Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-07-28
P/cKIKC FLAWS.

Once upon a time-not many years ago
"a disconsolate has-been, a gentleman of
education and experience without the
ability to "catch on as fleeing oppor-
tunity executed it's maneuvers beyond his
reach, sat on the steps Of the capitol at
Washington bemoaning his fate. While
surveying his glossy, we'll ventilated
wearing apparel. and wondering what his
brains amounted to, he recognized among
the members Of congress who came trip
ping down the incline a friend Of his boy
hood days, who had been sent up for two
years to the house of representatives, at
hard labor, as a penalty for going into
politics.
His congressional friead had never been
regarded as a brainy man. strange as this
nigh seem to a tenderfoot vino had never
seen a congressman, but he had made a
success of life. His plug hat showed that,
and the fact that he used a quill tooth
pick. instead Of wood. indicated that he
had graduated beyond the cheap joints
which tempt the wayfarer to spend as
little as possible for his victuals. The
has-been approached his old-time friend,
and apologizing for the antique appear
ance OF his latest suit Of clothes asked
him how he managed to get ahead in the
world. The reply was:
To get ahead on this big earth,
4 -,ra ". NJ cr.rr -ir,a nf htrth
Is to find your topic-name your cause
And go 10 work a-picking flaws.
The member Of congress then advised
his tramp friend to quit using his brains
for the amel.oration Of mankind. and try
to amenorate himself a few times by
hunting up somebody's mistake that had
as much dough in ii as the oven in a cor
poration bakery. The tramp acted on his
friends advice. and insisting upon his
rights as an American citizen finally OBJ
obtained permission to examine the pub
lie records. He was hunting For flaws.
~
In an old, out of date railway land grant
in a western state he discovered a word
so badly written that he could not tell
whether it was ''inclusive' or "exclu-
sive." If the former word, a railway
company organized under the terms OF
the grant would be entitled to certain
lands, then occupied by a thrifty popula-
lion of homesteaders; if the latter word
the settlers would undoubtedly be able to
maintain their titles against all corners
THE tramp concluded that the flaw was
good enough for him, so he went and or
ganized a railroad company under TIT
aforesaid grant and brought an action il
court to secure title to the lands referred
to, just as soon as a survey for the rail
road had been made and the "good faith
of the company thereby demonstrated
Enough money could be realized from tn
lands, once secured, to build the road.
In due time the suit reached the su
preme court Of the United States, and tn
learned judges pondered long over tn
word in dispute. The railroad company
of which the late tramp had become pres
lueHt, udu aCleu III SOOu ldllu III SOllS u
the expense of a survey for a route, an,
were equitably entitled to some consider
alton within the purview Of the court
But the chirography of the records wa
such that the most f~ar-sighted judge Of
the bench could not tell whether it wa
.inclusive' or 'exclusive."
Finally, one day, when the judges ad
journed for hash, they inadvertently lief
the records exposed upon the bench, an
by chance a pedatory fly alighted thereon
pursuing the usual habits of that laWles
insect. When the judges resumed the.
study of the document, one of them a
once discovered a dot over the front en-
of the word in dispute, whereupon it wa
unanimously agreed that the word wa
"inclusive.' and that the company wa
entitled to the valuable lands in contro
versy. The United States marshal wa
instructed to forc.bly eject the settler
from their homes, the railroad was bull
and the whilom tramp lived upon the ia
of the land ever a%fterward. He had dis