Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1891-02-28


modify, and he sought to purchase
it with frankness. He was, however,
10th to betray his secret all at once,
but prepared me beforehand by
various significant hints to appre-
ciate better its mysterious nature.
One evening, when he was smoking
one of my cigars before my fire, he
said: II am getting very hard up;
must raise some money"
said: "How will you do it,"
II have method OF my own" he
answered, (which apply whenever
| am in need OF ready cash"
what is it likeP"
He smiled with the smile of
sphinx, as he replied:
Il call it Il system of absence"
On several occasions he made use
OF phraseology similar to the above.
For example, once he said to me:
Il get good enough living out of
not being i'll certain places at certain
times" Further he would not ex-
plain.
About this time his creditors. of
whom the crop seemed to be peren-
NAL, began to press him close, and it
was evident that, unless the ready
cash should presently come to his
rescue, he was lost-that is, lost in
the same way that lie had been lost
many times before. In the nick of
time the money came, however, and
he proceeded, with the skill OF n
practical debtor, to make u small
stream of cash irrigate vast area
of credit. This being accomplished,
he was at ease again; and one night,
over a bottle of wine and cigars, he
told me how he had raised the mon
ey.
at wasn't much" he said careless
ly- five or six hundred. manage
to raise that sum about four times u
year. Ii you understand how to
make it go-good as twice that, you
know. Now, I'll tell you. have,
back east, number of relatives
rich, respected, and all that. Money
comes from them. Easy enough, you
think? Well, | wonder l am the
black sheep OF the outtit-scapegrace,
you know. And do you imagine,
they would ever give up bean for
me, If | did not come at 'em with
something worse than gun? Why
sir, the whole bloody layout is os
mean, and they hate me so, that, |
give you my word, il | was roasting
in the lowest depths oil Sheol, there
isn't one of 'em would loan you n
fork to go and see if was done. No,
sir! That's the kind of citizens they
are. But | notice they come up pref
ty regular Just the same"
He ficked the ashes from his high
priced cigar into the fireplace with
an impressive gesture. Then from
his desk he produced several letters
and a large book labeled journal y
Here il is, heexclaimed, throwing
the book down on the table in front
OF me; '"Richard kerth's Ready Let
er-Writer, or the Art OF Holding up
Your Relations And here are sam.
pie returns" he added, dropping the
letters on the table. But you had
better begin at my end of the trans
action. Read the in hook first-thC
last batch of letters copied there.
always copy 'em so as to keep track
OF what Pm doing"
opened the volume at the place
which he indicated, and began to
read aloud: "Hiram Griffin, Cleve
land, Ohio: My Dear Uncle"
3 my mothers only brother" in
( terpolated the scapegrace-"Presby
terrain elder-hardware merchant
moral citizen"
r read on; 81 suppose you will b,
devilish glad to learn that have al
last decided to turn my face home
! ward, | am tired Of wandering, anC
it's ID poor picking out here.
T expect to start in couple OF week,
: unless ! hear from you in the mean
. time. A lot OF California stock viii
be entered at the fall meeting o.
Cleveland, and think can fix fol
e both of US to get let in on the grounC
/ floor, so that we can make gooC
thing out of it. How are Bill anC
jimmy"
William and james" said TIN
black sheep, rolling up his eyes; ''hii
0 sons, whom he is bringing up in tn
/ way they should go-pious youth
g OF sixteen or Whereabouts"
go expect they would enjoy n
? races and some OF life that | coult
> show them. | plan to spend n montl
& in Cleveland, and perhaps may 10
4 cate there. Some OF the fellows ar
: making up party to go to Chinna
! II had couple OF hundred more
would go with them, hut have onI,
= Just enough TO take me home. You
;. affectionate nephew-Richsrd.'
, Gold chiIls ran down his bac
= when he read that letter." said MI
I, Kerth. Here is his reply. He pray
for the salvation OF my soul, and in
.. closes check Tor two hundred. See
Z Read the next one"
II 1t was addressed to rs. Won Doc
O san Kerth, The Baeuchamp, New-Yor
d City," and began: Dear Uncle"
n Fathers brother, the scapegrac
explained; "batchelor-great swell
" He never saw me, and has an idea