Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1900-07-12

From the National Magazine by PermissionJ
M AJOR WHARTON was not bad
man. He sat down in his Office
one day with his feet on his desk and
figured it out that he wasn't. He
couldn't remember one single instance
in his business career where he had
been guilty of downright deception or
swindling. On the contrary, as affairs
passed in review, he could recall doz-
en- instances where the other man had
got the better of him by unfair means.
The trouble with him was too much
truth and honesty. The man who did
business with such principles to guide
him was sure to get left He had been
left. Instead Of getting ahead like
other dealers and spectators in his
lines, he had been growing poorer for
several years. Of course he had the
consolation of his principles all the
time, and, while that was worth some
thing, it was not cold cash to satisfy
his creditors. Yes, he had been truth
full and honest and square, and the
world had thrown him down. 1t was
high time that he changed He would
become liar and fraud. The world
had driven him into it, and now the
world must take the consequences.
The majors plan to become bad
man was at first vague and unsettled,
but as he chung to the idea the details
began to work themselves out in his
brain. There was the paradise" mine.
He had bought and sold that mine
three or four times over. Every time
he bought it he had been grossly
swindled; every time he sold it he had
told the truth and lost money thereby.
It had left his hands only month be-
fore for mere song, though queerly
enough the purchaser was already
kicking about it and claiming to have
been done for. Indeed, as the major
was wondering over the perversity of
human nature in buying mine and
expecting to reap anything but hole
in the ground. the owner of paradise"
entered his office. His name was Clark,
and he had dangerous look in his eye.
He intended to call the major sew
eral kinds of frauds and swindlers,
threaten him with generous slice of
the law, and make things generally so
hot that resale might furnish him
with enough money to get out of Colo
RADIO, but his intentions were nj pped in
the bud.
''See here. Clark" began the major,
as he got his feet off the desk, YOU'RE
an honest man. .-.s & .
But you amt" bluntly replied
Clark. .
That's where you are mistaken.
My honesty has almost headed me for
the poorhouse. I've lost fortune by
It. I've been figuring things up this
afternoon, and I've made up my mind
to do as others do. l sold you that
mine dog-cheap, but there's nothing in
1t for you as it is. You and are in the
same boat. We are altogether too con-
scientious. We've got to take the other
leg of it. I've been scooped and you've
been scooped and now We'll go in to-
gether and scoop the public"
How do you mean?'
+ "We'll salt Paradise and work her
off for hummer
But Thar VIII. be. swindling,'' pro-
tested Clark.
.'Of course it will, but what of it?
Hasn't the world swindled us? Hasn't
lit come to the point that even to pay
our running EXPENSES we've got to lay
aside our consciences? We let go Of
our running expenses we've got to lay
ciples and silver mines don't mix.
Clark, we have been martyrs to prin-
ciple. I'm going to turn sharper. Well
90 in together and salt old Paradise
and make her pan out fifty thousand
apiece
Clark went in. The major had
soaked" him on the mine, and it was
human nature to want to get even.
He didn't have to hold any argument
with himself to still the accusing voice.
who get left on mine, there was no
accusing voice to accuse. The result Of
a long and earnest conversation was a
deal" Clark was still TO hold the
mine in his name, and the ma jor was to
work up boom and get half of the
profits. Under his directions. and with
more or less of his personal aid, the
sailing process was carried out. 1t
wasn't exactly the salt of commerce
and the dinner table which was blown
into the mine. 1t was honest output
from other mines, and though Ma j.
Wharton had always been too honest
for his own good. he somehow had the
process of Sailing" at his fingers ends.
When he got through with that hole
in the ground, which had been dug for
swindle. and had never given up five
dollars worth of ore, there were '.indi-
cations" to make mans hair stand on
end. There was no sudden outburst of
excitement over the new bonanza. In
fact everything was kept very quiet,