The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-11-07

by those who had tried to get the bet
ter of him in horse trades
On the return from the village Amos
pointed toward the Benton residence
and said:
There's the finest house there is in
these ERE parts I thought you might
be interested in it." he added. with a
smile, because the young man I've
seen ye drivin' with of late lives there y
Yes" replied Miss Archmuty, coolly.
Mr.. Northrop was quick to perceive
the annoyance which she betrayed,
and shrewdly planned his next words
to suit the situation.
Miss Archmuty, don't want to in
terfere with anything that is none of
my business But like you fust rate;
you're bright and sensible girl. if We
be from the city, and as friend I'd
like to give you leetle good advice.
| which, although it may sting We at
| fust, you'll thank me for later. May
speak?'
Certainly" replied the girl. who
was impressed by his sincere manner.
well, I'm sorry to say it. but this
young Benton as is payin' ye atten-
lions and his father are Two of the
worst tobacco lockers in these parts.
| There's no honor in EN-"
| Miss Archmutys cheeks flushed, but
she nerved herself to learn more.
"What do you mean by tobacco dock
ing?" she asked.
Folks around here know well
enough what it meanA Dockin' came
about in this way:
Gin order to get into their hands the
best crops. greedy and INSCRIPTIONS
dealers or middle men went out into
the country early in the season and en-
| gagged crops of the farmers at high
prices, while the tobacco was still
standin' in the fields The farmers
took the bit and sold their crops. agree
| in to deliver them in a merchantable
| condition.
| Usually the agreement was verbal;
sometimes written contracts were made.
but SO loosely drawn that the buyers
could find hole to creep out of on day
of settlement
Now, tobacco in the field and to-
bought, may be altogether different.
A fine crop purchased in the field may
afterwards git hail cut or be frost Bit
ten, or may show white veins, or fat
butts, or pole burn. There never was
an absolutely perfect crop delivered at
the warehouse, but the honest buyer,
when there's only leetle damage,
makes but a small dock. payin' the
raiser what is his due; full price for
the good, lower price for the somewhat
damaged, while the worst is rejected
entirely, the farmer rightly. bearin' the
loss.
But this rascally buyer, when he
ought to dock fifty dollars, docks one
hundred dollars, two hundred dollars,
or even three hundred dollars. perhaps.
on crop of tobacco valued, If all good,
at one thousand dollars.
But the. devil leads the dishonest
buyer still further. At fust he kinder
docks, accidentally, to save himself,
then he finds how well it pays and be-
comes actooally diabolical at it. He
svstematizes the cussed practice, fud-
in that by dockin fifty dollars off this
farmer, one hundred dollars off another.
and SO on, he can make big lot of
money besides his regular profits on
what he does pay for.
''Re sits down and calk 1ates when he
buys his next tobacco to dock his twen-
ty-five or thirty per cent. off the crops
of all farmers that be dare try it on"
n RI
Archmuty, that Mr. Benton docks in
this dreadful manner?"
II do. That ere fine house which you
admire so much was, accordin' to my
best belief, paidsfor by money made by
outrageous dockin'."
Amos then explained to Miss Arch
muty what the peculiar circumstances
Of the business were which induced
farmers to continue selling to dishon-
est buyers, and why all of the crops
could not readily be sold to honest buy
ers alono. He also informed her that
there were 'few lawsuits. because the
buyers dealt fairly with the well-to-do
and influential farmers, and cheated
only those who were too poor to seek
legal redress.
When they arrived at the Crandall
house, Miss Archmuty thanked Mr..
Northrop for his information, and as
she afterward ascertained that he was
. man of the highest integrity she was
not long in doubt as to the course she
ought to pursue with Mr.. Benton.
When he next called, she told him that
she had learned that he was not honor
able in his business methods, and that
she did not wish their acquaintance 10
continue.
The young man vehemently main
tanned that he had been basely SIAN
dered by some one. He asked her who
her informant was, but she firmly re-
fused TO tell him. He then departed in
a rage, and they did not meet again
that summer.
Early in the fall Miss Archmuty re-
turned to her home in New YORK. At
her departure she gladdened Crandalrs
heart by telling him that she had
planned to spend few weeks at the
lake next summer.
No sooner had she gone than the
farmer began to count the days that
must elapse before he could see her
again.
The young man had raised an unusu-
ally fine crop of tobacco that year, and
had sold it in the field at twenty-five