The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1897-05-27

references in the city and they with
drew. They were on time the next
morning as promptly as the ''Pennsyl-
vania Limited" and without any par
leying they accepted my proposition
which was then put in writing and
signed in duplicate.
No sooner had they left than the
feeling came over me that perhaps /
might have acted hastily-that should
have taken time to inquire into the
soundness of their footing and l began
to think that 1 might be making mis-
take in giving up lucrative position
to engage in business that was yet to
materialize. Nevertheless, a bargain
is a bargain and so l decided to stand
by my colors. In day or two 1 began
to make my arrangements to 60 to my
new field of labor, and on the 3Oth day
of July 1 boarded the train and ar
rived at my destination the next day
twelve hours before my pay was to
begin.
1 was not long in seeking out my
new business associates. Directly Op-
posite the post-office my attention was
drawn to handsome four story build
ing towering way above anything in
the immediate neighborhood, and from
the description that had been given me
[ at once conjectured that that was
the place and so | directed my foot
steps thitherward. Entering the place
l was amazed at its neat and business
like appearance. Approaching one of
the statesmen l asked for the firm men,
bers and was Informed that they were
not in the city but young man in the
office could tell me more concerning
them. Seeking this young man out,
introduced myself, but of course he
knew nothing of any arrangement
had made with the proprietors.
learned from him that none of the
three firm members were in the city
and had not been for a week and he
did not know when they would be.
This seemed rather strange to me that
all the members of the firm should go
away and leave their business in charge
of bookkeeper not over twenty years
old. But by cultivating this young
mans acquaintance 1 managed to
draw him out little by little and learn
something of the nature of the busi-
ness and also the characteristics of the
members comprising the firm. You
can we'll imagine that 1 was not over
joyed from the impressions l formed
and how did wish 1 was back in my
old place in Chicago still, l said, 1 had
gone thus far and it could do no harm
to go farther and deeper.
The next day came and went but no
firm members appeared and the same
with the next and the next until be-
gan to grow impatient. Finally on the
9Th day of August they all bobbed into
town.
The two whom met in Chicago in
troduced me to the third and after
while we all got seated in their pri-
vate Office to talk matters over. Do
you know that instantly 1 discovered
that these men were frauds; that they
were sharks out to skin everybody at
both ends of the line. Now let me
state here the pedigree of these three
men. First, the president (for they
had formed an incorporation, mind
you,) was man about forty years old,
who enjoyed the distinction of once be-
ing the proprietor of a boarding. car
when one of the railroads was building
out through that country. He had
made little money at that business
and after the railroad was completed
he settled in small town where he
started "bank" and of course that
made him "banker."
The second member was young
man about thirty, who gained his repu-
tation as business man by once being
the travelling correspondent of GER
tain sensational newspaper of unsavory
reputation. He was designated as the
secretary and general manager. The
third member once had the honor of