The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-09-16

and if be hadn't died, we'd have made a
pile Of money. But he was called for,
and turned up Jack. The administra-
tors would not leave his capital in the
store. and | had to see the business
closed up. at a sacrifice Of every dollar
had in it.
ssIf was a man to be discouraged /
would have been pretty blue, but |
didn't feel very bad. | went to work on
salary again, and in while | found
another capitalist, and we opened mil
linery store. jim, You ought to see me
sell bonnets, Ye gods. How | can do
up the business. Imay not know much
else. but do know how to sell goods to
a woman. We used to get up a very
pretty bonnet at a cost of three dollars,
aud one that would sell readily for thir-
ty. Thatw our per cent. Multiply
the cost by ten and get as much more as
YOU can, was my rule to the clerks.
Good Lord how the bonnets did go! |
worked hard and made money fast l
never stopped until my share of the
business was worth six figures, and then
| began to take il easy. | am not sorry;
] had a good time; and received my
moneys worth. But it went like greas-
ed lightning. | ran for Congress, got
whipped, and lost my business and my
money.
Il suppose some men would have
been discouraged, but don't know how
that disease begins. | kept on until
another opening turned up, and then |
started a savings bank. You look rs if
You didn't believe it! It's a fact, my
boyl Ireuted a nice room, furnished
it elegantly. advertised liberally, and
offered seven per cent. interest.
"The bait took People brought me
their money and | credited them with
the amount. The first month ! was in
the business | took in some twenty odd
thousand dollars on deposit. | went on
the street with this money, invested it
in stocks, figured close and sharp, and
made money. Good luck came pouring
in. | had no trouble in making ten and
twelve per cent. profit on the money left
with me, and my credit was 4 /.
If had let steamboats, alone, lwOuld
have been all right But my evil genius
pushed me into Il steamboat line. |
bought a controlling interest in the
Black Anchor Line, and managed things
to suit my own ideas. But the deuce
was i'm steamboat stock. 1t went down
to nothing; there was no business, no
dividends; nothing but boats and men
who had to be paid so much a week.
Ruin stared me in the face again, and |
made up my mind | would try game
of bluff with the public. | drew one
hundred thousand dollars out of the
bank and sent it to England, to be
placed to my credit. Then bought a
cheap house and two or three lots, and
prepared to make an assignment.
"The thing was done up ship-shapc.
A crowd of depositors gathered around
the bank and | had to call the police to
protect me. The papers said l had
been very honorable in turning over
every thing to my creditors, and the cN-
element died away in a day or two.
The assignee was a long-headed fellow
and he closed up the business in good
shape, and | was once more ailoat,
though not quite SO poor as people gave
me credit with being. | sent 4 lawyer
around to buy up my old accounts and
oet me clear, and hc did this; getting
the claims for a song. Then | adycr-
tiScd in the papers that | had received
a legacy from the old country and would
pay up all the old accounts. OF course
became a hero. Such a thing as that
was not an everyday occurrence. Hay-
in~ all the claims in my pocket, of
course no one presented any, and ] was
on the top-moSt wave; rich and respect
ed. All that is necessary for me now Is
to marry. | am going to find a rich
widow mt Saratoga. She must be
rich, because | can't 90 into business
again and haven'tguite enough money
/ to live rs | want to live. She must be
a widow, because widows have the
nonsense taken out of them. l am 90
/ inc to succeed, too; never doubt It,
! And then am yours to command"
Whew! | drew long breath at the
end of the story. What sublime cheek
and luck the fellow had. hardly knew
what to say TO him. He was the same
Tom as of old, but there was a hardues,
around the lines of his mouth that seem
ed to say that he had been taken in SC
often by others, that he was now ready
! to take i'm whOmsOever he could.
We chatted awhile longer and ther
fell into a silence from which wa'
reused only by hearing the conductor
call out, " Saratoga passengers change
ears.
| had been asleep. Tom was gone
Hooked for him through the next tran
but could not find him. Neither coulC
| find my watch or wallet. | began t.
wonder if Tom was not in chase of tn,
thief.
Arriving at the Springs, there was still
no trace of him. | telegraphed for on,
of nv clerks to come and see me.
rave him an outline of Toms history
rs had known it, and of the story h
thad told me, and directed him to 90 t
philadelphia and see what he coul'
learn about him. A few days afterwar'
| received a telegram; it was short, bu
easy to comprehend:
To lanes BrotCn. SGrnoga Springs:
Bennett formerly in business here; failed
cheated his partner, Is now gambler, plCkpock'
and confidence man. Is wanted by the police o
fifteen charges TIMOTHY BARNES.
There was one part of his story true
the assignment part; for he asSigne
my money and watch to himself.
have never seen him Since.-IH. 4
lLa5er. IN Hocke'S Nati03sat Magazine.
A Boys Head Shot OF.