The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1878-11-21
By MAC ARONE.

ments, have squatted in st. Louis.
! am now a rich mana nabob. The
Assessor has assessed me at $4,000
have MAC Arone Castle" nearly complet-
ed, and crowd of upholsterers and supply
merchants solicit my patronage. Piles Of
sweet-scented notes daily beg the favor Of
my society to dinners, suppers and even
ing parties.
And yet If was not always so. can rec
ollect when was as poor as soverty-when
vainly solicited employment whereby !
might live honestly and decently. Nobody
would listen to me; nobody cared for me-
Bankers looked suspiciously at my appear
ance. Clergymen gave me mess of'cold
shoulder. They could make nothing out
ofme. Grocers and saloon-keepers eyed
me with mistrust when | asked for FIVE or
ten cents worth of their wares. Ny tailor
.roald have the money in advance for a
suit Of clothes badly needed.
Unable to do anything in st. Louis, l,
with two frends-cOmpanions In misery
resolved that we would try our luck in
Kansas City. Their names were John
Smith. a vender of patent rights, compiler
of directories. and protector of advertising
lodges; and Albert Robinson. Bohemian,
who was for some time local reporter on
one of the st. Louis dailies, but at the
time speak of. out of situation. money.
friends and hopes Robinson had manu-
script of FIVE hundred and forty pages of
foolscap, entitled ''Millerism Exposed: or
the Perpetuity Of the Earth II was a
well-written, logical treatise, and would
have made him reputation to be proud Of
But NJ publisher would undertake to print
1t for the poor fellow.
We three packed up our little valises and
took passage for Kansas City. There we
were more fortunate. Smith obtained a
clerkship in dry goods house. Robinson
scared a position on one Of the morning
papers. / became salesman and book keep
er in a grocery house. We had about
seventy-tve dollars a month. 1t was not
much; but it enabled us to have little
reunion once in a while, talk of the past
and devise projects for the future over a
quiet glass of beer. in retired room just
off from Main street.
After long chat one evening on our
hopes and fears. Smith said: "All nom
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?''
And to what purpose?" ! suggested.
1T gives one position in the world.
A large inheritance augments the con-
sideration In which we are held. Then
everything becomes easy.
II recollect,' said |. ''of an uncle of
mine, who went out to California at the
time of the gold fever. and he has never re-
turned nor been heard from since"
That's just it. Wen bring your uncle
20 life-Or rather, well kill him. Ingots,
gold-dust. shares in mines and crushing
mills, shares in railroads. banks and gov
ernment securities. will have a grand effect
No doubt there are many returned gold
seekers of that time. fortunate and other
wise, from st. Louis to st. Joseph along
the river towns. that remember your uncle
or have met him in the gold fields
Let us kill him." continued the two
scamps, land leave the bulk of his fortune
three millions and half of dollars-to
Mac Arone.
We laughed heartily at the joke. and
had another round Of beer. ! thought no
more Of the circumstance, and you may
guess of my astonishment when took up
the paper. on which Robinson was local,
and read among the city items:
"a Lucky FeIlow.-We learned yester-
day. from party of gentlemen Just re-
turned from Montana. Of the death of Mac
Arone, ST.. one of the most fortunate of
miners, who was attracted to the gold re-
gions several years ago. He was MORALLY
wounded by party of Indians. and after
being earned to Helena. had Just time to
make his will. and leave the bulk of his
savings-some $500. OO0-to his nephew.
Mac Arone. who now occupies the humble
position of ook-keeper at - Il Co..
on Main street We wish Mac Arone. Jr..
joy of his good fortune: and as he was al
ways hearty, jovial kind of a 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 serii-
BUSINESS imaginable.
The next day people came in groups to
compliment me. My employers wanted
me to 60 in partnership with them and
extend the business. ] disavowed the re-
port. rs matter Of course. but nobody
would believe me- Many in Kansas City
knew my uncle well-they had met HIM in
different mining districts of Montana and
California. Some had been fellow-trayel-
ers of his from one place TO another. All
put him down As lucky. shrewd. intelli-
gent miner.
Among the number of these visitors was
one not the most agreeable. With the
whim of a young man. | had some time
previously ordered fashionable suit of
clothes to GO out in. II was nearly worn
out. and was vet owing about half the
pnce of it. There had been for some
time past GOODNESS between the tailor and
myself. His opportunities | wished 10
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 with some
embarrassment, 81 suppose you have come
for those fifty dollars that owe you?"
by no means. my dear Mac Arone:
never thought Of it. You do not imagine
would think Of dunning you for such a
paltry tnfe? No. sir: | came to solicit
you for the manufacture of your mourning
suit"
What mourning suit -
For your uncle, No doubt Won will
desire two suits for a change-silk hat,
craped. white shirt. black. etc.
Just now. Mr.. Snip. such An order from
me would be impossible
Il hope you dom think. Mr.. Mac Arone.
Of Withdrawing your patronage. You
know my materials are prime,
my worknen frst-class. and nv prices as
moderate as you can find them-even in
st. Louis.