The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-01-26
T LUNCHEON.
Novel Scheme of q Kansas Blacksmith
for Collecting Old Debts.

All creditors will ba eventually forced
to adopt his plan. Next time you pay
your debts demand what this mar
gives his creditors. Under the system
adopted by Fred Westhoff, Of Wa6hena,
Kansas. his customers look forward tc
settling their accounts with him much
as the suburban youugster longs for
the coming Of the greatest chow on
earth. Instead OF regarding his debt
ors as undesirable persons to be par
ticularly friendly with, he welcomes
them royalty. on an appointed day,
and they all feast and make merry at
his expense.
The beauty of Mr.. Westhoff's idea is
it's absolute originality. He has con
sidered the collection problem, after
the fashion of almost every Kansas
man, on the basis that it is a very diff
cult to solve. I5 is the misfortune OF
the country blacksmith that almost all
OF his work is done On credit, the
farmer, as a rule, finding i5 lnconveni
n and often impossible to pay spot
cash. So Mr.. Westhcf studied his
books and racked his brains until he
formed this plan. As q first step to
carrying it out, he issued an invitation
to every debtor, in which he said:
LAS I have to meet payment OF 8
note, I find 1t necessary to call upon all
those who ere indebted to me 60 help
me out az much as they can. There
fore I have decided to select one Gay,
and kindly request your presence at
my shop at Wathena, and pay the
amount herein stated, and all those
complying with this request will re
ceive a special treat. Lunch and re-
freshments will be served from 1 . m.
to 6 p, N. IN my basement that day
and a very good time assured to ali
present. Please present this card when
you call, and show the amount Of your
account, which is - dollars and -
cents. Hoping all will respond and
you will have q good social afternoon "
1t may naturally be supposed that
this queer invitation created as
constituent. No one had ever heard
the like To think Of a man inviting
his creditors to meet and enjoy them
with him and making the open
sesame to that enjoyment the settling
of their bills. 1t seemed like a Belshaz-
gar feast, and no little derision was ex
by the blacksmith's new depart
ure. The day came-it was only a
very few days ego-when it was de-
cided that the debtors should gather,
and what a gathering it wasI If there
was one farmer present there were
and the Qualification they en-
joyed has not been equalled since the
in Kansas City, just across the
line, when Martin Regen was running
for the city council.
Not the least expected feature Of the
occasion was that, without exception,
every debtor who attended the feast
squared accounts. Possibly this might
have been induced by the fact that the
beer and other beverages that cheer
were dispensed in plenty, and also that
it was good beer, which is g recommaE-
dation that ne tipping Kanean a
afford to pass lightly Over When it
comes to beer in Kansas il is always
clearly apparent to the purchaser
thereof that while the intention Of the
man who cells him the amber liquid
may have been excellent, when he sup
piled himself, that the fuliIlment was
of an exceedingly weak nature. Not
80 with Mr.. Westhcff's beer. It was
of the regulation blue ribbon variety,
such as delights the thirsty soul and
increases the capacity of the consumer.
Kansas has many queer things placed
to her account, and there is no question
but what this takes rank among the
first.
1T was g new experiment" Mr..
Westhof said, when Questioned, ''but
I figured out that | couldn't lCs9 by it,
no how. You see, I looked at the thing
in this way: There were three par
ticular points that I calculated my
idea would cover. The first of these
was that this is a prohibition State, and
that the beer ought to go pretty well
if it was good. The second was that
the accounts due me would all be paid
in one day, and in that way I could use
the receipts to much greater advantage
than 1 could if the money came in
driblets. When cash comes in a dollar
at a time nov and then it don't bring
any returns, and it is spent as fast as ii
comes in. The fist you know it's gone
and you haven't got anything to show
for it. The third DOint waa that T he