The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1897-09-02

were to hold these papers II would be
security enough that / should pay You.
You could draw my pension. and repay
yourselves at the rate, say, Of $500 "A
year. taking your FIVE per cent interest
as we'll"
What Interest,"
Five per cent per annum."
Mr.. Metaxa laughed. Per annum''
he said. Five per cen a month"
"A month. That would be sixty per
cent a year"
Precisely"
But hat is monstrous."
II don't ask gentlemen to come to me.
They come OF their W free will. Those
are my terms, and they can take it or
leave it,"
Then / shall leave IL" The Adj
miral rose angrily from his chair.
But one moment, sir. Just sit down
and we shall chat the matter over.
ours is a rather unusua case and we
may find some other way Of doing what
you wish. OF course the security which
you offer is no security at all. and no
sane man would advance five thousand
pennies on it,
mo security? Why not. sir?'
You might die tomorrow. You are
not a young man. What 6 are YOU
"Sixty-three."
Mr.. Metaxa turned v g a long col
umn of figures. Here is an actuary's
table," said he. AT your time of life
the average expectancy Of life Is only
a few years even in a well-preserved
man"
do you mean TO ~insinuate that | am
not a well-preserved man."
We'll, Admiral. it is a trying life at
sea. Sailors in their younger days are
gay dogs, and takeit out of themselves.
Then when they grow older they are
still hard at it. and have no chance Of
rest or peace. | do not think a sailors
life a good one"
I'll tell you what. sir.r said the ADJ
miral holly. IF you have two pairs of
gloves I'll undertake to knock you out
under three rounds. Or I'll race you
from here to St. Paul's. and my friend
here will see fair. I'll let o see
whether I'm an old man or not"
This Is beside the question" said the
money-lender with a deprecatory shrug.
THE point is that if you died to-mor-
row where would be the security them
Il could insure my life. and make the
policy over TO you
Your premiums for such a sum-, IL
any office would have you, which l very
much doubt, would come to close on five
hundred a year. That would hardly
suit your book
We'll. sir. what do you intend to pro-
pose2". asked the Admiral.
II might. to accommodate you. work
Ii in another way. | should Send
for a medical man. and have an opinion
upon your life. Then / might see what
could be done"
That is quite fair. have no objec-
ton to that
There is a very clever doctor in the
street here. Proudie is his name. John,
go and fetch Doctor Proudie." The
youth was dispatched upon his errand,
while Mr.. Metaxa sat at his desk. trim
ming his nails, and shooting out little
upon the weather. Presently
feet were heard upon the stairs, the
moneylender hurried out. there was a
sound of whispering. and he returned
with a large. fat, greasy-looking man.
clad in a much worn frock-coat, n a
very dilapidated top hat.
Doctor Proudie. gentlemen said Mr..
Metaxa.
The doctor bowed, smiled. whipped off
his hat, and produced his stethoscope
from it's interior with the air Of a con-
jurer upon the stage. which Of these
gentlemen am / to examiner he asked,
blinking from one to the other of them.
"Ah, 1t is you! Only your waistcoat.
You need not undo your collar. Thank
you. A full breath! Thank you. Ninety
nine. Thank you! Now hold your
breath for a moment. Oh, dear, dear,
what is this / hear?'
"What Is it them" asked the Admiral
coolly.
Tut! tut. This is a great pity. Have
you had rheumatic fever?'
Never"
you have had some serious illness?"
Never"
"Ah, you are an admiral. You nave
been abroad, tropics. malaria, ague-I
know"
II have never had a days illness"
mot to your knowledge; but you have
inhaled unhealthy air, and 1t has left
it's effect. You have an organic MUIR
mur-slight but distinct"
us 1t dangerous"
1T might at n time become so. You
should not take violent exercise"
"Oh. indeed. 1t would hurt me to run
a half mile?"
1T would be very dangerous"
And a n.ile?"
Would be almost certainly fatal"
Then there is nothing else the mat
teri"
NO. But il the heart is weak. then
everything Is weak, and the life is not a
sound one"
you see. Admiral remarked Mr..
Metaxa, as the doctor secreted his steth-
oscope once more in his hat, my re-
poarkc wara not anfirplv rnrallad for