Griggs courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., Dak. [N.D.]) 1885-1902, 1901-01-03
HIS START IN LIFE.
TWAS AGooo ,sHe AND WAS THRUST
ON HIM CY ACCIDENT.

IT WAS AGooo GGE AND WAS THRUST
ON HIM CY ACCIDENT.
The Incident Wouldn't Have Han.
pened II ShortsiEhted Real E..
His EyeElasscs.
Il owe my start in life to the fact
that :in cs:inab!c Old gentleman forgot
to put lis eyeglasses il his pocket one
morning" said prosperous business
men from Il sister city. Its rather n
c;:,.ous story he went on. land III
many years ago. when ! Was a young
fellow Of ~, or tlereabouts. driftetl
iato Louisville in search of Il job thar
didn't M:aterialiZa, and the upshot Of: il
was that found myself practically
broke III Il strange city. Up TO thar
time had always worked fo~ smau
wages ans. had never succeeds "a az.
cNiAu.atin- as much as $50 .,;t he'd
an abiding faith that if ,uil Omen
get hold of modest stake coull
launch out for myself and make son,o
money.
''Onc morning. when l was wander.
ing about with only two or three silver
dollars in my pocket. looking for y
chance to go to work at anything tina,
might Offer. dropped into q biz,
down Stair; room where some real
estate was being sold at auction.
large crowd was present. and there
was an indescribable feeling Of ten,
sion in the air that warned me some.
thing unusual was about to happen
while | was standing there. ONLY
vaguely Interested. the auctioneer. who
was quite an elderly gentleman. pu,
up piece of improved city property
and after Il considerable pause rrceiv
ed a bid of 5000. could see that tie
sma!lness of the amount excited ST..
prise, and was also aware of Il CO.
motion in one corner where half q
dozen previous bidders We're gathered
together in an excited group. They
seemed to be quarreliIs about some
thing. and meanwhile the aucticnce,
was Indignantly appealing for Il re-
spectacle offer.
"'Make it $500" he shouted. Does
any gentleman bid S25OO| He looked
directly at me, and made gesture Of
denial. Thank youv he exclaimed.
greatly to my surprise. The gentleman
over there bids $1,000. and. if can
help it. no combination of buyers is 80.
ing to be allowed to dictate prices a,
this sale. With that he suddenly
knocked down the property to me.
NO sooner was this done" continued
the story teller. than :: great uproar
OF protests arose from the group in the
corner. They insisted that they had
been given no chance to bid. but the
auctionecr stood firm and. calling me
to the platform. requested my name
and address and 20 per cent cash dc
posit on the $1,000.
by that time | realized. of course
that some extraordinary chance had
thrown fine piece of property into my
hands ut IL fraction Of its real value.
and | did some quick thinking. I've
sent messenger for the money! said
as coolly as could. and Ill have it
here in Is minutes
THE auctioneer looked at the clock.
All right he replied. I'll give you
that limit
''Thcn took desperate chance. |
pushed through the crowd. which was
already interested in the next sale. and
beckoned TO Il little fat man who had
been one Of the loudest kickers Il few
moments before
"'Look here l said. drawing him
aside. DO you want to Ee my silent
partner for an hour or so:'
What d'you mean:' said he.
81 gave him the truth in Il dozen
words. Now ic. ne haze that 5000
deposit money l added and We'll
share the profits. whatever they are
THE little man looked at me shrcwd-
ly. This is a big joke Oh all Of us. he
said. srinning. and guess I'll risk the
deal
AT the same time he counted out
$500 and pct it in my hands. raced
back to the desk with the cash. clinch-
ed the sale and before noon lad the
deed in my possession. Then. to make
a lang SOY short. nay silent partner
offered me- $! Lose c;i i for my interest.
and as 81 900 lacked nlnr, rs hi. as a
mountain III that stare %! IN" game |
promptly accepted. Tina, ,.lo.lsanh. for
tl:n::cly placed gave me HE start that
has kept III" going ever since
''P'lt what about the eyeglasses. did
yon say: Why. the auctione"r. rs
aft"rwaru learned. was very near
sighted. and on the morning to which,
refer he had forgotten his glasses That
was why he Mis1oo& my gesture OF dis
avoWal for q sign Of Assem- and forced
me. in spite Of myself. into a good
thing never understood the exact
true iNv'al,lncss of the deal. but the
facts in ,ll' rough We're that a clique
Of spectators had formed q combine
to keep down prices. but. ewing to
some Misunderstanding. failed to bic
promptly on til" property which | Sc
cured. Tie auciolnry M:,s on to the
game and anxious ia break it up: hence