Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1888-02-08
Hard Cash.

bly, thought OF dozen Loop holes to
let you out, but you don't know how
loop-holes slip away from you when
it comes to the actual pinch.
I'll meet you at Long Branch to-
morrow at 10 o'clock A. NJ" read
telegram which l received in New
York.
Next morning put FIVE dollar
bill in my vest pocket, bought tick
ct for Long Branch, and in due time
was landed at that station. was be-
hind time and, therefore took car
riage to ride up to the West End Ho-
tel. The fare was half a dollar, and
l handed the man the five. No,
| didn't. 1t wasn't in my vest pock-
cts, my pantaloons pockets, my coat
pockets, my hip pockets, my hat or
my shoes. l became convinced of
this after ten minutes search. The
driver isn't convinced yet. / asked
him to give me 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.
l went to see my friend and was hand
ed the following telegram:
Sorry to disappoint you, but l can
not come. Will meet you in New
York, Saturday"
l saw that l must telegraph to New
York for money, and as ! walked to-
wards the operators desk / blessed
the man who invented the idea of
mixing lightning and finance together.
"Sixty-fve cents" said the operat-
or as he counted the words.
Collect at the other end"
"Oh, no 1! not unless you are ident-
ifed," he chuckled as he returned it.
1t was just possible that l might
run across some one in the place who
would help me out. took one hotel
after another and scanned their regis
ters for week past. No good. Then
l walked a mile and half to the
postoffice, and mile and half back.
Every face was strange. Sudden
thought! I'd pawn my watch. l
kicked myself for not thinking of the
scheme before, and then started for
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 some mon
ey 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 fifteen minutes ago looking
for you and that watch! You'd bet
ter skip"
That ended the watch business with
him. l thought I'd 60 back and try
to interest the hotel clerk. l had
scarcely entered the big hotel when
he beckoned to me, and as the dis
tance between US was reduced to the
width Of the counter, he said:
"If you owe the hack-driver any
thing why don't you pay him? We
don't want him calling here every ten
minutes"
81 don't pay him because I've lost
my money"
"Humph! Did you come here on
your last dollar?"
81 can get money by telegraphing
to New York"
"Oh! you canl Then I'd tele-
graph.
will you guarantee me to the OPP
orator? ?"
"No, SIR"
went out into the wide world
again to wonder what / could do un-
der the circumstances. On the ve-
randa was a benevolent looking old
gentleman who seemed to eye me
kindly, and ON the impulse of the mo-
ment / walked straight up to him and
said
"My dear sir, through an acci.
dent am dead broke, and l want
you to lend me few shillings to send
telegram off after money"
"Oh ha! ha! ha You do, eh ?"
he laughed. "Well, you are cheeky
man-very cheeky
"How ?"
"Why, you struck me day before
yesterday for 81, yesterday for dol
lar, and now you've come down to a
few shillings. Do you think l am
blindi Do l look like an idiot? If|
you bother me any more it will be my
duty to give you over to a detective"
| concluded not to bother him any
moro and starfed for tho station de- |
termined to board train and cheek
it with the conductor. On the way
down | met a stranger wearing a
badge inscribed "A. o. u. W." The
problem was solved Here was a
friend and brother! gave him the
hailing sign and. Come to try it on
l had forgotten the sign. / sought