The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1871-08-24
COLLECTING A BAD DEBT.

Hsa Of the old-fashioned printers of New
York, was looking sadly over the ledger. AS
lie turned over the leaf that disclosed the
account of Mr.. Quoin, with an unsettled
balance Of s315, and more than two years
past due, the sadness changed to grimness.
How we'll he remembered the first visit of
,1eluding Quoin, when, with corn-basket
fall ofsTood cuts, said to have cost 81 900,
he effSsiEled the credulous Mr.. Bodkin into
pfintih q book, for which" "Quoin had never
pafitl But he had promised magnificently.
s:.As soon, Mr.. Bodkins as receive the
S314-and the ss}esof the book, l know.
: will not be less eysry -week@you shall have
theianoney. A debt of honor, Mr. Bodkin.
You should have it if I had to sell my
teeth" And here he showed a collection
that hyena would have envied for white
ness 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 collaterals were never ne
gotiated ia Wall street. Pooh !" And he
swung his cane around his head, as if ready
to demolish any man or opinion that might
rise in opposition.
So Mr.. Bodki,, much impressed with the
rhetoric Of Mr. Quoin, although not entirely
convinced, gaze up the work, and Quoin
went on his way rejoicing. Went to
Rhode Island, where lie sold his books and
pocketed the proceeds. And Mr.. Bodkin
had waited for the money. How often he
had written to Quoin! How he had expos
tulated and coaxed and thrcatentcd How
he had tried to make payments easy for Mr..
Ouoin. How he had offered to take cali
Goes, Goldfish, potatoes or shinglc nails, OF
any other production of Rhode Island. All
to no purpose.
Then he had put the account in a law
,yer's hands. Quoin was sued, and judgg-
;ment was had, an execution was issued, and
was returned unsatisfed. Neither Mr..
Quoin's property nor income could be at
tached, Bodkin fairly snorted as his eyes
fell upon the expenses Of that suit.
Then he thought of that security-thosc
INVALUABLE c"llaterals-the precious wood
cuts that had cost him 81 GOO. Bodkin had
hawked them at every publisher in the city,
-only to get the same answer, substantially,
from them all-"Good cuts; of course they
are. Worth 81 .009, no doubt, to cut them;
but to us, who don't need them and could
aot use them, worth no more than fire..
wood" Such security! Good Lord Such
security Bodkin was growing hysterical.
He laushedaaloud, not scornfully, bat ex-
ultingly.-. It 8as the laugh of inspiration.
For the woodscnts had given him q new no.
ton of how the debt might be collected
With undisguiscd chuckling he put On his
hat and gent in search of Mr. NIallet,
yoxas gentleman Of remarkable persuasive
faculties and faultlcss in drcss-moreoyer
an agent of the Pokomoke Lottery, and an
excellent Judge of the game of pea and
thimble What transpird between Bodkin
and Nallet is purely ,conjectural But it
was odd that Bodkin should on his return
have directed his foreman to print dozen
cards With this inscription ..Henry Maliet,
Publisher, 2459 Washington street, Buaa-
lo.s Heu. Ma,et publisher! Why even
the fsedefsboys laid their fingers aside their
noses when the. read it.
Two days aftor this, Mr.. Ballet laid one of
these cards ON the desk Of Mr.. Quoia, and
Z begged to enquire the probable value of the
wood cuts used in his book. Was he dis
posed 10 scH them, or could they be used?
To be candid (and candor was always
weakness of his, be- needed them sorely.
He had made arrangements to publish GER
tain book within three months. If it was
out by that time he could make 81 900 sure.
If it was delayed week his chance of profit
was gone forever The miserable engrayers
wanted three months to work, whereas he
could not spare three weeks. Quoin's cuts
were not exactly what he wanted, but they
would serve. Would he take $50 for the
use,of them?
,SQuoin smiled at his innocence and shook
his head A'I don't lend cuts but I will
sell them, TO .youfor $500, and that is cheap
er than yoa can get them made to order"
There was no denying this; but it took
more than an hours hard boring to bring
Ouoid to abate the price to 5000. The most
potent argument. that Mallet used was his
apparent careless production Of arlong, fiat
wallet filed with new, crisp and cracking
bank notes Of high figures only, the sight OF
which made Dir. Quoin show his beautiful
white teeth. Mallet was undoubtedly cash
buyer.
Next come the question Of terms
Would Mr.. Mallet pay $2s5 cash and take
an order on his printer, who would deliver
the cuts on payment of S315? ..,
! It was Mallet's turn to smile; and he did
it like the heathen Chiuee. "childike and
bland" What did Mr.. Quoin take him for!
He never paid for goods till he had them
The idea Of paying for cuts he had not seen
Us yet, and of settling up Quoins bills was
absurd. Under no circumstances whatever
would he take the cuts until he saw the re
eeipted bills OF both engraver and printer
Was he to buy a law suit, to be served witt
attachments, and trovers and replevins ane
iniunctions and games of that sort? No
much. Mr.. Mallet tilted himself back il
his; chair and looked upward, as if in ques
Of relief from the absurdities of Quoin.
Quoin became pensivc. It was quite evi
dent that Mallet would not advance tn