The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-10-12

merchant had the way. He knew Of a
new town that was starting up where I
| could make all kinds of money ~ 7
would so there and engage in business
He suggested that his son and mvss,r
become partners and sail out to Tho
booming city to grow up with the Mace
me IDEA did not seem to be such a bad
one. l mad a little mOney-to get. I
mean had the money somewhere else
out l could get 1t into that town and
put 1t into the business If I cared 70 do
so. l simply made this remark to show
YOU that to begin with my talks with
the foxy merchant were in good faith. I
told him everything about my money
and he grew much more Interested in
me than ever.
Every morning when I would meet
him he would have something to say
about how we'll could do in :ne prai,
RE town he had picked out for me. He
even went into details about how my
store could be arranged and all that
sort or thing. l thought he was taking
a great deal of interest in me, but Just
let him drift along. Finally one day he
showed his hand. He had gone on as
usual about the store l was to own and
then he wound up by saying that we,
that Is his son and myself, could get
almost our complete stock of goods out
OF MS store. From the minute that he
made that remark to the minute that l
left him l was looking for a chance to
work MIN and the store was completely
gone out of my mind. Young though I
was. l knew enough to appreciate that
stock OF goods that had been damned
around country store for perhaps the
h1etlme OF merchant would not
be very inviting line with
Whlch to sally forth into a new
town. The merchant simply wanted to
unload his old goods on me and saw II.
but 1t would not do for me to let him
know that 1 was on to him. On the
contrary. I encouraged him to give me
more hot air about the stock he would
let us have. All this time I was in a
measure getting into his confidence. He
thought l was good thing, and he did
not want to overlook me.
when l had been in the town about a
week my draft came. / went down to
the store Of my merchant friend and
told him with as much nonchalance as |
could command that was going to take
run over to Topeka for a few days. |
Then l asked him to step into the bank |
with me and identify me so that could |
get some money on draft 1 had re-
ceived. He went along with me and |
when the cashier asked him to write his
name on the back Of the paper he seemed |
to hesitate for a moment, but he put |
down his signature and l was soon walk
ing out Of the bank with my money.
babe my merchant friend good bye, tell
Ing him that I did not know just how
long would be gone. Then went down
to the hotel and paid my board for a
week. remarking that I was going out
IF the city for few days. That after.
noon I took a train which whizzed out
If that little town with me, and I have
never seen the place from that day to
his.
Il have often wondered If that mer-
chant still has his old stock of goods on
hand waiting for me to come back.
might say in passing that the draft got
him to sign was perfectly good in every
way. He could not have lost a cent on
It. I had no reason for deceiving him
beyond my desire to get him to help me
get hold Of some money. I have never
forgotten that experience In the little
town. It may be inconvenient
enough to be out Of money temporarily
when you are among friends, but the
real thing comes along when you are
where you have no money and can't get
It even If you have 1t to your credit in
a bank somewhere else. That may be
the case with the lad just handed the !!
dollar to- at least I am willing to take
chance on him on account of my recol-
lection Of myself"