The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1898-11-04

HOW TIE SIG MAN FLEECED TIE
SUBSTITUTE BROKERS.

During the civil war in what was
then a pretty village of Michigan and
has since become a city without losing
a1y Of its beauty lived a strapping six
fOOter who looked as hard as nails,
dressed well, talked smoothly and was
set up like a soldier. He had no means
of support visible to the naked eve in
the village which he called home, bat
he would make occasional trips from
which he returned with plenty of
money and fund of interesting talk
about some section of the north. The
people thought him a mystery, but he
was pleasant one, and curiosity never
went further than to ask ingenious ques-
tions that were just as ingeniously par
ried. After his harvest was at an end
the mystery explained himself without
reserve, and no one expressed serious
uIsapprOval OF the way in which his
wits had won him his money.
lit was a simple case of diamond cut
diamond" he laughed. i've been TAX
ing feeees from the fellow that went
out to shear. I'm not an Apollo Belve-
dere, Diomedes or Samson in appear
ance, but l pass in a crowd as fine
specimen of physical development. The
truth is that I'm whited sepulcher. /
was born with defective heart and
would not take three minutes of real
violent exercise for all the money you
could load on freight train. l take
things easy all along the line, and the
engine keeps pumping up TO require
mentS.
"When l could see the end of what
property was left me, and it was not far
away, l cast about for some light work
to do and concluded to deal with the
substitute brokers. There was no chance
Of meeting the required medical exam
nations, so l took another tack. When
ever 1 visited a place in my business,
I'd manage incidentally to fall in with
the broker. I'm better than raw hand
as jollier, and I'd soon have some
mutual friends as innocent parties in
the play.
"When it came in naturally, I'd
chaff the broker about his business and
ask what kind of soldier I'd make
He would either jump open mouthed at
the proposition or chaff back under an
impression that | would never think of
going to war. In either case it would
usually come to some kind of a PROPOSE
tiOn from the broker. Then the other
fellows would guy me, intimate that l
was a buffer and wonder how l was to
get out Of the thing without a clear
funk.
Here's where my fine work came in.
I'd demand a retainer, and I'd put it
high enough just TO make the broker
think that [ was trying to escape him.
If he would pay me a specified sum
down, I would agree to appear at the
recruiting office the next day and offer
my services, but l gave notice that l
assumed no chances. If they would not
have me, the broker must stand the
loss. The idea Of my being rejected al
ways raised a laugh and only tended to
confirm the broker IN the belief that ]
was trying to escape him. When the
doctor turned me down. went into the
dumps, became nervously timid, aroused
the sympathy of those with whom l had
become acquainted and snapped an or
der to the disgruntled broker to keep
clear away from me.
"The best haul l made was in Pitts
burg. a coal baron there who could not
well enlist and who had not been draft
ed wanted a representative in the army
who would make a name honorable to
that Of the principal. He was after a
big, handsome, intelligent fellow Of
whom he could be proud and put the
whole matter into the hands of a shrewd
little broker. ! managed to meet him
at the MOnOngahela House, and | work
ed around to the main subject in the
manner | have described, but l could
see that he was sharp and did not like
to run any chances.
"While he went to dinner, after
which we were to resume our talk, l
with a huge truckman. When l again
met the broker, that truckman insisted
on bothering Us and, after showing a
proper amount of patience, threw him
half way across the Office, and he went
limping out, while all observers grew
wide eyed IN their wonder. l did not
exert enough strength to throw a half
grown boy five feet. but the truckman
knew his business, and was paid $50 for
attending to it.
"That apparently cool courage and
gigantic strength removed all doubt
from the mind of the broker. l was the
man he wanted, and he wanted me
badly. stuck out till got 50, 900 as
retainer, and then was rejected. 1
felt like giving the money back when
the millionaire came around to condole
with me and tell how disannnintad be