The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1901-03-08

game, slrV he asked in open-eycd
wonder.
/ did not deem IL necessary 10 6x
plain just then, but said: II think wei
quit this job, Willie. I've about con
cluded 10 buy another dictionary-if
need one. Here Is your balance, and
III put you into the post-Ofiice next
Monday"-I was postmaster among
other things. But tell me, my boy,
how long would you have kept 10 that
dreary task of copying the dictIon-
aryW
Until it was finished, sir. Then
should have had money enough TO
take mother and sister home and carry
me through college" was his quick
and frank response.
] surrendered.
Time went on and Cheesal Willie
| San performed well all that was re-
quired of him in his new position.
One day the boy came 10 inform
me that he had bought rabbit, and
asked II | would allow him a day off
so that he might go TO the neighboring
city of Tokyo and sell it. OF course
gave him the desired permission.
| should explain that about the years
1928 the japanese took silly craze,
first for rabbits and next for pigs. two
species Of animals not indigenous to
the country, and speculation ran riot
| upon them. ! have known a miserable
rabbit to bring the incredible sum of
| five hundred dollars. Exchanges were
! even organized In which, like stocks or
wheat the animals were bought and
sold over and over again In "A single
day upon certificates, without the pur.
chaser ever seeing his property.
Willie had no exchange membership,
| however, so he proposed hiring n
| jnrikisha and, with bunny in his lap,
going 10 seek buyer in Tokyo.
His knowledge Of the language
served him well. and he found a pur-
chaser soon after arriving in the capt.
| tai. The next morning he exhibited
10 me thirty rios as the net profit OF
! his transaction. | shall never. hope,
! forget the look Of transcendent pride
and JOY that lighted up his bonny face
as he told Of his first mercantile ven
ture, nor his intensely eager, "Oh, sir,
| could make toxon Plenty) If ! only
had more kinsats QDoney)."
Did furnish the small merchant the
needed capital? Haven't already
! owned that | was practically a fool
about that dayi Yes, let him have n
! hundred dollars, and In two weeks he
paid IL all back and had five hundred
dollars for himself besides. He cried
| 1nd laughed and laughed and cried as
| he counted II out before me, and just
10 make him feel comfortable-not that
| was at all affected by his enthusiasm
l laughed and shed tear or two
done no less.
When his excitement had moderated
| said: Now, Willie, will you keep
| your head II | propose something 7
| Remember mother and sister, and
don't, as most grown folks would in
your place. make fool OF yourself" D."
lie promised, and told him that /
would pay his passagc-which | could
get ut Il reduced rate-and he, taking
hls Ave hundred dollars-and perhaps
n little more-should go to San Fran
cisco with letters of introduction "a
Ex-Governor Low and others, there in
vest in rabbits and pigs, and hurry
back before the craze should die out
The little mans delight ut my propo
sition was unbounded. lie laughed
again, and jumped and clapped hi,
hands and tried TO thank me, but in
stead burst out crying. However,
understood, and presently we hat
everything planned.
1t was no easy matter to gain IN,
mothers consent TO the voyage, but
finally secured II, and in a week tina
iiftecn-year-old boy was on in tn,
care of the captain. While on ship
board he bore himself most discrcetly
and even earned little extra none!
10y copying for the purser. He wa
received with open arms by my friend
in San Francisco who We'd with cacl
other in helping him TO buy to the hes
advantage. ! even suspect. too, tba
: they failed TO report TO him the who'll
cost of the menagerie. Suffice IL 4
; say that he took the same steame
back in n few days. having with him
? goodly stock Of rabbits and li'tl' pigs
, The three weeks voyage told severe
- ly on the former: so much so tha
about one-quarter Of them died g
route. But nature interviewed an
b brought it about that on landing h
: nevertheless found himself actuall
p possessed of more rabbits than on leaN
. ing San Francisco: an unearned incr,
mcnt for which ! hope he was proper
, ly thankful.
, In due time our little merchant RI
] appeared at the consulate in robus
k health and spirits. The japanese cu'
@ tom-house authorities let him throug
4 easily. Even his rivals I'm trade helrc
+ him along. so that i'm two weeks Che,
@ sal Willie San disposed Of his entir
o stock at n profit Of no less than fin
% thousand dollars. This statCmcI
seems incredible. but people who wei
Il I'm the Land of the Rising Sun durin
g The pig rabbit insanity period viii bei
+ me out MS TO the probability of d
statement.
Our hero brought all his gains 90 n
and begged TO be allowed TO repeat u
b venture. oder heads. however. sa
the beginning Of the end Of the ri