The copper era., 1902-12-25
Stories That are Told of the Late
 John ". Mackay.

his widow hasn't damn cent left"
 How much had we better do for herr" Mackay asked.
 'I guess we can stand $500" said.
 "All right. How will we divide it up? Even between us?'
 "No," I said. Let's divide it pro- portionate to our incomes. You write a check for $500 and I'll furnish the stamp to mail it with"
 All right" said Mackay, Tout don't you let that woman know where this money come from. I'll make the check to you and you send her your check"
 "John, that won't fool sheep. Old lady Peters knows mighty well that l ain't throwing fve-hundred-dollar cheeks around like parlor matches"
 "WelI, I'll tell you what I'll do," said Mackay, with a chuckle, I'll pre- tend that old Crooks sent the money, and when the blankety blank old skin- ! flint gets the letter of thanks he'll drop dead with surprise"
 Crooks was Mackay's partner, and was even more noted for his stinginess than Maekay for his generosity.
 Anyhow, I took Mackay's check and sent it to old lady Peters and told her that the money came from John Mackay. The next morning l saw John standing in front of his office, holding sheet Of paper in his hand, and the tears streaming down his cheeks.
 Here, Sam, he called to me, you blankety blank old blabber, you went and blabbed to old lady Peters, gol | that makes me cry, gol hang you. Here you stuffing the letter in my hands-'read it and cry yourself.'' q read the letter and then I cried. John grabbed it away from me and went into his office.
 "A man Mackay had known slightly went wrong. He was charged with embezzlings45O0 Mackay saw the news in the morning papers, and rushed straight to the mans house. Only the
 
 was in hysterrics.
 Now, here, Mrs. Jenkins,' said Mackay, don't you believe blamed word you see in these newspapers; don't you take a bit of stock in it. 1 know your husband mighty well, and I'll take an oath he never stole a cent. Ain't that kind of man. But he is the most onery careless cuss l ever knew in my life. If there's S4500 missing, why, I'll bet that miserable, careless husband of yours has left the money sticking around in the pockets of some of his old clothes. Go up stairs and look, Mrs. Jenkins. I'm betting you will find the cash some- where's"
 "The poor woman went up stairs and made a search, but of course didn't find anything. Downstairs she came where Mackay was still standing in the hall.
 "No, Mir. Mackay,' she said, I didn't find anything.
 "Thcn she started to cry.
 "Mrs. Jenkins,' said Mackay, there's your husbands old overcoat hanging on the hat rack. Now it would be just | like him, he's so blamed careless and ornery, to leave that roll of bills in the pocket of that coat. Suppose you go and look.
 "The minute that woman got her fingers on the bunch of bills Mackay had stuffed in the overcoat pocket, Ee took shoot out of the front door.
 "I went to Mackay to get a check for poor widow. It was not long after his experience with old Mrs. Peters.
 "Sam,'. he said, I'm going to fine you for babbing to Mrs. Peters. I'll fine you $2OO and check for S3OO is the best you can have. And if you let her know where the money comes from, don't you ever dare to ask me for another cent. for you won't get ir.
 "I agreed not to give him away, and accordingly had the check cashed and took tho roll of bills down and per- sonally handed it to the widow.
 "Where did this money come from, Mir. Davis?" she asked.
 "Oh, answered carelessly, a bunch of your friends here in Carson made | up little purse for you.
 "Well,' she said, looking at me earnestly for a minute, you go back and tell MT. Mackay that will thank him to my dying day.
 "Once when the press in the Carson City Appeal had just started to run he came rushing in and called to me in an excited tone:
 "Sam, stop the press! Stop the pressr
 Whats the matter, John?' I asked | in alarm.
 "Why, old man Crooks has just pre- sented peck Of apples to the or phans home and he'll be broken heart ed if you don't have column and a half about it in the paper this after noou.'"
 A Cold Wava