The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1903-03-07


tend that old Crooks sent the money
and when blankety- blank old Skin
flint gets the letter of thanks the
womanll write him, he'll drop dead
with surprise
Crooks was one of Mackay's part
ners, and was even more noted for his
stinginess than Mackay for his gener-
! osity.
Anyway, I took Mackay's check and
sent it to old lady Peters. And l told
her that the money came from John
Mackay. The next morning L was
walking down the street in Carson City
when / saw old John standing on the
| sidewalk in front of his office. He was
holding a sheet of paper in his hand
and tears were running down MS
cheeks.
3" Here, SAM he called TO me, you
blankety- blank old blabber, you went
and blabbed to old lady Peters, sol
blame you. And she's written me a
letter that makes me cry, sol hang It.
and I don't like to cry. Here, you,
stuffing the letter into my hand-read
this letter and cry yourself
II read the letter and then l cried.
John Mackay grabbed it away from
me and went into his office.
"A man Mackay had known slightly
embezzling $4,000. Mackay saw the
news in the morning papers. and
rushed straight up to the mans house
Only the embezzler's wife was at home,
and she was in Mysteries.
Now, here, Mrs. Jenkins, said
Mackay, don't you believe a blamed
word you see in these newspapers;
don't you take a bit of stock in it. L
know your husband mighty well. and
I'll take my oath he never stole a
cent. Amt that kind of a man. But
he is the most ornery, careless cuss L
ever knew in my life. If there's $4,000
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 bet
ting you'll find the cash somewhere.
The poor woman went upstairs and
made a search through her husbands
old clothes Of course she didn't find
anything. Downstairs she came, where
Mackay was still standing in the
hall.
No, Mr. Mackay,' she said, I didn't
find anything.
'"Fhen she sarted to cry.
Mrs. Jenkins said Mackay, there
is your husbands old overcoat hang
ing on the hatrack. Now, it would
be just like hin-hes so blamed care
less and ornery-to leave that roll of
bills in the pocket of that old coat.
Suppose you go and look
"The minute that woman got her
Mackay had stuffed into the overcoat
pocket he took shoot out of the front
door.
Il went to Mackay to get a check
for a poor widow. 1t was not long
after his experience with old Mrs.
Peters and her letter of thanks.
Sam, he said, I'm going to fine
you for blabbing on me to Mrs. Peters.
I'll 6ne you 5000. and a check for $500
is the best you can have for this other
woman. And if you let her know
where the money comes from don't you
ever dare to ask me for another cent,
for you don't get it.
Il agreed not to give him away, and
accordingly had his check cashed and
took the roll of bills down and per-
sonally handed it to the widow.
Where did this money come from,
Mr.. Davis?' she asked.
Oh 1 answered carelessly, "a
bunch of your friends here in Carson
made up little purse for you
" Well she said, looking a. me ear
nestly for minute. you go back and
tell Mr.. Mackay that-I shall 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 of voice:
g" Sam he said, stop the press!
Stop the press!'
What's the matter, John?' 1 asked
in alarm.
why, old man Crooks'-I have ex-
planned that Crooks was one of his
partners famous for his stinginess-
old man Crooks has just presented a
peck of apples to the orphans home