Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-05-26
THE AWKWARD NOT ALWAYS SIMPLE.
An Overconfident Man Buys Little
Experience.

ne AWNWAnO MI ACVsHfo SlMFGG.
An overconfdent Man Buys a Little
Experience.
An awkward looking man walked
somewhat timidly up to the hotel clerk
and asked if Armand Withersbee was in
his room.
Armand Withersbee" replied the
hotel clerk. Don't know him."
"Hasn't he room here?" asked the
man.
No"
Not parlor D, on the second f1oor?"
be gasped, as he mopped his face with
handkerchief and produced check for
800, payable to Armand Withersbee,"
drawn on the Fourth National bank.
Did he tell you he lived here?" asked
the clerk.
YES" answered the man, land he
promised to be here at p m. sharp, to
repay me the forty dollars he borrowed
from mer'
Been lending him money, eh?'
"Why, yes; but he gave me good Sc
curlty. l wouldn't lend money to
man l had only known for few hours
without good security. He gave me this
check for SlOO."
"How much did you lend him on it,"
Forty dollars"
THE bank was closed and he had to
get the money somewhere at once to
meet a pressing claim, eh?"
why, yes, that was It exactly. How
did you know it,"
Hear of them every day" replied the
clerk, land see their victims"
Victims"
Yes, victims. You're one of them"
"How's that"
You've been swirdled."
Me swindled?"
Eyes, you. You ought to know bet
ter than to lend money to casual &C
! guaintances you may make in this great
city You must learn to keep your eyes
open and read the newspapers. It's a
| pretty rank greenhorn that would be
taken in by that old dodge"
iii thank you not to call me green
horn, sir, replied the man in an angry
tone; I'm no fool, can tell you. can
read character in the face. This Mr.
Withersbee struck me as an honest man,
and I'm sure he'll come here to redeem
| his check"
Bet you he doesn't" said the clerk
q am not betting man." replied the
other, "but I'm going to sit here awhile
and wait for Mr.. Withersbee''
''All right" answered the clerk sit
down"
The man sat down, and kept his eyes
steadily on the door for half an hour.
Still think he's going to come, eh?''
sneered the clerk
Yes. l amt going to abandon my
faith in human nature yet. He'll come. y
bet you ten dollars he don't" said
the clerk tantalizingly.
well, I'll risk it, replied the man.
Who'll hold the stakes
THE elevator boy" said the clerk.
Two ten dollar bills were put up, and
the man sat down to wait again. Be
fore ten minutes had elapsed a man
hustled in, went straight up to the
clerk, and threw down card on which
was engraved Armand Withersbee."
Has anybody been asking for me?'
he said. Then without waiting for al
answer he turned about and let his eve
fall on the man who had the check
With an exclamation of pleasure he
saluted him, excused his lateness, pro
duced forty dollars in crisp bills, handed
them over, procured his check for 500
and invited the lender to drink.
The clerk looked on in amazement
while the awkward man reached for the
elevator boy, got the twenty dollars, de
clined to drink, took the arm of Mr.
Withersbee and marched out with hin
triumphantly.
As they passed out they had an indie
scribable, but unmistakable air of com
radeship about them that made the clerl
kick himself and exclaim angrily: Dom
again, by jiminyl Pals, of course!
might have known itr'-New York Trib
une.
shaving 1t Close.