Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-12-03
THEY BOTHERED HIM SOME.


Il was in a pretty good sized Canadian
town not very far from the border" said
the drummer, land was going away on
the train Saturday night. AS sat in
the hotel about train time it occurred to
me that all the money had with me
was $50. and that was one of those yell
low backed United States gold certifi-
Gates Now, thought. the chances are
the landlord has never seen one of these.
and I'll probably have trouble. However,
when the bus driver called out the train
went over to the counter, put my over
coat on, whistliug softly to give myself
an air OF innocence, and then | took out
the bill and handed it to the landlord.
'Heyr says he. nothing smaller than
this?'
81 stopped whistling long enough to
say nope
He looked at it while sought my
valise.
" 4 spose it's good enough, he said.
"'Wish had a hundred of em, said |.
"The landlord took roll of bills from
his pocket in hesitating way. laid
down ten and five, turned partly
around and pretended to be looking for
some ones and twos, although saw that
he had plenty of them.
mo use. he said, Il can't make the
change
"'Well. what can dor said l.
He didn't make any suggestion.
I've only six cents said, aside
from that bill, and there isn't time to
get it changed anywhere else tonight.
''Oh, well-pay me when you come
back, said he, preferring to risk losing
the thirty-fve cents chats the price of
supper over therel rather than take the
bill.
"'Fll give it to the 'Dus driver at the
depot said, and went out followed
by the silent looks of the assembled com
pany, who undoubtedly congratulated
tine landlord as soon as the door was
shut on escaping with so small a loss as
thirty-five cents.
81 was exasperated and was afraid
the experience would be repeated at the
station, and what I'd do then didn't
know. wasn't acquainted with soul
III town, and even if had been |
couldn't have got the matter fixed to
get away that night
Ticket for Detroit, said, and laid
down the bill, while the bus driver
stood behind me waiting
SIN; Hest you've gotg says the ticket
seller, looking at the bill on both sides.
Only thing can give YOU said l.
He laid it down and studied it care
fully = many o these darned things
fetf h..
there boiling mad. but keeping placid
face.
1T seems to be all right, though he
said at last, and then he gave me the
ticket and change
Il handed the driver his money
laughed with him about the landlord be-
ing afraid to chirnge the bill, and then
weat out and walked up and down the
platform. feeling bully.
Some one touched me on the shout
der. 1t was the ticket seller. I'm n
leetle afraid o that BILL said he in a
half apologetic tone
Come into the office, said, and I'll
try and fix it up, and as I was running
ing around for card happened to re-
member that had a check in my pocket
for about $40. which customer in an
other town had given me to send to the
firm. showed that to the agent He
was puzzled to know what to do
II believe. he said at last, I'd rather
have this than the bill There's so many
of those bills counterfeited | don't like
the looks of it, Then he gave Inc back
the twenty and twenty more and took
the check
You can imagine what | thought of
that man. There was u check that he
knew nothing about. drawn to the order
OF firm he knew nothing about, in
dorsed by u man he knew nothing about,
and yet he took it rather than take n
bill for half the amount guaranteed by
the United States government. Lord!
when got through being mad was
struck with the righteousness of the
thing and | laughed all the way to De-
troit. and laughed again the next day
when ! handed the bill to the clerk
at The Russell house and told him
about it.
Well, said another drummer, they
are anything but fly over the line. and
that's a fact
Perhaps So" said the first man. but
the Russell house wouldn't take the bill
and the bank wouldn't take it today.
and darn it, ! guess it is counterfeit
after all. Detroit Free Press