The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-10-07
THE MAN FROM ST. LOUIS.
His Love For Chicago Made Him Sym
pathetic and Generous.

His Love For Chicago Made Him Sym
8 pathetic and Generous.
It was at the depot In Syracuse, and /,
< number of us were waiting for our trair
when n middle aged man, who was lam'
and dilapidatcd, began to solicit aims. liz
told some sort Of q story about sickness
death, and so on, and about the third mar
he struck replied to him:
Look here, mister, / can put you Ia the
way Of making u couple Of dollars in abou,
Eve minutes"
Heaven will bless you if you will" said
the lame man.
II don't want to be blessed. Do you see
that chap down the platform, seated on his
trunk"
II do"
Hes from st. Louis. Come over here in
the corner, and I'll tell you how to work
him."
The two drew aside, ana after three or
four minutes of private and confidential'
talk the lamo man limped off down the
platform, and half a dozen of us followed
on to witness the performance.
II beg your pardon, sir" said the lame
man as he halted before the other, 'but l
am an unfortunate man"
Eyes, the woods are full Of 'em," was the
reply.
ut isn't my fault. l lent my brother $500
to go into business with in q place way out
west somewhere, called Chi-Chi-C Chicago. l
think THAI is the name Of the town. Ever
hear Of it?"
"I've heard there was such a place" re-
piled the St. Louis man, but 1t may have
been a rumor. Here's n quarter to help
you along"
"Many thanks, sir. Twas going to tell
you about my brother. Some one told him
that Chicago was a growing village, and
that they were going to move the county
seat there. He went into the grocery bust
ness, and what dye think he did? Laid in
stock of 81 900 worth right on the start
a stock big enough for a town of 10, 900 peo-
pie"
did, eh' I guess l can spare you an
other quarter"
but it rained a good deal, and the farmers
couldn't get into town for the mud, and
most everybody was trading on store Or
ders, and so the sheriff closed him out"
"But didn't you save anything from the
wrecl?"
Not a dollar-that is, l haven't got
anything out of it yet. l can't even get a
letter to my brother there"
"Vhy not?"
"I've written no less than four, and they
all came back marked 'Misdirected.' I've
been trying for a month past to find out in
what state Chicago is"
Lets see" said the St. Louis man. "If
there is such a town, and l am quite sure
there is, it is in Indiana. No, I'm wrong
must be Illinois,
"Why, have been directing to Kansas.
It's in some county, of course?'
Very likely. l think l can spare you
another half"
Thanks, sir. Did you ever hear the
name of the county,"
Lets see. Let's see. They named q
county up there somewhere after q St.
Louis barber. It's Cook, l think"
~ put Oh Cook but us I didn't'even get
the state right it made 10 difference. VIII
you please write the address for me?'
Il won't guarantee that it will be cor
rect" said the St. Louisan, because these
new villages spring up like mushrooms,
are sometimes called by three or four
names, and one of the maps exactly To-
Gates them. If l was going to write u letter,
l should direct it, Chicago, Cook county,
Ills, y. S. A, via st. Louis, Mo-"
Yes, sir. You have put me under great
obligations
Don't mention it. H~opeyoull get some
thing out Of the smash. You don't look
we'll"
And I'm not, SIR"
well, here's another dollar to help you
on your feet. Follow my directions when
you write, and if there is such "a town out
there anywhere the postal authorities will
probably look it up. Chicago2 Chicago?
Yes, it strikes me that I've heard the name
somewhere, but | can't just place it. It's
in Illinois, l think, and was located on &C
count of u stone quarry or something's
Detroit Free Press.