Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1883-06-01

Olson wrote this advertisement herself,
and she prided herself on the little trick
of putting in that little word "advant-
age.p This, she argued, would surely
bring the man, whereas n cold, un-
promising statement would not
The second morning after the ap-
pearanco of the advertisement, three
men were waiting for Mr.. Olson when
he entered his office. One of these en-
tered his private office with easy as
surance, before he had removed his
overcoat, and placing the advertisements
he had clipped from the paper on Mr..
Olsons desk stated that he had come
in answer to the request contained
therein.
This man was not shabbily dressed,
and he affected the air of superior
man, compelled by circumstances to do
what he would not do were he not in
distress. Mr.. Olson had imagined that
his namesake was shallow man, with
tremendous promise on the surface, like
the smooth-faced, soft-haired individual
now before him, and he was about to
tell the story of the letter and say plain
ly that he was ready to assist the man
to help his family, when glance from
Mr.. Bradford caused q change of pro-
gramme. This glance had the conf
dence of "fgures won't lie" in it, and
intimated that the visitor was n fraud.
Mr.. Olson, without accepting the esti-
mate, resolved to be on his guard. The
and in answer to direct question, said
his wife and two small children were in
the city and in condition bordering on
l. -
but such was the case; he had come
from Pittsburgh just after his marriage,
and had been quite well to do until the
panic spoiled all his plans.
Mr.. Olson informed the man, who
was much inclined to enlarge upon his
woes, that he was not the person want
ed, and was at once appealed to to give
the applicant enough money to pur-
chase breakfast The money was Civ
en-, and with profound bow of thanks
the man departed, apparently in very
happy frame of mind. Mr.. Bradford
explained that the man name was not
Olson, and that he had made u business
of answering advertisements where as
surance and pathetic story could easi-
ly be made to do duty.
Mr.. Olson was, therefore, indignant
when the second man entered and stated
that Mrs. O'Brien's boy had told him
while he was putting in Mrs. O'Brien' S
coal, that John Olson was wanted at
| 215 Blank street, and here he was. He
was laboring man, had always lived
in the city, and knew nothing of Pitts
burgh. He departed with; mo harm
done, strangcr.''' , "a a
The third man was stout ard hearty,
except, as he remarked, in the matter
of clothes Mrs. Smith had told his
wife about the advertisement, and as he
came from Pittsburgh about 49, and as
his wife had insisted that it might NEAR
him, he thought he would call. He
didn't expect gold mine, or anything
of that kind, but thought somebody had
a job of work that would bring in few
cents for the babies. After answering
several questions he, received the an
.nouncement that he was not the man il
the best humor. 81 thought so.
never am-but wife, you know, sh,
thought ought to come" This tim
Mr.. Olson said mo harm done, sir
Leave your name and L may be able t.
throw some work in your way" An,
the man departed in great glee.
Mr.. John Olson was disappointed, an,
as he laughingly related the circum
stances to his wife, he asked: "Well
what will we do nextP"
They did nothing, although they fel
keenly that something ought to be done
Two days afterward, in the midst of
heavy snow-storm, a lady in waterproof
suit entered Mr.. Olson's office to repor
: that, as one of the ladies' benevolen
society, she had found in her district
man who answered to the name of Johl
Olson, and who, she had ascertained
had lived at Pittsburgh. This man ha,
been very sick for three weeks, and wa
still very low. He had been cared fo
during this time by family in not tn
best circumstances, and although the
had borne the extra burden withou
complaint, if the man had relatives o
friends they should look after him
Her attention had been called to the ad
vertisement by a man who the day be
fore had shoveled the snow from tn
sidewalk in front of her house, and sh
had called with the hope of finding he'll
for the invalid and relief for the family
Mr.. Olson stated briefly the relation
he held to the case, and then went wit
the lady to the house--a house wit
three rooms, sheltering man and wife
several children and the invalid. Th
man had been for few days fellow
laborer with the master of the house
and when taken sick they took him in
They knew little about him, and had nc
known, until the fever left him, that h
\ Twas married and that his wife was liv
ing.
The -sick-bed scene was not al
unusual one, and yet, it startled MI
2 Olson when he entered the room. Th
attitude, expression, and general al
pearance of the man suggested an a
most forgotten something that he coul
not recall. There was some element i
this picture that had been present j
some other picture-and yet, he coul
not recall any features of the other pict
ure. He simply entered the sick roor
with more superstitious uneasiness tina
he had ever felt before on such an occa
sion. M tg
The invalid was very weak, and h
spoke with touching humility and ter
derness of his wife. He seemed yer
child in his over-anXiety to have tn
listeners think well of her. His on
great desire now was that some on
should write to his wife and say that h
had been sick-not that he was sick
and this fact explained why he had nc
written to her. She was very excitable
and he hoped some one would writ
| very carefully so as to not needlessl
alarm her. He had thought the matte
all over, and he desired his wife to dis
pose of their little property in the East
J ern city and go to his fathers, who wa
farmer and remain there until he wa
able to start new in life.
The letter was written and mailed
and MIR. Olson became much intereste
in the sick man. The bearing of tn
: invalid was peculiar. 1t was eviden
that he had been greatly disappointe
and that he was now suffering from re
mnrsa and husuinnc himself with nnm rl