Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1894-05-24
CHAPTER III.

I had not seen Holroyd for nearly a
month, a circumstance so unusual that
/ was thinking ef calling at his house
to inquire after his health, when one
rather sultry morning John walked into
my room, swathed in a huge ulster and
a big comforter, a carpet bag in one
hand and a baggy umbrella in the
other. ....
'Glad to see you," said I, as we
shook hands. "Where have you been
this long time? Not i'll, / hopper
"Only q bit of a cold. That is why l
am trying to keep warm, and l am
warm" easing his comforter and un-
bottoning his coat. Been IN The coun-
try, down in Dorsetshire, Mr.. Honey
man, and I've done a good stroke Of
business, / have that"
Bought some land, I suppose"
"Rayther! An estate Of 200 acres,
chock full Of china clay, all for fifteen
thou. What do you think of that,
nowT" &t.t
Ny mind being a blank touching on
the value Of china clay, l did not know
what TO think. But Johns ideas We're
evidently expanding. The biggest thing
we had previously done for him did
not exceed $4,000.
'It seems n lot of money. All the
same if you are sure that 1T Is a good
buy"
"A good buyi Why, there is a for
tune in il. China clay everywhere,
and at no great depth, and close to a
canal as runs into Poole Harbor. 1
would not take five thou for my bar
gain, not IL T. brass was counted down
4 gold this minute. Here is a bit of an
agreement l got the vendor to sign,
and his receipt for t. deposit. He lives
down / Dorsetshire, but his solicitors
are Sorrel and Seedytoe."
"Old Jewry. i know them"
"And I shall want you to find the
balance as per usual"
THAT will be-w
Fourteen thousand two hundred and
fifty"
"Say, with stamps and charges, four
teen five. Rather a large order, Mr..
Holroyd. If you will wait a few min
utes III speak TO the governor about
it."
When I told him what John had done
and what ne wanted, Mr.. Harlow gave
me a look of blank amazement.
'China ~clay-an estate Of tive hun
dred acres-nearly Els, 900! God bless
me! Inever heard Of such a thing" he
exclaimed. What is china clay, Hon
eyman? / seem Il have heard of it be-
fore, but l know no more about il than
Adam
81 am not much better informed my
SELF" said /. 'but / rather think it is
used for making porcelain and weight,
ing calicoes."
1T sounds like mining"
IL really cannot say; perhaps II
does" !
lis II underground or ~oyerground?"
Underground, certainly. Holroyd
said as much" az
Then 1 won't touch 1t with a long
stick. i once burnt my fingers horribly
with a WEIGH coal mine"
Excuse me, sir, but / don't see much
analogy between china clay In Dorset
shire and a coal mine in Wales"
They are both underground, and no
client Of mine shall advance money on
any such security, if l can help It,"
/ pointed out that John HolrOyd was
about the last man In the world 10 put
money into n property as To the value
of which he had not fully insured him.
self, and suggested that we should OBJ
tain an opinion Of an expert.
what would be the use OF that? !
took the opinion of an expert In re the
Welsh colliery. He valued it at twenty
thousand; we lent twelve on II, and
when we foreclosed 1t realized two,
less costs and charges. John Itolroyd
is an honest chap, but / don't believe
he knows any more about china clay
than my old hat. How can be? Ad.
wise him to forfeit the deposit. end let
the thing slide. re will never regret
1t. China clay, indeed! God bless me!
China clay!'
rs this final, sir?"
Certainly. Tell John that / am very
sorry, but I shall lend neither clients
money nor my own on the security of
anything underground. Imagine lend