St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1883-03-30

know at all times how much he NAV
Use in his business. That was WHY |
put that money away in New York for
the crOss-eyed mans wife.
1t is true that a rumor came that the
cross-eyed man formed stock compa-
ny of capitalists, and sold them his
patent for 100000. | don't believe it
who wOuldP If he did do it he
couldn't have been such a fool as he
looked. And Chicago men are not so
liable to be fools, either.
l had been doing business with Dew
ey & 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 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 Dew
ey & Blossom were S3OO,OOO The
principal creditor, myself. The assets
were very little beyond two young
wives, with the largest and best-assOrt-
ed wardrObes | ever saw. Nothing
available for a bachelor creditor from
Illinois. Two twenty Thousand dollar
outfits, and not one garment that would
fit me or anybody belonging to me. 1t
was rough.
Dewey said Blossoms wife was a
good deal too costly. Fifty cents bar
rel profit on flour the whole year
through would scarcely pay her dry
goods bills. And it was true.
Blossom said if Dewey's wife had on
ly been satisfied when she had set the
whole female part of Long Branch
ready to drown themselves at the sight
of her costume they could have paid
seventy-tive 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
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 required to
cook sOft-bOiled eggs, and some other
useful but not shOwy matters.
The only thing of any possible value
to me among the assets of my bank
rupt correspondents was the good will
of their business. | was then an ILL
nOis miller, but, if there was money in
1t, why not become a New York flour
merchant? Why not?
Dewey & Blossom TUNED over their
accounts to me gave me a 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 flour merchant.
The failure of that firm was the be
ginning of bad luck and more followed
1t. For six months it seemed as if all
the t1Our-dealers in New York had con-
spired together to cheat me, and they
had very gratifying success. | told
old Plumb, neighbOr, about it, and he
laughed heartily.
"MosquitOes are always eager for
fresh blood. These four buzzards 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 short time
after which there was general pleasant
ness in the flour trade.
Among the country correspondents
of the late firm of Dewey & Blossom
was Edwards, of Springfield. The
commercial standing of Edwards was
estimated 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 of a person. l
remember reading it over a second time
and wondering what Edwards had done
as business man that he be pro-
nOunced 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 a 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 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" sc. W." stood for George
Washington, no doubt, but just what
this grandfather at Chicopee had to do
with the flour bills was not plain.
"She" was probably the better and
stronger half of the poor henpecked
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. Per-
baps they are. AS for John, he deserv-
ed spanking for writing such letter.
l showed 1t to my ambitious Office boy,
and warned him of the shame he would
bring upon himself if he was ever
guilty of a similar letter
The balance lie from Edwards was
never paid, but Edwards urged the
shipment of large lots of medium and
low grades -four. The flour was sent.
After leugth of time sufficient for Ed
wards to sell the -four and remit the
proceeds, then | wrote Edwards sug-
gestlng that money was next in order.
No money came but a prompt reply,
and an excuse as singular as Johns {:
''The mills at ChicOpee and HolyOke
are idle now, bnt they will soon start
up again. In the meantime they must
eat, although they can't pay.n
L have always thought could Judge
mans character by his handwriting :;
and here was another proof. G. W.
Edwards wrote like the soft-headed