The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1878-11-29

After battling for many years with
misfortune, misery, reverse and dlsap-
pOintments, have squatted in st. Louis
am now rich mana nabob. The
assessor has assessed me at $275,OOO. l
have Mac Arone Castle'' nearly COM
pleted, and a crowd of upholsterers and
supply merchants solicit my patronage.
Piles of sweet-scented notes daily beg
the favor of my society to dinners, sup
pers and evening parties.
And yet it was not always so. l can
| recollect when | was as poor as poverty
when vainly solicited employment
whereby / might live honestly and de-
Gently. Nobody would listen to me !;
nobody cared for me. Bankers looked
suspiciOusly at my appearance. Clergy
men gave me a mess of "cold shoulder"
They could make nothing out of me.
GrOcers and saloon keepers eyed me with
mIstrust when l asked for five or ten
cents worth of their wares. My tailor
would have the money in advance for
suit of clothes badly needed.
Unable to do anything in st. Louis, l,
with two friends-companions in misery
resolved that we would try our luck in
Kansas City. Their names were John
Smith, vender of patent rights, COM
piler of directories, and protector of adj
vertising lodges; and Albert Robinson,
| Bohemian, who was for some time
local reporter on one of the St. Louis
dailies but at the time l speak of
out of situation, money, friends and
hopes. Robinson had a manuscript of
five numbered and forty pages of fools
cap, entitled "Millerism Exposed; or the
Perpetuity of the Earth" 1t was a we'll
written, local treatise, and would have
made him reputation to be proud of.
But no publisher would undertake to
print it for the poor fellow.
We three packed up our little valises
and took passage for Kansas City. There
we were more fortunate. Smith obtained
clerkship in dry goods house, Robin
son secured a position on one of the
morning papers, l became salesman and
bOOk-keeper in grocery house. We had
about seventy-five dollars a month. II
was not much; but it enabled us to have
little reunion once in a while, talk of
the past and devise projects for the fu-
ture over quiet glass of beer, in a retir-
ed room just off from Main street
After long chat one evening on our
hopes and fears, Smith said: "All non
sense, my dear fellows, we have neither
of us the means of making a fortune.
But an idea strikes me-cOuld we not
get the credit of being rich 90
| And to what purpose ~ l suggested.
at gives one a position in the world.
A large inheritance augments the con-
sideration in which we are held. Then
| everything becomes easy"
Il recollect," said l, "of an uncle of
mine, who went our to California at the
time of the gold fever, and he has never
returned nor been heard from since"
| That's just it. Well bring your
uncle to life-or rather, we'll kill him.
| IngOts, gOld-dust, shares in mines and
| crushing mills, shares in railroads, banks
and government securities, will have a
grand effect. No doubt there are many
returned gold-seekers of that time, fortu-
nate and otherwise, from st. Louis to st.
Joseph along the river towns, that re-
memember your uncle or have met him
in the gold fields"
scamps, land leave the bulk of his for
tune-three millions and half of dol
lars-to Mac Arone."
J We laughed heartily at the joke, and
had another round of beer l thought
no more of the circumstance, and you
may guess of my establishment when
took up the paper, on which Robinson
was local and read among the city items
81 Lucky FellOO.-We learned yester-
day, from party of gentlemen just re-
turned from Montana, of the death OF
Mac Arone, ST., one of the most fortu-
nate of miners, who was attracted to the
gold regions several years ago. He was
MORALLY wounded by party of Indians
and after being carried to Helena, had
just time to make his will, and leave
the bulk of his savings-sOme s., SOC, 00O
Ito his nephew, Mac Arone, who now
occupies the humble position of book.
keeper at--& Co, on Main street
We wish Mac ArOne, Jr., Joy of his good
fortune; and as he was always a hearty
jovial kind of fellow, he has now three
and half million additional claims on
our regard"
/ The evening paper and the other morn.
ing paper rehashed the item, and the two
fellows retailed the story with all the Sc
robustness imaginable.
The next day people came in groups
to compliment me. My employers want
4 ed me to go in partnership with them
and extend the business. 1 disavowed
the report, as a matter of course, but no.
body would believe me. Many in Kan.
sas City knew my uncle well-they had
met him in different mining districts OF
Montana and California. Some had
been fellow-travelers of his from one
place to another. All put him down as
a lucky, shrewd, intelligent miner.
Among the number of these visitors
| Nsho O1C Vi LIAOSI dSICCdDlC. lIn Tile
within of young man, had some time
previously ordered fashionable suit OF
clothes to go out in. 1t was nearly worn
out, and was yet owing about half the
price of it. There had been for some
time past GOODNESS between the tailor
and myself. His opportunities wished
to avoid. The rumor of my legacy made
him hasten to find me. Such was the
penalty paid for the foolish pleasantly
of my friends.
Good day, Mr.. Snip" said 1, with
some embarrassment, al suppose you
have come for those fifty dollars that ]
owe your"
by no means, my dear Mac Arone
never thought of it. You do not
imagine would think of dunning YOU
for such paltry trifle? No, sir; 1 came
to solicit you for the manufacture OF
your mourning suit"
What mourning suit ?'
For your uncle. No doubt you will
desire two suits for change-silk hat
craped, white shirt, black, etc.
Just now, Mr.. Snip, such an order
from me would be impossible"
Il hope you don't think, Mr.. Mac
Arone, of Withdrawing your patronage
You know my materials are prime
my workmen first class, and my prices
are as moderate as you can find them
even in st. Louis"
81 tell you again, have not yet re
ceived-"
al beg of you, my dear Mr. Mac Arone
not to speak of money! am not pressed
lit will come soon enOugh"-and Mr.
Snip, who had already taken out his
scissors, passed his measure around nv
waist, was certainly in want of clothes
and therefore permitted him TO take his
measurement
No sooner was he gone than another
individual entered.
Mr.. Mac Arone you must do me 6
great service. Buy my house and lot
You are rich-very rich; you want some
real estate in Kansas City. Forty thous
and dollars are nothing to you, and al
present am in urgent need of money
expected Mr.. Hardcash to buy it, but
he does not decide, and / have some
pressing engagements to settle"
AZ buy your house-what nonsense y
at is no nonsense. 1t is q safe invest
ment. In two years it will be worth
double the amount. have your word, >
and he left without giving me time tC
reply.
. So well did he circulate the report O,
my purchase, that very soon Mr. Hard
cash, apparently in bad humor, honored
me with a hurried visit. He at once re
marked:
sNFr Mac Arona 7 co1rOt d ,,,;.l..