Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-03-27

been questioned now and then but his
smiling countenance had reassured all
doubters, and the first name on his paper
was magnet not to be resisted.
And now horrible thought entered
his mind as he turned homeward. Had
he enough stamps to complete his de-
sign? For the first time since he set out
the confident smile left his face. and his
features grew set and stern as he quick
ened his pace. Rushing to his room he
nervously unlocked his door, threw open
his desk and found-O, joyLfifty two
cent stamps and a pile of writing-paper
and envelopes. Seating himself as
though for long effort he drafted the
following letter:
Mr.. Aoyor: Will you kindly inform your sd-
visers that I, Richard Frothington pronounced
by Messrs.-(here he inserted his list of names)
to be the meanest man in New York City, In
tend to take up my abode in your town at once
unless receive by the mex: mail the sum OF
fifty dollars. inclose the full text OF my Gro
dentials. I am q blight to any community.
Positively no reduction for cash.
He worked away for hours writing Lett
tiers, addressing envelopes and cudgeling
his brains for the names of growing
towns in the West and Southwest. Final
" his task was completed to his salts
faction. He mailed his letters, pawned
his cane and sleeve-buttons and ate a
hearty dinner. When his cigar was
smoked out he returned to his room, sat
in meditation for awhile, and then,
weary with the sustained effort of the
day, went to bed and was soon sound
asleep.
How he existed for the next few days
it is hard to tell 81 lived on my UNCLE"
he would have said himself, and it is .
fact that even his overcoat fell a sacri-
fee to his vulgar craving for food-and
cigars. He told his landlady that he
expected remittance from the West,
and from the eager way in which he
watched the postman she was inclined
to believe him. A week went by and
he began to fear that his syndicate was
. failure. Collapse in the Richard
Frothington Trust" he imagined as
headline in the newspapers, and wan
smile overspread his pale face at the
thought.
One day, as he had just arisen and
was wondering where he could obtain
credit for a breakfast, rap came to his
door and a servant handed him three
letters. One was from town in Ala
bama, another from an ambitious city
in Nebraska and the third from Big
town, Mont. His heart beat rapidly
and his hands trembled as he opened
the epistle from the South. 1t was very
short:
Mr. Frothington.
Sir: Your communication received. Go to tho
devil. Per order OF the Common Council
"Whewr' exclaimed Frothington. SIS
this Southern courtesy? But I'll have
my revenge. I'll disobey the order of
the common council"
Then he opened the letter from Ne
braska. 1t was not quite as harsh as the
preceding:
Dear Sir: Thanks for your favor Of the til. |
Can not entertain your proposition, as our
funds are completely exhausted by our effort |
to obtain the Worlds Fair OF 1892. Might
make you a feature of the show, If get it. |
Keep us informed Of your future movements
This was not SO bad, but could not be
turned into cash.
Heartsick, Frothington opened the
communication from Bigtown, Mont.
To his delight and standardization
he had lost faith in his scheme-a check
for fifty dollars fell into his hand. The
letter read;
Mr.. Frothington.
Dear Sir: AS our town now holds the mean
ISL man III Inc w cSC We l0c1 LQ1L your pres
ence would be ruinous. Please send us at once
q sworn afhdavit to the effect that you will
never visit Bigtown.
Frothington jumped about the room
in ecstacy. He had sent out forty-fve
letters. If he obtained fifty dollars
apiece from one-third of them he would
have seven hundred and fifty dollars at
his command, enough to last him until
again inspired.
That afternoon, however, his delight
was somewhat dashed by the receipt of
two letters threatening him with prose-
cution for blackmail. But with them
was another epistle containing fifty
dollar check, so he cast dull care away
and spent the evening at the theater.
Ten letters reached him in the morn
ing. Only three of them contained
money. One town in South Dakota
sent him twenty-five dollars. ssNot,"
said the mayor, ''because we recognize
your claim, but as a reward for origin
atty
1t was not until two days later that
he was handed the comm unication
which decided his fate. 1t was dated
from Slashington, Kan, and ran as fol-
lows:
Richard Frothington.
Honored Sir: You have doubtless heard Of
the riproaring push and get-there energy which
characterize our town. We have now . church,
three drug stores, eleven houses, fourteen
aldermen and q mayor. If you are, as your let.
ter asserts the meanest man in New York, we
want you to come here at once. Your services
are needed in booming this place and selling
town-lots. Inclosed you will find a ticket from
New York to Slashington. Telegraph us when
you leave and well have . band ready to meet
Sou.
The letter was signed by the mayor
and fourteen aldermen.
Frothington looked pensively from his
window. "What is New York to me
that should weep for her?" he unused.
Farewell, metropolis, go to Kansas,
toSlashington, where appreciation fame,
friends and fortune await me-"