The Forrest City times., 1891-02-06
answered, which l apply whenever
 am in need of ready cash" "What ia if liEe?v

| hAV oihtiCd NAtu tllr Sifittc LII I | sphinx. as he replied
 ''l c,lh it a system of absence" On several occasions he made uss o' phraseology similar to the above. l For example. once he said to me 'I get a good enough living out o not being ill certain places at certain times" Further he would not ex. plain.
 About this time his creditors, ol whom the crop seemed to be peren- nial. 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 he 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 a small | stream of cash irrigate vast area ot credit. This being accomplished he was at ease again; and one night, over n bottle of wine and cigars, he told me how he had raised the mon ey. ''It wasn't much" he said careless ly- five or six hundred manage to raise that sum about four times a year. If you understand how to make it go-good as twice that, you know. Now, I'll tell you. l have, back east, a number of relatives rich, respected, and all that. Money comes from them Easy enough, you think? We'll, 1 wonder. am the black sheep ot the outfit-scapegrace, you know. And do you imagine. they would ever give up n bean for me, II l did not come at 'em with something worse than n gum Why sir, the whole bloody layout is os mean, aud they hate me so, that, l give you my word, if l was roasting m the lowest depths of Sheol, there isn't one of 'em would loan you Il fork to go and see if was done No, sirl That's the kind of citizens they are. But notice they come up pret- tv regular just the same"
 He licked 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 :"
 Here 1t is, heexclaimed, throwing the book down on the table in front of me; ''Iiichard Kerth's Ready Let ter Writer, or the Art oi 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 book first-the last batch of letters copied there. always copy 'em so as to keep track of what I'm doing"
 ] opened the volume at the place which he indicated, and began to read aloud: Hiram Griffin, Cleve- land. Ohio: My Dear Uncle-'"
 My mothers only brother" in terpolated the scapegrace-"Presb terian elder-hardware merchant moral citizen"
 l read on: "'l suppose you will be devilisi glad to learn that have at last decided to turn my face home ward, l am tired of wandering, and it's d--d poor picking out here. I expect to start in couple of weeks unless l hear from you in the mean time. A lot ot California stock will be entered at the fall meeting at Cleveland. and think can fix for both of us to get let in on the ground floor, so that we can make Il good thing out of it. How are Bill and Jimmy?-"
 William and James," said the black sheep, rolling up his eyes; ''hs sons, whom he is bringing up in the way they should go-pious youths ot sixteen or thereabouts.
 "' expect they would enjoy the races and some ot life that I could show them. plan to spend q month in Cleveland. and perhaps may To- cate there. Some of the fellows are making up party to go to Chinna. IL had Il couple of hundred more l would 20 with them, hat have only just enough to take me home Your affectionate nephew-isichard.'
 Gold chills ran down his back when he read that letter" said Mir. kerth. Here is his reply He prays for the salvation of my soul, and in closes q check tor two hundred. See? Read the next one"
 It was addressed to IS. Von Doc san kcrth. The Baeuchamp, New York City" and began: Dear Uncle.'
 Fathers brother, the scapegrace explained; "batchelor-grcat swell. He never saw me, and has an idea l am very wild and woolly, like every thing west of Croton Aqueduct.
 Tread as iolows. Dear unele-- Res pected brother oi my parent; take my pen in hand to let ynn know that two weeks from date l shqil take tho train tor your city, and shall visit you at the Beauehsmp House. where you are staying. II you saould happen to be out ol town l will wait until you como back. for 1 mean to live in your city here atcr; hope to get n joh there. know yon will help me. as your brothers son to get a job. Perhaps Mir Beauchamp would like man Ia carry trunks. know you will be glad to see me IL could get intn the gro cery business here l would stay. and man know oi will take me in far two hundred dollars. Please look or me at the depot in the emi-rant-cnrs. Your ney h.w. Richard ."
 "lmagine Uncle Van Doosan read ing that epistIe at his club" said the scapegrace; Il wonder it didn't give him stroke olnpoplexy. However, it was not the first of it's kind. He always comes up. don't have tn whistle twice to him."
 The next was addressed to "Mrs. Elizabeth Pennington, Germantown, Dh,lo alnhi,