The Grenada gazette., 1888-06-30

ny way " JUN tHtIn. i I0unQ they
were standing about the machinery Of
new well. which was pumping 9
steady stream into vat
Fifty barrels to-day" exultingly
exclaimed a dapper little fellow. with
huge mustache and an unmistakable
city cut to his clothes. He was stand.
ing on the platform Of the derrick,
above the crowd. as he spoke, and
seemed to be expatiating upon the
well. FIFTY barrels since sunrise!
Not flowing well, to be sure; but the
pump brings up the oil in o steady
stream. and it's my opinion that til
last as long as any well on the
ground
'lts doing splendidly." said another
man; tall dashing fellow, who was
emphatically putting a cigar.
"Them's the two owners of it." said
a man at my elbow.
Good for them," another re-
marked. "Their fortunes are as good
as made"
l fingered around the place, listen
ing to other observations that were
made upon the well and its lucky own
ers. and finally returned to the shanty
and lay down on my hard bed with a
feeling that was something like envy.
l dreamed all night Of oil-wells, and
awoke in the morning with the resolu-
tion that | would own an interest in
one of them before dark.
As l passed the spot where l had
stopped the night before. on my way
along the productive lands. l walked
over to the well again. The pumping
was going on as before, and the oil
came out in great streams into the
tank. watched it for few moments,
with that kind of fascination which
the victims of an oil-mania generally
felt, and was turning away with a
sigh. when my shoulder was tapped
by one of the proprietors, the little
fellow who had talked so glibly the
night before.
"a pretty good well, sir,' he said.
81 don't see any reason why it won't
pump like this for years.
II should be satisfied with it if !
owned it," said.
Wouldn't you like to purchase a
share Of it," he asked, rather coax
ingly.
l looked at his face, with the thought
that he was quizzing me; but he up-
peared to be perfectly serious. Seeing
that | was in doubt as to his meaning,
he pointed to printed bill posted on
the derrick. which | had not before
seen, although it was in staring cap
itals. Without giving the exact con-
tents of it, it will be sufficient to say
that it offered for sale the one-half in
terest in this well for ten thousand
dollars, the offer to stand for one week
only.
"Are you in earnest about .this2"
I asked, feeling somewhat startled.
and somewhat as if my chance had
come.
Perfectly In earnest, I'm sorry to
say he replied. "l've tried hard
enough to avoid it, but I'm driven to
it. 1t is my half that is offered. and
offered for only trihe over what l
have expended here. In few weeks
more l could easily realize ten thou.
sand dollars out of this oil; but can't
wait My house and lot in Buffalo
are to be sold on mortgage in one
week from to-day, and l can't bear to
have them sacrificed. as ! know they
will be. The property is worth more
than the sum l offer to sell out here
for; but if l am not there it may sell
for one-half of it. So you see I must
sell this interest. 1t grinds me to do
it, but for reasons l can't speak of to a
stranger; it is better, on the whole.
for me to lose the fortune that is pour
ing out Of this we'll than my home.
stead"
"Your partner might buy you OUT
l suggested.
"And glad enough would ! be to do
it." spoke up the tall man, coming just
in time to hear my remark. 'if had
the means. But haven't. Like poor
Fred. here, I've spent my last dollar in
putting down this well and getting the
to run it. If it wasn't for
the good prospects ahead. l believe my
clearinghouse keeper would have
turned me out two weeks ago. Bat
I'm better off than my partner, I've
only to hold on and gather the gold
that's coming in, while he must SELL"
My mind was half made. walked
up to the spot where the oil was gush-
ing out Of the pipe at every stroke Of
The pump. and looked as if it were
already my own. A small crowd had
lgain gathered about and such ex-
as "great thing" "lucky
'ellows," "here's fortune, sure,"
greeted my ears.
"Do you think OF purchasing about
,ere?' one Of the owners asked, fol-
owing me up. l answered in the
"Then here's your chance, sure as
,ou're a living manH' the other en-
husiastically cried. II tell you, sir.
here's no mistake about it-this is one