The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1902-12-11

| Iowa, blessed with wife some years
older than himself. Where J. M. mar
fried her remains mystery to this day.
| In fact, the only thing known about
Mrs. Plenticash previous to her mar
riage is that she had $4,000 of her
own. She has often said so herself,
and her husband admits it. Butevery-
body knows that j. NJ never undertakes
any important business without first
consulting his wife. She advised him
to buy land; by her orders he opened a
country store; under her directions he
became contractor; guided by her
wisdom and counsel he induced hun
dred families to settle on his land, etc.,
etc. The settlers all traded at J. Ms
store, and j. Ms profits were great
greater even, if possible, than the
profits of the company stores in some
of the coal fields of Ohio and Pennsyl-
vania. Then he bought more land, and
laid the foundation of Muchland City.
A railroad company made an extern
sion of its lines to the Missouri river
and made Muchland City a way sta
tion. A post Office was established
soon afterwards, and j. Ms chest be-
gan to swell. New settlers bought or
rented his farms, and j. Ms purse
showed signs of plethora. A tramp
printer came along, and Mrs. Plenti-
cash loaned him money to establish
the 'Muchland City Gazoot.' The edi-
tors chief business was to advertise
j. M. and j. Ms belongings Lawyers
came to Muchland City, and Mrs.
Plenticash subsidized them. Churches
were built, and all the clergymen sang
the praises of Mr.. and Mrs. Plenticash.
Perhaps they couldn't help themselves.
Mrs. Plenticash ordered her husband
to build fine schoolhouse, and present
it to the city-the value of his lots in
creased 25 per cent. A movement was
| started to make Muchland City the
county seat of Muchland county, and
at the next election the free and inde-
pendent voters voted to erect court
house in the city named for the middle
name of its richest citizen. J. Ms lots
sold like hot cakes at so per cent in
crease in value. j. NJ felt like made
man. but he wasn't sself-made man
yet"
At this point of his narrative the
old man paused to fill and light his
pipe, and five of his hearers sneaked
away-to look for butternuts. They were
wise. "Boys," continued the old man,
81 will now tell you how j. NJ became a
self-made man. One day Mrs. Plenti-
cash said: John, that editor of ours
is a purity decent sort of a man, want
you to take fat turkey and a basket of
apples to him. He is faithful crea-
ture, he does everything l tell him, and
he deserves small present. Give him
my compliments Yes, num- said
John, and trudged off. In the next
issue of the 'Muchland City Gazoot'
appeared the following:@'Oure esteemed
friend and benefacter, that truly
SELF-MADE MAN, J. M. Plenticash,
who through his own intelligence and
by his own efforts has risen from COM
parative poverty and obscurity to
affiuence and fame, was a pleasant
caller at Oar Sanctum last week, and
presented US.a fat turkey and basket
of apples. His generosity has .sno end,
no limit, measure, bound" Shake
speare.) If any man on this mundane
sphere has right to feel proud of him.
self it is our esteemed fellow-citizen,
the Hon. Mr.. ]. Muchland Plenticash.'
/ Tom, Dick, Harry, Ruben, Eli 'Zeke
and others read it, and exclaimed,
That's right, b'gosh! old ]. NJ is self
made man alright. Wonder 1 never
thought of that myself I'D aa,
ain less than a month the whole
county spoke of ]. M. asa tself-made
man. and in less than a year every
newspaper in the state had aped the
'Gazoot,' and heaped praises upon J.
NJ, the self-made man. JIM. at first
J felt ashamed, because he knew that,