Hand County press. (Miller, Dakota [S.D.]) 1882-1893, 1884-01-30
CHOICE LUMBER.
The Old Circus. Riders Unconscious
Speculation in Box a.
Stalls.
F'}EEs "a Co., EErr.
New York Sun. |

@The funniest thinS ever heard Of in the
way Of a wood speculation" said Charlie
Stow, the famous circus agent, "was the story
of, Jim Robinson's box stalls, Jim had TO
take four tr;.inei horses from little port in
the West Iniies to Marselles, France, aud
had to have some box stalls built on the YES
sci. He had great difficulty in finding lunl-
Der, but at last a local merchant said: i
have a LITTLE lumber on hand, AMI will see 70
four box stalls being bulls ON board for you
at no higher cost than tue simple value OF
the lumber aud work OF construction :r
"Wheu the stalls were lsS!t Robinson was
much pleasel, although he could not see any
particular necessity for making them of such
very large and thick tinbers and boards. But
when. he weptt ray the bill ami heard tlist
the acsual cost of tn Lumbar and work
arnounte to sfoo, he was asteunded Hewas
too much Of gentleman To kick on complain,
and he paid the bill, but went away feeling
that an advantage had been taken of him.
Just as the vessel reached Marselles, her
steward approached Robinson and said 10
him: T. ...
.'I you d like TO buy of you ~ four box
stalls Eat you have on board =
"Whst win you give for themf Robinson
asked, indiffeIently, wondering what aay-
body wanted To buy second hand stalls fIr IN
country where lumber must be plentiful
Al will give 8, 900 francs sal the French
man. ,,...-A Eli. .a.
Robinson lo5ked at him in amazsuent,
but promptly coming 10 the conclusion that
anybody who W Juli Off r $40 for four old
box stalls must be a lunatic, and that he
didn't want to r0A 4 crazy man., replied;
Well, I'll think about it and let you know
later and walked OF. He went up town TO
see about stabln%, am when he got back to
the vessel was met by Q man who said W
him: g. tH'' a..
~ understand that You have four horse
stalls OH board there? .-sf
Yes
=~tDo you want TO sell tho,n*
"'No objections. - 81 ~ ...
AZ will give you 4,O0l francs for Them o..
|Jim fairly jumped with astonishment
but, thinking" that he hal struck another
maniac, went, aboard without taking any
further notice of tLe man. The steward
tackled him again as sooiEas he reached the
deck with another offer Of 3,15J francs, and
Jim Just had patience enough TO tell him that
somebody had already seen that bid and
gone better when tue captain OF the vessel
stepped up and offered him 60U francs for
his stalls, and tried to cinch the bargain by
q threat If jim tried TO take them away. Jim
fared up and rushed to st his men at work
getting the horses and staas ashore s,- .-
Just as they we're commencing the work
a new man came oG the scene, who said:
Are you The owner of these stallsf
"-Yes, am, and what have you got 10 say
about itf r..s -
~! Nothing. O,ly that l would like to
buy them fromyou.' Ls. .s.. 80 r-.. ..
$50 you've escaped from the same asylum.
have yogg exclaimed Jim. -s-a d..
I" i don't know what you mean, but / want
the stalls and will give s. 800 francs for them.'
@'You will And take 'en as they stands
- Certainly, l shophi prefer to do so, as l
can have them taken down with care ...
For a minute Jim's compassion for the
mental wreck VINO proposed TO squander cash
on old holse-stalls alnost got the better of
him, but he hardspei his heart and responded.
They're yours. Cash up The purchaser
promptly counted out the sum- nearly 81 $50,
and it was not until hours AFTER when he
told the story to sonisb'ly who hai sens,
about such things, that th4 idea got into his
mind that his kinl West lnlian friend had
built those stalls Of malogan or rosewood,
or some other valuable tropical wood, and
that the final buyer of them had no doubt,
got bargain"