The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1875-09-23
THE MAN WITH THE OOON-SKIN.


and drawing from under his coat small
parcel tied around with string, he in
quired of the grocer, who sat by door:
CLOVIS trade %
pretty fair for hot weather, was the
answer.
care you up to bargains 2" continued
the stranger, as he united the parcel
and took out coon-skin which seemed
to have been kicked about the house
ever since the close of the war.
''Humph," sneered the grocer, as he
contemptuously regarded the old skin.
ssYou may 'humph = and shumph =
and 'humph = all you want to- exclaim-
ed the stranger in q loud voice s'but
if you want a cocn-skin to sell again,
this is The article"
81 don't think I want to invest"
'sYou don't? Great heavens but I
took you for man of talent and enter
prise"
s'No one ever buys coon-skins or furs
in the summer" said the grocer.
L hIlDM III 10 e 1lbtIC 1dtc LII IilC SSSsSOu
and therefore Tn willing to throw off
something. [ shouldn't have the face
to ask over fifty cents for this ERE coon
skim
81 shouldn't want to pay that price"
replied the grocer.
e.You wouldn't 2Iarcifat stars But
is it possible that yo,I vould take bread
from the mouths OF my starving children,
my innocent da.lings, who don't know
coon-skin from COW hide -
The grocer wac silent and The strang-
er smoothed the brin,iled hair with his
right hand and continued:
ST viii go before auJ coa:t in the
land and take solemn oath that this is
one OF the best coon-skins offered in this
market for the last fifteen years. OBJ
serve the variegated colors (! Behold the
tender softness Just put your hand on
this coon-skin, mister?
II don't think I want to buy any furs
before November" quietly replied the
grocer.
s'You don't! Is it possible that you
will deliberately let this great bargain
slip through your fingers MOI [ can
not believe it Dozens Of grocers in this
town want this coon-skin want it so
they can't keep still but [ was recon-
mended to come to you, and I am here. "
cit isn't prime skin,' said the gro
no .~lara..aT or CT IL
second time.
sit amt Here, mister, shoot me,
Draw your revolver end send q bullet in
here, right through my quivering heart"
He dropped the coon-skin and held his
coat and vest open, but as the grocer
didn't shoot he presently picked up his
merchandise and continued in a sad
voice:
''Mister, do look like pirate, or a
robber, or liar Do you suppose I'd
go and tell you a deliberate lie, and peril
my chances of ever reaching Heaven,
for the sake of selling you this COON
skin %
''No, / suppose not" replied the
grocer, leaning back in his chair.
"Ahi no, [ wouldn't. [ amt purity,
nor don't wear many store clothes on
my person, but I'm honest-yes, as
honest as the day is long. If I should
so far forget my early training as to tell
you lie about this coon-skin 1 never
could enjoy another nights rest-neverl"
We'll, 1 guess don't want it, said
the grocer.
Heavens bit is it possible that you
will let me return to my loving wife and
fond children without bread to appease
their hunger? Will you deliberately
and willfully sit there and see me tie
this coon-skin up and walk away when I
am offering it to you at one-half its
market value -
You can perhaps sell il elsewhere ?
i know 1 can. I know a dozen men
who want it, but they are not men of
your reputation. When you hand me
fifty cents L knowit is the genui e scrip,
and | go away satisfied. The others
might pass counterfeit money me,
and L might be arrested and jaila and
my family be exposed to the s. IN of
this cold world.
4 don't want the coon-skin,' said tho
grocer, but if your family are suffering
for the want Of food I'll give you fifteen
cents for it, and throw it back in the
loft
'Fif-fifteen cents :. exclaimed the
stranger, dropping the fur and spring
ing OF the step Now let the angels
look down and weep! Let that bright
sun be obscnfed bv clouds blacker than
midnight rolled in tar. If life has come
to this let me- die at once
The grocer picked up a newspaper,
and the stranger waited two or three
minutes, sighed heavily, and then hand
Ell out the SKIN. and sadly said:
Take it, ana give me the paltry pit
lance, 1 an going home to die in the
bosom of my family! Eli gather them
around me once more, take last fare
we'll, and then I'll drop into the turbid
river and be seen no more :
The money was handed him, and he
passed down the street two blocks, turn
Cd TO the left, aad as he kicked open
tue blind-loor o: a saloon he said to the
blr-keeper: