Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1902-02-06


Shake hands with me. Shake heartily.
l think have prepared an agreeable
surprise II you"
Major Crofoot," replied the young
man as he sat down stiffly, -four days
ago I came here with three paintings
for SALE"
-Four days ago exactly" said the
major as he rubbed his hands to-
gether.
''They were landscapes, gems of art,
my own work"
Perfect gems, as l am glad to say
''You did not care to buy, but you
told NE you had friend who would
probably take the three and pay me
fair price for them"
II did, my boy, did. You are per-
fectly correct about that
Il left them with you," continued the
young man, "and the next day, as |
learned, you ran them into a pawn
shop Sir, / am here to demand the
return of the gems. 1t was a scoun-
drelly action on your part to pawn
them
v my dear boy, my dear boy, how glad
tionr' replied the smiling promoter as
he paceI up and down. Eat the first
go off my action appears inexcusable
to you, but listen. | took you for a
young man of perspicacity as well as
born artist. I saw you looking about
this somewhat dilapidated office. [ saw
you regarding my somewhat thread
bare wardrobe. | saw cOmmisera
ton in your eye. When / pronounced
your pictures perfect little gems, but
Informed you that | could not buy;
supposed that you caught on to the
fact that was temporarily hard up"
Nothing of the Sort exclaimed the
artist
"Then it was a mistake for which
beg your pardon, although | am not
satisfied that it was a mistake. Know
ing my financial situation, you desired
TO extend me aid, and it does you great
credit that you extended it as you did.
Instead Of offering me money you left
the pictures behind to be converted in
to oof.. Sir, it was a master stroke on
YOUR part. Any other course would
have humil ated me. l can scarcely
think of it without tears starting to my
eyes
Il never left those pictures here for
YOU to sell or pawn, and you know it."
THAT is right, my dear boy. Deny
it as vigorously as you will. True
charity is always yelled. You did a
hing for me 1 can never forget, and
VI did it without hurting my sensitive
feelings in the slightest / took those
pictures out and raised q dollar and a
half on them, just as you calculated l
would, and it was the turning of the
tide"
"A dollar and a half on three gems
worth So each" shrieked the young
man as he rose up.
"A dollar and half from my uncle"
soothingly replied the major He said
he would like to advance $50 on them,
out it was his busy day. The dollar
and q half was enough, however It
pulled me out Of hole and turned the
tide and now your bread cast upon
the waters shall return to YOU. You
will not have to paint any more gems
for a living. A month hence you will
he president of a bank"
Don't talk to me, you old scoundrell
You lied to me and robbed me- and if
there's any law in this country I'll
nave you behind the bars"
Yes, my dear boy softly continued
the major, you will be Il bank presi-
dent and own your own yacht and a
country residence. Yesterday | pro
NOTED the Old Boot and Shoe syndi-
cate, with a capital of $1,000000 The
title is not a high sounding one, but
wait a minute The number Of old
boots and shoes thrown away every
year in this world is 5000 100000 pairs.
The number of these discarded pairs
that can be cObDled up and resOld
again is 4,9O0,00O,O00 pairs. You buy
up the discarded shoes for an average
of cents pair. Your cobblng costs
an average of 20 cents. Your sales
.yerage 40 cents, or a clean profit of
10 cents per pair. You can figure as
well as paint. Tell me what the an
nual profit VIII be-"
'Blast your old boots and shoes!
want my pictures.' shouted the young
man as he got another fit.
'The profits will be millions, my dear
boy, tens of millions, and all we have
30 do is TO bank 1t as 1t comes in. We