The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-10-29
THE WELL DIDN'T PAN OUT.
Man who bought Farm because of
Il Tells About II.

pleteiy once 10 the tune Of several thOI-
sand dollars" exclaimed the gray-whi k
cred member of The Union League Club
settling back in a leather armchair a0d
handing newspaper 20 a younger man
who sat near him. 1--WE known q Of
Of sharpers in my lime, but did YOU ever
know one 10 get sent 10 jail ana turn his
punishment into prodt2 Wen. that's what
that fellows doing Just read that iittie
dispatch at the bottom Of the column vi h
Wilmington date line. Clarke S he fl
lows name. He WIS mixed UP in trat
bank scandal IN Delaware. Enited Siates
senator kenney, you know. escaped o.
viction, but Clark didn't. He's IN ptis
now. But by that lille dispatch ne isn't
losing anything by IL. They've discovered
that he's carried on an extensive blu ines
So ing delicacies 10 prisoners. They made
him rusty Of the Jail and ne Ia IN
big stock Of delicatessen stuff and must
be, from this account the possessO~ #
good big roll of greenba ks by way Of
profit. / see there's going to be an inv s.
uga1on. / made an stigation my
self once into something c ark had done.
But. like this II wasn't until after he mad
scooped the money.
There was a time when Clark was ia
miliar figure in this very room. He wasn't
a member, but he knew many Of us. I
don't believe 7 ever heard a better Tx =
have resorted to shady method 10 obtain
money, for he was a man OF good pres
ence, and always made a favorable i'm
preston. As a promoter, for instance, he
would have been inva liable. l know hat
a the very lime of my experience vii him
several wealthy members here had about
decided to send him abroad In the inter-
ests Of some of their enterprises. In fact,
! don't mind telling now that 1 myself was
one of them.
Now, # there's anything on this earth
that I'm a crank about It's pure water
Clark was often here and heard me de-
liver trades against the Schuylkin supply.
1 gave out that ! was going 10 purchase
a place in the country. I said I wasn't
particular about where it was. so that the
water was pure and clear 1 meant 1t,
too
II cot a letter from Clark about four or
five days later, saying thai If I was really
sincere about the country place plan he
thought he could point out just the one
wanted. 1t was located down In Kent
county. Delaware was beautiful in point
of scenery. and, above al had in it a well
that was famous for the purity of the wa
ter 1t yielded. Be said 1t was clear as
crystal and as cold as ice. Nothing, he
told me in his letter. could be more deli
Gus or wholesome than this natural bev-
erage 1 answered that letter immediate
ly, and appointed a day when I should
visit the farm and taste the water in
Clark's company.
CLARK had a comfortable road wagon
htched to a fine span of horses, and was
awaiting me at the railroad station when
the train arrived at Dover that afternoon.
without losing any time we drove out to
the farm. Well. 1t hardly came up to
Clark's description In the matter OF seem
cry The fields didn't look very fertile
and there wasn't any woodland TO speak
OF on the place. But down in what was
really a pretty grove we came TO the we'll
IT was the old-fashoned kind, the stones
all moss covered, the old oaken bucket
hanging over.
Now said Clark. smilngly. you'll
taste some water as is water The water
of this well is famous. Usually there's a
crowd of people around here filling buck
cts to take home, but, of course, you can
stop that If you want to after you get
the place
AS he spoke he was lowering the
bucket Then he twisted The creakng
handle and up came the pail dripping.
Clark produced a glass that he had put
in the carriage. He filled 1t and handed
il 10 me- So clear was the water that
YOU could hardly tell that there was
iiauid in The glass. Then I quaffed It..
Undoubtedly Clark had told the truth.
Such pure delicious water had never
drank before.
CLARK" said I, that settles it, I'll buy
the place
"'Glad il pleases you said he.
"I tell YOU" I answered enthus asticany,
'rTU have none of my family down with
tvphO fever with water fiSe that, Ell? III
send YOU a check first thing tomorrow
morning. Then I'll get You TO superintend
the renova ion Of the farm house, so that
I can bring my folks wn here and spend
The autumn. And by the way Clark l
concluded, "you might have some of that
water put into casks and shipped to my
seashore villa. VIII you do that?'
'"Oh, certainly replied Clark.
~ sent The check the very first thing
next morning, and in a little while l re-
ceived a deed for the properly. l went
down to my seashore place a few days
later Somewhat TO my surprise Clark had
not sent the spring water. as he promised
he would But l concluded that ii was
merely a slip Of the memory on his part.
got a letter from him. however, saying
that renova ions were in progress on the
old farm house. He didn't mention having
forgotten to send the spring water. In
faci, his Ritter c2ntained nothing about the
water at AL
"Well. autumn finally drew round. I had
begun singing the prais es of that spring
water to my family since the day I sent
Clark the check. Aud [ had never sopped.
Daily ap, strophized it at meal times My
family was as enthusiastically WI hit up
as myself. A BIN from the carpenters save
me the information that The repairs had
been comp ted at the farm house. l got
no word from Clark but decided to
lake my son down there, and we would
look over things before bringing the rest
of the family down.
I'VE went. The farm house look fine
/ with its new nXiags of vide porches and
its bright, new paint. Then we sought the
well.
Now, Jack said l to the boy Just
/ lower that bucket and when it comes up
you'n get drink of the purest. cold st
water you have ever tasted.
Jack lowered the bucket Then he start
cd to twist the crank to bring the bucket
| Up again.
"'lt feels very light, Pop said Jack.
"Then he twisted some more. Thu bucket
appeared. But there was no dripping Then
! peered into it. That bucket didn't ntain
a drop of water.
" "rhe pain must have caught some
( where, Jack. Lower ii again
"Jack dd. Again the bucket arose. When