Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1888-02-04
TIE FIVE DOLLAR BILL.

''what do you think Of that thing rs q
capital to get an cducation?' qucricd the
young six footcr from the west. lie cx.
tractcd bill from long, flat pocketbook
as he spoke and tossed II upon tho table
la front Of him. IL was IS note that
had evidently passed through few hands,
and yet was no late issue hOm the gov
crnmcnt's money factory, for the dull,
furrcd lines along the crcascs told OF long
storage IN some tight quarters. With Its
whitencd places along the folds and the
remnants Of smartness about the rest Of
It's face, Il bore family resemblance to n
gray headed, rosy checked, dead black
mustaclcd police sergeant OF the old
regime.
The young man OF the cast picked up
the bill, unfoldcd II and lcisurcly In
spectcd It under the kindly glare IL the
incandcsecnt lights OF the Sixth avenue
chop house In which he and his friends
were sitting. Two "rabbits" had disap.
pcared TO make arrangements for visions
u the night, the second brace OF fat
''tobics" had suffered seriously from
draught, and half IN inch of tobacco On
each cigar had burned into flaky white
ness. II was o wet, chilling night out
side; II was CHEEKY. warm evening
within. And so tho young man Of the
east was nothing loath to hear the tale Of
tho So bill.
~ don't know why IL was" quoth the
narrator, "or just how II was that came
TO fit for college. IL was partly lack, and
partly, ! suppose, because my old Yankee
schoolmaster, who had driftetl west al.
most the year I was born, clung to the
New England idea that after tho three
RS came Latin, Greek and algebra In
every woil regulated curriculum. peggcd
away Mt them dutifully for three or four
winters-school didn't keep there in
spring or summer then, the scholars had
other engagements at that time OF the
year-without much IDEA what my work
was leading TO, until when we 'said our
pieces ON the last day OF the tcrpi, the old
one took me aside.
"'Well. he said, you're about fitted
for college, guess. Which one arc you
going tor
"rhat was the first I'd heard Of college
First the idea scared me, then II ticklcd
me. Before slept that night had made
up my mind; I'd make the venture. And
the schoolmaster settled my choice Of col.
lcGes when he said: You will have to pay
your way; you will have to make money; (;
go where there's most Of II spent, where
there are most rich youngsters who don't
realize that 81 bill sometimes means o
days work for man. They'll spend and
you'll profit, or else your fathers were
born In Connecticut for nothing
"Weil, I came east that fall, passed my
entrance cxaminations-for after all
found that tho old Yankee had :cen q
good tcacher-and struck up an acquaint-
anco with ono Of tho professors whose
looks liked. IIo gave mo valuable nd
vice, told mo where to get room. and
how 10 fit l, up with a stove, three or four
chairs. etc. / was extravagant on Just
one point-I bought good bed. When
these things were paid for had just So
this bill and some change. That night
was my own. for the college work didn't
begin until the next morning. walked
out among the dormitorics, and there I
made my first strike. a truckman had n
load of trunks 10 deliver on the eppcr
floors I offered my aid and no took It.
For that I made enough 10 be sure Of
something TO eat for another day without
impairin. my capital, aud ! felt easier
The next day began 90 get acquainted
with tho xlen, aud before night l had
secured roommate. Low as my rent
was I wanted to have Il shared b. some
one else. but eating was another qucs-
tion, my appetite permitting no division,
and, although I did my best TO pick out
the cheap ani filling from the bills Of
fare, was down 10 my Ave dollar bill he.
forc made my next discovery.
sslI-i9 N slnxan lnWQ In my flivfgfnn hnfl
formed n club and was dining with
one ut thcm when II came. My friends
were getting pretty bad board and paying
pretty dearly for II. They knew Il aS
well M I and fell TO talking about II, AMI
from the conversation got an idea. That
night l Travelled about the college neigh
borho0d until found house whose mis-
trcss agreed 1. furnish me with table nc
commotlations for ten men, do the cook
Ing aud furnish the necessary service.
had done some mental figuring In the
meantime, and knew that her price was
satisfactory. But I went to my friends,
and that evening 1 had secured nine TO
Join my club and pay me so week
apiece. On the S5i figured Il out that
I would bc able 10 pay ten meas cx-
pcnses The plan II common enough Gt a
cool many colleges, have since learned,
hut IL was new there. But soon found
that as caterer was nc disadvantage.
Il was hard work 20 get credit ut the
shops, for my e5 bill was something ]
couldn't use 90 impress the Eroccrs and
butchers successfully, my boartiers had
vigorous nppetitcs snd u catholic liking
for pretty much everything. IL was n
close scrapc Of II for a month. Then
g0t lit ahead and began 10 feel caster,
until tao circumstances combined To
nearly ruin me. They came together
ono was snow storm, the other WAS an
accident disabling ons Of my boardlers,
who owed me quite little account.
..To tell the truth. hndn't noticed how
the winter Ind been coming ON, and the
snow caught me unawares. IL meant
that must have an ovcrcnat. Just at the
time one of my sources of revenue was
cut OF. In fact, I hal been depending
upm the injured man paying mp his score
TO give me little spending money. ani I
saw ihat ~ far NJ my restaurant was ron
cerncd could look for no help from lt on
tie cloihing account. Dut had 20 have
the coat There MAS no doubt aboutit. In
fact, Il was surprising how cold felt.
There was just ore thing to do. and ! hur-
rcd down town.