The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-06-10

the enbife afnounB IN gold eagles IN
leather belt about his waist. The con-
sciousness Of carrying so much money
made him, however, very uneasy and
disturbed his sleep. -Four OF five times
every night he started up in terror, hav-
ing dreamed that his money was stolen.
1t then occurred to him that the only
safe way to dispose Of 1t would be to in
vest it in cottage and lot ON the West
Side, where land was yet cheap. Land
could not run away, and house not
even the most daring thief could steal
DISTRESSING every one in this bewilder-
ingly strange land, he was in no
haste to solicit advice. But one
day an advertisement in Scandinavian
paper caught his eyes and set him think
ing. 1t read as follows:
THE POOR MANS FRIEND.
The Tension Roal Estate Investment COM
| pany sell choice CITY lots, improved and unim-
proved, on the installment plan. West Side
| property speciality.
Amund out this out, read 1t at least
30 times a day and carried it in his
pocket for weeks before he summoned
courage to call at the address designat-
ed. But his hoard kept increasing week
by week, and his anxiety grew apace.
Why should he not call upon the Fen
ston Real Estate Investment company?
1t was the poor mans friend, the adver-
tisement said and might offer him some
good advice as to the best way of &C.
curing home in the shortest possible
time, for he was growing eagerer every
day for the sight of the Little Chap
Finally, one day in the early spring,
he called upon tho Tension Real Estate
Investment company. He had fancied
from the advertisement something very
complicated and magnificent and was
somewhat disappointed at being con-
fronted with a sandy haired and very
pimpled young man, who sat in his
shirt sleeves in a scantily furnished back
Office, chewing toothpick
lis Observation-Disclosures OF the Fen
ston Real Estate Investment company"
queried Amund respectfully.
eyes" the young man replied, talk
ing his feet down from the table.
"What can do for your"
"I-I-should like to see the-the-
president of the company, if-if-you
would be so very kind as to call him,
Amund remarked alphabetically.
II regret to say the president is out of
town at present." said the plausible
youth, "but won't you sit down, please?
/ think perhaps can give you ali the
information you require, and need not
say shall be very happy If can be of
service to you. I"
There was something SO insinuating
in the young fellows manner that
Amund, though he had resolved to be
very cautious, soon found himself talk
ing freely.
The next day the young man-Farley
was his handicapped in upon him,
by pure chance, it seemed, while be was
having his noon rest, and they became
better acquainted. The following Sun
day they met again, and Farley took
Amund about in a buggy and showed
him all the property he had for sale on
the West Side. He invited him to lunch
with him in his little cottage on West
Indiana street, where he was living, and
the upshot of many interviews and con-
versations was that he offered this cot
tage, with lot, to Amund for So,
possession to be granted when 81, 200
had been paid, and q mortgage to be
given for the remaining amount. 1t
seemed all SO perfectly fair and square
that Amund. after having got the price
down to 81, 800 and the furniture thrown
in, had no hesitation in closing the bar
gain. He paid over to Farley the $500
which he had then accumulated and
received an acknowledgment of the
amount from him, with promise of deed
ON payment of $500 more.
Then he picked out the room which
was to belong to the Little Chap (the
girls might take what was left, and all
day long during his work he hummed
to himself or broke into snatches of I'M
melodious song at the thought of the
Little Chaps pleasure in that room and
the furniture which he would make
with his own hands for the Little
Chaps comfort. He worked with will
now and would scarcely grant himself
time for sleep, for every blow with his
hammer and every whiz of his saw
brought the Little Chap nearer.
Then another year passed. Month by
month Amund handed over his savings
to Farley, who pocketed them in cool,
businesslike manner, and at last, when
the 81, 200 had been paid, he kept his
word and gave deed of the property
to the carpenter. Joyously then Amund
wrote to his wife, telling her to make
no delay in coming, for he had now a
home Of his own in which to receive
her and the children. And it was all
furnished, and there was separate
room for the Little Chap-God bless
him-where he could keep all his funny
little traps, SO that his sisters wouldn't
annoy him.
Much he wrote in this strain, for his
heart was overbrimming with joy, and
life seemed brighter and more beautiful
to him than ever before. The only thing
that troubled him little was the fact
that the family who lived in the house
had not yet moved out. But Farley ex-
| planned that their lease did not expire
until April l. and that in the meanwhile
he would have to be patient. On April
they would be gone, and then he could
take possession.
/ shall not attempt to describe the
meeting between the Little Chap and
his dad. 1t was just the I'd Of April
when the family arrived in Chicago
and were pat, like so much baggage,
into an express wagon and driven to