Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1894-01-19
CHEEK" AND GALL.
Words Have Different Meanings, as
This Little Story Shows.

"Now and then 1 hear someone de-
clare that a man has monumental gaH,
but the fellow using the term has no
conception of it's significance. He SIM
ply means it's case OF extraordinary
cheek
It was a Cincinnati man stopping
for a day or two in Detroit who spoke
as above, and when asked what he
knew about monumental GALL he re
Piled:
II was travelling in California during
the great boom, and one day got
around to Los Angeles and met chap
who used to be in the furniture bust
ness in my town. He had arrived only
the day before and was fiat broke. AS
he had put UP at the best hotel
thought that was 4 case of 'monu-
mental gal, ~ut he hadn't begun to
show his nerve yet. After 4 bit he
came to me and wanted to knew if
l had any blank checks on eastern
banks. l had checks on Cincinnati.
Chicago, ST. Louis and Toledo, and
gave him six or eight. Everybody was
wild over real estate, and this chap
took Il walk around and got options
on three different lots, giving his
check for about $4,000 in each case.
10 "Some one went up to the hotel
TO ask about him, and he turned
around and took an option on the
caravansary at $250,OO0 for ten days.
lie wrote cut 4 check for $4,000 as
cool as you please, and within the next
tWenty-four hours haG options on the
best bargains in town. L gave him a
dozen checks in all, and he filled 'em
or about $150,0O0. If any of the banks
had been telegraphed to he would
have been dished, but he had 4 way
with him which seemed to satisfy
everybody that he was heeled and
was working for 4 ten strike. l saw
him fill out Il check for $4,000 and
shake it under the nose of Il man who
had been offering u nice bit of laud for
SAT, 900. He scared the man half to
death for a minute, and then he rush
ed out and put the price at So, 900"
but he couldn't really buy any
lanGT'
HE didn't want 10 He was giving
that locality Il specimen OF monument
al gall The people were up on
Cheek but HAD never seen Il face of
LII L cred brass. What dye think lie
did! I'll tell you straight, and III give
you the names of the parties to write
to if you doubt my word. Before Il
single one of his options expired he
sold them out to Il new crowd, and in
eight days he had cleared $50, 900 i'll
as good gold as California ever mined
The owner of the hotel gave him $1,000
and his worthless checks in my pres
ence, and felt SO good over ii that he
opened the champagne and brought out
some cigars worth a dollar each"
And didn't you make anything?"
Not Il blamed red! Say, that c1lsS
even depended on me for his 5-cent
cigars for four or five days, and l Sd,
around like Il bump on Il log and saw
him rake i'll Il fine fortune! He got out
of the thing slick and clean, without
home for Il miserable little $500, and
the landlord had Il man watching me
for two or three days to see that
didn't jump my bill! I've got cheek
enough to carry ne along pretty com
fortably, but when it comes to 'monu-
mental gall Pm way down the hall
used to mix the terms but l don't
any more. Any fool can have cheek,
but the other stuff is only to be found
in misunderstanding sort of man.
Detroit Free press