Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-11-23


Madam" said he, with deep pathos in his
voice, mo one can be better aware than am,
that have made many mistakes in the course
OF my life, but that quality on which think
have reason to be satisfied with myself is my
rlgidlty when know a thing is wrong. There
occurs TO me now an instance in my career
which will prove to you what / say.
Il knew man by the name Of Spotkirk who
mad invented IMMINENT for the cure of boils
He made great success with his linimen,
which he called Boiline. and at the time
speak Of he was very rich man.
''One day Spotkirk came to me and told me
hewanted me to do piece of business for him.
for which he would pay me twenty-five dollars
L was glad to hear this, for l was greatly in
need OF money, and asked him what it was
lie wanted me to do.
You know Timothy Barker said he; well,
Timothy and have had misunderstanding.
and want you to be referee or umpire
between US, to set things straight
Very good" said 1, and what is the point Of
dlherenceY"
I'm put the whole thing before you said
he, for of course you must understand it or
you can't talk properly to Timothy. Now, you
see, In the manufacture of my Bolline need a
great quantity Of good yellow gravel, and Tim
othy Barker has got gravel pit of that kind.
Two years ago l agreed with Timothy that he
should furnish me with all the gravel should
want for one-eighth of one per cent on the
profits Of the BOillne. We didn't sign no pa
pers, for which am sorry, but that was the
agreement, and now Timothy SAYS that one
eighth Of one per cent isn't enough. He has
gone wild about it, and actually wants ten per
cent and threatens to sue me if don't give it
to him.
"Are you obliged to have gravel? Wouldn't
something else do for the purpose?"
There's nothing as cheap said Spotkirk;
you see have to have lots and lots of it,
Every day fill great tank with the gravel
and let water onto it. This soaks through the
gravel and comes out little pipe in the bottom
of the tank of beautiful yellow color; some
times 1t Is too dark and thenI have to thin it
with more water
Then you bottle it? said
Yes said SpOtkirk, then there is all the
expense and labor Of bottling it.
Then you put nothing more into it?" said l.
What more goes into it before it's corked,'
SAID Spotklrk, Is my business, and nobody
else's. That's my secret, and nobody's been
able to find 1T out. People have had Boiline
analysed by chemists, but they can't find out
the hidden secret of its virtue. There's one
thing that everybody who has used it does
know, and that is that it is a sure cure for
boils. If applied for two or three days accord
ing TO directions and at the proper stage the
boil Is sure TO disappear. As a proof of its
merit have sold seven hundred and forty
eight thousand bottles this year.
AT dollar bottle?" said l. ".That ia the
retail price, said he.
Now, then. Mr.. Spotkirk," said I, sit will
not be easy to convince Timothy Barker that
one-elghth OF one per cent is enough for him.
suppose he hauls his gravel to your factory"
'Haullng's got nothing to do with it, said
ne; gravel Is only 10 cents a load anywhere,
and if l chose could put my factory right IN
the middle OF gravel pit. Timothy Barker
has nothing to complain Of
But he knows you are making lot of
money" said l, and it will be hard job to
talk him over. Mr.. Spotkirk. it's worth every
cent of $50"
Now look here said he, III you get Barker
to sign paper that will suit me III give YOU
nifty dollars. I'd rather do that than have him
bring suit. II the matter comes up in the
courts those rascally lawyers will be trying to
find out what l put into my Boiline, and that
sort OF thing would be sure to hurt my bust
ness. 1t won't be so hard to get a hold on
Barker II you go to work the right way. You
can just let him understand that you know all
about that robbery at BOnsalls clothing store
where he kept the stolen goods in his barn
covered up with hay for nearly week 1t
would be d good thing for Timothy Barker to
understand that somebody else besides me
knows about that business. and if you bring it
in right. it will fetch him around sure
Il kept quiet for minute or two and then
said:
'.Mr. Spotkirk, this is an important business.
can't touch it under hundred dollars" He
looked hard at me and then said:
".Do 1t right AMI hundred dollars is yours
and had a talk with him. Timothy was boiling
over and considered himself the worst cheated
man in the world He had only lately found
out how Spotkirk made his Boiline, and what
big sale he had for it, and he was determined
to have more Of the profits.
"'Just look at it, he shouted; when Spotkirk
has washed out my gravel it's worth more than
1t was BEFORE and he sells it for 25 cents a load
to put on gentlemens places. Even out OF that
he makes hundred and fifty per cent profit
Il talked q good deal more with Timothy
Barker, and found out a good many things
about Spotkirk's dealings with him, and then
IN an of-hand manner / mentioned the
matter OF the stolen goods in his barn,
just as / had known all about it
from the very first At this Timothy stopped
shouting and became as meek as u mouse He
said nobody was as sorry as he was when he
found the goods concealed in his barn had
been stolen, and that if he had known il before
the thieves took them away he should have
informed the authorities; and then he went on
TO tell me how he got SO poor and SO hard up,
oy giving his whole time to digging and haul
Ing gravel for Spotkirk and neglect ting his little
farm; that he did not know what was going to
become of him and his family if he couldn't
make better terms with Spotkirk for the future,
and he asked ME very earnestly to help him in
this business if i could.
Now, then, set myself to work to consider
this business. Here was a rich man depressing
poor one, and here was this rich man offer.
ing me SlOO, which IN my eyes was a regular
fortune, to help him get things so fixed that he
could keep on expressing the poor one. Now,
then, mere was chance for me to show nv
principles. Here Was a chance for me to show
myself what you, madam, call rigid; and rigid
was. l just set that dazzling 800 aside
much as l wanted it. Much as l actually
needed 1t wouldn't look at it or think of il.
Just said to myself, II you can do any good
In this matter do II for the poor man. and did
do 1t for Timothy Barker, with his poor wife
and seven children, only two Of them old
enough to help him in the gravel pit went to
SpoIkirk and talked to HIM and l let him see
that If Timothy Barker showed up the Boil,ne
business, as he threatened to do, it would be
a bad day for the Spotkirk family. He tried
hard to talk me over to his side but WAS
rigid, madam, l was rigid, and the bust
ness ended IN my getting 2 per cent of the
profits OF Boiline for that poor man. Timothy
Barker and his large family and their domestic
prosperity is entirely duel say it without
hesitation-to my efforts on their behalf, and
to my rigidity in standing up for the poor
against the rich"
''Of course" here remarked, '.you don't
care to mention anything about the money you
squeezed out Of Timothy Barker by means Of
your knowledge that he had been receiver of
stolen goods, and / suppose the Boiline man
gave You something to get the percentage
brought down from 10 per cent to T."
The tall burglar turned and looked ct me
with an air Of saddened resignation.
''Of course" said he, lit il Of no use for
man IN my position to endeavor to set himself
right In the eyes Of one who is preiudiced
against him. Nv hone In that those pre.ent