St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1886-11-11
VERY HARD CASH.
Detroit Free Press.


and what you'd do if you found your
self among strangers without a red
cent in your pocket? You've probably
thought of a dozen lOopholes to let You
out, but you dOu't know how lOOphOles
slip away from you when it comes to
the actual pinch.
T'll meet you at Long Branch, to-
morrow at 10 o'clock a. M, read tel
egram which | received in New York.
Next morning | put So bill into my
vest pocket, bought a ticket for Long
Branch and in due time was landed at
that station. | was behind time, and
therefore, took carriage to ride up to
theWest End hotel. The fare was
half dollar, and l handed the man
the five. No, l didn't. 1t wasn't in
my vest pockets, my pantalOOn pock-
cts, my coat pockets, my hip pockets,
my hat or my shoes. | became con-
WINGED of this after 10 minutes search.
The driver isn't convinced yet. | asked
him to give me a little time to find my
friend, and while he agreed to this
he warned me that he meant to have
cash or blood before the day was over.
went in to see my friend and was
handed the following telegram
"SOrry to disappOint you, but can't
come. Will see you in New York Sat
urday."
| saw that l must telegraph to New
York for money, and as l walked
toward the orators desk | blessed the
man who invented the idea of mixing
lightning and finance together.
"Sixty- five CENTS" said the operator,
as he counted the words.
"COllect at the other end"
"Oh, no not unless you are identi-
fed !" he chuckled, as he returned it.
1t was just possible that might run
across some one in the place who'd
help me out. l took one hotel after
the other and scanned their registers
for a week past. No good. Then |
walked a mile and half to the post
office and a mile and half back. Ev-
cry face was strange. Sudden thought.
I'd pawn my watch. | kicked myself
for not thinking of the scheme before,
and then | started for a pawn shop.
There wasn't one in the place. | went
into an eating house and said to the
man at the desk:
81 want three or four dollars on this
watch until L can get money from New
York by telegraph"
He did not even glance at it, but
fastened his eyes on me and slowly re-
piled:
"There was detective in here not
more than Is minutes ago looking for
you and that watch You'd better
skipI'
That ended the watch business with
him. | thought I'd go back and try
and interest the hotel clerk. | had
scarcely entered the big hotel when he
beckOned to me, and us the distance
between us was reduced to the width
of the counter, he said:
eff you owe the hack driver any
thing why don't you pay him ? We
don't want him calling here every 10
minutes"
81 don't pay him because Pve lost
my money"
"Humph! Did you come here on
your last dollarq"
81 can get money by telegraphing to
New York"
"Oh you can Then I'd telegraph"
"Will you guarantee me to the Oper-
atOr?"
"No, sir"
| went out into the wide world again
to wonder what | could do under the
circumstances. On the veranda was a
MISUNDERSTANDING old gentleman who
seemed to eye me kindly, and on the
impulse of the moment | walked
straight up to him and said:
"My dear sir, through an accident |
am dead broke, and | want you to lend
me a few shillings to send off tele-
gram after money"
"Oh! ha ha! ha! You do, ell ?"
he laughed. swell, you are a cheeky
man-very cheeky"
"Howq'
"Why, you struck me day before
yesterday for 50, yesterday for dol
lar and now you've come down to
few shillings. Do you think Pm blind?
Do look like an idiot If you bother
me any more it will be my duty to
give you away to a detective!"
| concluded not to bother him any
termined to board train and cheek it
with the conductor. On the way down
| met stranger wearing a badge in
scribed: ga. o. U. W." The problem
was solved Here was friend and
brother 1 gave him the mailing sign
and. Come to try it on l had for
SOGCCu OhO SASh. cOuShO W AOOOliOOC
the password but l couldn't remember.
l tried to give him the grip and he
slowly drew his hand away and coOlly
remarked:
stranger, if you try to fool with
me I'll knock you down."
| went to the railroad station and
sat down on the platform, and the
hack driver came down after me and
said he'd lick me to kindling wood if |
didn't pay that so cents. l got rid of
him by giving him 25 cent knife to
hold as security, and he had just gone
when a couple of men sat down and
began to dispute about the price of
bathing tickets. One said they were
% cents and the other stuck for 90"
"Bet you a five !" exclaimed the first.
"Take it," tersely replied the sec
ond.
AS the money was put into my hands
l asked their names and address, while
they were SO excited that no questions
were asked in return. They entered IA
hack and drove off to see who was
right, and the vehicle was yet in sight
when | bought my ticket and boarded
the train for New York. / returned
the money next day, and on the sec
ond received this note:
LONG BRANCH, 18th, sc.
Dear Sir: Money received. You are
the most honest dead beat we ever met
with. Can't understand your game.
Yours, etc. L. and G-