The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-03-30

the croSS-eyed mans wife.
1t is true a rumor came that the cross
eyed man formed stock company of
capitalists, and sold them his patent for
800, 900. | didn't eveit-who would?
If he did do it he couldn't have been
such fool as he looked. And Chicago
men are not so very liable to be fools,
either.
had been doing business with Dewey
d Blossom, of New York for many years
and had found them reliable. But of
late their account-sales were not quite
satisfactory, and the money was never
ready when due. Something was wrong.
They owed me a good deal of money;
and while it might not be wise to press
the immediate payment, it would be
prudent not to increase the debt. |
stopped further shipments to Dewey &
Blossom. Two weeks later that firm
failed.
Dewey telegraphed to me:
Better come on and see things for yourself.
went and saw that things were bad
enough for me. The liabilities of Dewey
& Blossom were 100000. The princi-
pal creditor, myself. The assets were
very little beyond two young wives,
with the largest and est-assorted ward
robes | ever saw. Nothing available
for a bachelor creditor from Illinois
Two twenty dollar outfits, and
not one garment that would fit me or
anybody belonging to me. 1t was rough.
Dewey said Blossoms wife was
great deal too costly. Fifty cents a bar
rel profit on flour the wholey year through
would scarcely pay her dry-goods bills.
And it was true.
Blossom said if Dewey wife had only
been satisfied when she had set the
whole female part of Long Branch
ready to drown themselves at the sight
of her costumes, they could have paid
seventy-fve cents on the dollar and re-
sumed. But when Long Branch was
wholly inadequate, and Mrs. Dewey
was unhappy unless she could rent the
Grand Union at Saratoga and run the
Springs too, why, the flour trade
wouldn't stand it. And that was true,
also.
The firm of Dewey & Blossom was
hopelessly bankrupt The principal
sufferers, after all, would be those fool
ish wives. They would now have to
learn how many minutes it requires to
cook soft-boiled eggs, and some other
useful but not SNOWY matters.
The only thing of any possible value
to me among the assets of my bankrupt
correspondents was the goodwill of
their business. | was then an Illinois
miller, but, if there was money in it,
why not become New York flour mer-
chant? Why not?
Dewey & Blossom turned over their
accounts to me; gave me detailed re-
port of the commercial standing of each
customer and correspondent. The sign
of Dewey & Blossom was taken down
and the sign of "John Middleton,
Flour" went up in its place. Then
became a flour merchant.
The failure of that firm was the be-
ginning of bad luck and more followed
it. For six months it seemed as if all
the fiour-dealers in New York had con-
spired together to cheat me, and they
had very gratifying success. | told old
Plumb, a neighbor, about it, and he
laughed heartily.
"Musquitoes are always most eager
are always looking for fresh signs, new
firms and fresh blood
Old Plumb was right. BY his advice,
two of those buzzards found lodgings
in Ludlow-street Jail for q time; after
which there was general pleasantness
in the flour trade.
Among the country correspondents
of the late firm of Dewey & Blossom
was Edwards, of Springfield. The COM
mercial standing of Edwards was esti-
mated thus:
Good, but little slow. Too hon
est and kind-hearted for this wicked
world
That was a singular record to make
concerning the credit-value of per-
son. | remember reading it over the
second time and wondering what Ed
wards had done as business man that
he should be pronounced too honest for
the rest of us. But there it was; and
the statement was made by one who
knew Edwards well or no such singular
statement would be made.
Edwards owed the late firm some
thing, and that debt had now become
mine. To write Edwards that change
had taken place was matter of course;
also that settlement of the balance
due was desirable at an early day. Ed
wards responded promptly with a draft
for half the amount, and an odd excuse
for not sending more:
Grandfather was worse, and she
had gone up to Chicopee to see him.
can't leave the store to go collecting
till she comes back"
1t was signed &C, w. Edwards, per
John"
&C. W." stood for George Washing
ton, no doubt, but just what this grand
father at Chicopee had to do with the
flour bills was not plain. "She' was
probably the better and stronger half
of the poor, hen-pecked Edwards.
Some men act that way. They never
dare to call their wives by their own
proper names, but say she and her, as
if they were afraid. Perhaps they are
As for John, he deserved spanking for
writing ridiculous. school-boy letter.
| showed it to my ambitious otficc-boy,
and warned him of the shame he would
bring upon himself if he was ever guilty
of a similar letter.
The balance due from Edwards was
never paid, but Edwards urged the ship