Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-11-21
A Nice Little Game That Didn't
Work.
"Can sit with you?"
"Certainly, Sir"
HN;no ,raathnrD

"Certalnly, sir.
"Nice weather"
"Splendid, indeed"
"Crops growing finely"
"Yes-couldn't do better"
l was sitting in 4 passenger coach,
on a Wisconsin railroad, one day
years ago, when a good looking,
pleasant-spokcn man came along,
stopped at my seat, and the above
conversation took place, the latter
part Of it after l had given him
a cart of my seat.
Now, / am regarded as social
man. I like joke, a good bit, and
l think sour morosc man, who
uses his tongue only when forced to,
is bound to die Of some terrible dis
ease, and to go to some place of
red-hot punishment.
On entering a railroad car l al
ways look about for talkativc man,
and then get as close to him as pos
sible, and dram him dry, if the
journey is long enough.
And ] want to state one thing
more. Left an orphan before l
could realize the event which made
me one, l got kicked here and cuff
ed there, and ''grcw up between
folks" ".as they say. fought to have
had, at the time of which l write, a
a pretty thorough knowledge of hu-
man nature, and been able to read
evil. l did not pride myself on be.
ing over keen or extra sharp, but
the knocking around among stran.
gers ought to give any one good ex
periencc.
Well, the stranger and l fell into
an easy train of conversation rs we
rode together, and in ten minutes
had begun to enjoy his company.
He was a well made fellow, finely
dressed, and wore a fine watch and
a simon pure diamond ring. new.
er saw man who could talk sc
easily or pleasantly. 1t seemed he
had but to open his mouth and tho
words fell right out.
l had travelled in the South, SO
had he. had heard the loud roar
Of the Pacific, he knew all about it.
l had been up in a balloon, down in
a mine, been blown up, smashed ur
and repaired again; my new friend
had experienced all these, and was
waiting for something new of more
startling nature. We agreed on
politics, neither had any religion,
and had never met such Il railroad
companion.
Did yon ever see man who,
though a stranger to you ten min
utes before, could wrest from you
secrets which you had sworn to
yourself not to reveal? Well, he
was such man. 1t was not long
before he commenced asking me
questions in such sly, rounda.
bout way that before l knew it l
was giving him my history.
I was at that time just on the
point OF being admitted to the bar
of Wisconsin as student OF Law
& Law, of Bricrville, The firm
were old lawyers, with 4 lucrative
practice, and it had been talked
over that in 4 month l should be-
come the "Co." of the firm. A year
before farmer named Preston,
down about four miles from Graf:
ton, had died, and his matters had
been put into the hands Of Law &
Law for settlement. Preston had
died rich. He had money in the
bank, railroad stocks, mortgages,
etc, and everything was settled up
TO the satisfaction of the rclict and
the fatherlcss.
About a. year before his death,
being pinched for money, and no,
wishing to sell anything al sacri.
fee, Preston had given a mortgage
on his farm for $4,000. While the
papers read "for one year from
date" there was n verbal agree
ment that it should be lifted any
day when Preston desired. A month
after which, having the money to
clear off the paper, the old money
bags holding the paper refused to
disgorgc, wishing to secure his in
tcrest for year.
l was on my way to secure the
date Of the expiration. A fire
among our Office papers had de
stroyed the memoranda, and l mus
60 down and get the date from ole
Scrip, who lives south Of Orator
about FIVE miles. The stranger hat
pumped all this out of me in tel
minutes, and yet never once sus