Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-08-26
HIS CHECK WAS GOOD
THE STORY OF A RAGGED MAN AND A
GOTHAM HOTEL CLERK

Judge Man by the Cut of His Coat or
the Fit CT His Trousers.
Dave Gelvin-it is pronounced Gal
viE-of Maitland, Mo, is one of the
cattle barons of northwest Missouri,
section CT country which has a large
number of cattle barons. AS hustler
ard pushcr Dave has few equals and
no sureriors, and what he does not know
about cattle would not be worth finding
oct.
Dave is always so busy looking after
his cattle interests that he seldom has
vine to "dress up" in his company
clothes, and at first sight a stranger
would take him fer an innocent gran
ger, eager 20 buy gold brick or likely
10 blow out the gas.
Several years ago Dave shipped a lot
Of export cattle from Maitland and went
as far as New York with them. When
he arrived i'll New York, he looked like
the ragged end of poverty, but he was
too busy to secure change of clothing.
He had some business TO transact and
intended taking q train for home the
next morning. Dave is lover Of the
good things of life, so he inquired his
way TO the Hoffman House ard affixed
his name 10 the register. The clerk
looked at him for moment and asked
il ne wanted room.
Yes ard Il good one, " replied Dave.
"Any baggage?"
NO
"Our rates are SO day, and we re-
quire cash ia advance from unknown
parties, - said the clerk.
''Oh, darn your rates; give me the
MON. l want 20 wash. " said Dave.
CAN right. Ten dollars, please
Dave run his hand IN his pocket. but
all he could fish up was Sail. This
sum was made up by silver dollar,
two silver half dollars, two quarters, a
20 cent piece and penny.
'Ob, I'll pay you in the morning"
Eaid Dave, turning TO go TO the elevator.
But tho clerk knew thing or two.
He was not to be caught that way-not
he.
'There is no deviation from our
rules, sir, tho clerk said politely but
firmly. lyon must pay in advance. -
''Then III give you Il check" said
Gelvip, who was rapidly becoming an
cry.
Ho stepped back 20 the desk. filed
ont q check fer $500 and handed it TO
the clerk. But the clerk was not
greenhoru. Ho was New Yorker, he
was. He would not accept the check I'M
less certified.
By this time Dave was mad. He said
q few words in Latin, or in language
that sounded like it was of foreign
origin.
"Confound your rules, you blasted
ohumpi 1 could buy and sell you ten
times over, you Pigheaded, pimply faced
dude. II you don't think that check is
good. send it over to the Chemical Ma
ticral.''
The clerk called a messenger boy and
dispatched him 70 the Chemical Nation
al, with note asking if q check of $500
signed Ivy David Gelvin of Maitland,
No, was good.
The clerk knew it was not, but Dave
was fighting mad, and the clerk realiz-
ed that if he did not make seeming eff
fort to ascertain the worth of the check
lie would get into trouble. While the
messenger was absent Dave walked the
floor Of the magnificent Office and talk
ed to himself.
In due time the messenger returned
with an answer. 1t read, "Mr. Gelvin's
check worth 5000 is perfectly good.
The clerk at once became obsequious.
There was nothing too good for Mr..
Gelvin of Missouri.
"Well, give me back tho check, D."
said Dave. "I'n go over to the bank
and cash IL myself. "
The check was handed to the irate
man. and be marched out and never re-
turned. Tire clerk was evidently filed
with curiosity about the Missourian,
for he sent letter to Charley Donovan,
cashier Of the Maitland bank, asking if
Gelvin's check for 81, 900 was coed.
Charley wrote back that Gelvin's check
for 81, Geo was perfectly good; that it
was coed for SO, GEO, for five times
that, and then he would have a balance
il the bank. lyon dod BANKED fool, -
wrote Donovan, "if Gelvin takes a no.
ton to buy your third rate hashery and
offers a check for it, take il quick. It's
Us good as the gold"
Dave declares that the ambition Of
his life is to go back to New YoBk some
time and dazzle the eyes of that hotel
clerk. He insists that when the time
comes he Is going to dress like a king,
hire corps of foOtmen, dozen Wallets,
carry 81 trunks, travel in IA special car
and so down to New York and throw
that hotel clerk into fits
This will explain why Gelvin is such
a tireless worker. He has enough to
live on in luxury and ease all the rest
of his life, but he has not yet accumu-
lated enough to make that New York
trip In what he considers the proper
style. Until he does he will work hard
er than any hired man on his place
Omaha Ncrld- Herald
What He Would lie.