible customer of long standing,
with regard 10 The lattcr's discounting
his own paper which they held to
quite a large amount. The transac-
ton was nearly concluded, but left
quiet for a day or two by the firm in
question-not wishing to press too
hard in a quarter where they expected
to realize SO favorably I'll n enc of
the partners found, TO his ConstCrna-
ton, on going to the merchants
counting-room, that he ad left very
suddenly for the West ie day before.
a council of partner was immcdi-
ately held. How should the money
be raised? In the midst of the dis
cussiOn the letters just arrived by the
mail from the West were passed in,
among which II bearing the absent
merchants Well-known ch%irography
was detected.
"Ahw exclaimed one of the trio,
heres something from old Bulge but
what the deuce IS he doing at Erie p
added he, g~lancing at the postmark of
the epistle "let me see."
The letter was opened, and the
partner holding it proceeded to read
as follows:
"ERIE, PENN, January -, 1871.
"feSSrS. ShOTterS, Pike, RuSt d. Co..
GENTLEMEN: 1t was unfortunate
that | did not see You before leaving
town in respect to the proposition to
take up the paper. | was compelled
by pressing circumstances to leave.
You may think it singular 10 hear
from me here, but things were going
wrong at Chicago, You yourself must
know the worst by this time | have
failed"
"Dusted, by all The godsw circulated
Pike, dashing the letter down upon
the floor. ''The game is up, gentle
men; our goose is cooked
Failed, is il p said the Co.
'That's the very word" roared
Pike failed, and just Sl0j,00O gone
10 the pot, because you were 50 cursed
slow about the matter"
Slow; what dye mean by that I"
shouted the other. 'If | was as fast
as some men in this firm, it would
have gone to the wall months ago"
"WelI, well, gentlemen" said old
Shorters, don't quarrel; let us see
what can be done about it,"
"DOnC," said Rust, putting in his
oar, "nOthing a be done. Our firms
done. You won't get ten cents OH the
dollar. | always knew old Bulge
would 20 under some day ; (Rust was
one OF those men who always told you
SO when anything h%appencd) Bulge
has got away oil in Pennsylvania to
get rid of his creditors--you'H whistle
for your money. But one thing is
certain, sixty thousand more has got
to come into this party before Thurs
day noon, or thcre1l be another fail
ure.'
The SO" evidently thought seri-
ousIy of the "whistling," for he fol.
lowed bis partners assertion with a
long-drawn, expressive whew-w.
"Send up to Brisket's Office and get
out an attachment, Come let's 60 in
first among the mourners, at all
events" said Pike, leaping to his feet,
and Selling his hat,
"Wait a Bit" said old ShOrters, ad-
justing his eyeglasses, 'let's look ut
that letter again. Why" said he, TAX
ing il up from the floor, you haven't
read it all--here's writing OH t'other
side"
lis there I" said Pike, with a gasp.
"WelI, what does he oiler--twenty
cents"
"You shall hear" said Tic senior
partner, and proceeded to read the
letter, as Pike had done, until he came
to the words, "YOu, yourselves, must
know the West'-"lhat's West, Pike,
not worst"
THE deuce it is! well, 20 on"
Il have failed"
lila, la" said Pike, no mistake about
that world"
"None at ALL said Shorters, turn
ing over the page and continuing.
81 have failed to make connections
with the night train, and therefore i'm
prove the opportunity TO drop you
this line, saying | will cash the whole
amount of the paper at the figures
proposed, send by this mail drafts
TO my cashier, with instructions to do
the neediul. Ouns respectfully,
II. BULGE"
"Ilulrah !" shouted the &C.," exc
cutting a pirOuette, that comes of
being slOw-slow's the word, my
boy"
"That's u piece Of luck, if it did cost
twelve per cent" said Rust. "BuIge
und nrStands a thing or two; | always
told you SO hc is SURF to cash up If
he can make a good shave"
Bulge did cash up he made a good
shave, Shortcrs, Pike, Rust Il Co.
were in funds, and Pike ever since
nlWnNs lnnks on hnih Ching If fnttnr