The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1904-07-07
A DEAL IN
WHEAT
Copyright, 1904. by Daily Story Pub. 90
By J. G. PLUMMER

Copyright, 1904 by Daily Story Pub. co.,
T HERE was financial crisis in the
| home of Capt. Soloman PEBBLES.
The butcher and the grocer each had
menaced the unfortunate mariner with
legal proceedings If their accounts were
not settled forthwith and the furni-
ture man limited strongly at removing
the parlor suite if the balance owed
thereon was not paid, dire threat,
which, if accomplished, so Mrs. Pee
bles said, would forever disturb her
rest in the grave. Added to this Mrs.
and Miss PEBBLES were without proper
attire to appear before their neighbors
without feeling of deep humiliation.
81 can't understand it," said Mrs.
PEBBLES, for the hundredth time, "why
you can't make money. There's Capt.
Lanyard, not as good sailor as you,
and yet he lives fine"
Capt PEBBLES, who had been beating
the DEVILS tattoo on the table during
this address, flung his hat on his head,
said something which caused his wife
to elevate her hands aloft, and left
the house.
Luck and Capt. PEBBLES did not get
on together. Always a careful master
and latterly an over-careful one, he
was constantly having accidents. From
sticking on bar to fouling wharf
his craft was always paying damages
or expenses until shipowners dropped
him. He was too old and fat for a
mate, and it would have been folly to
work for foremost wages with his
family. Hence the Strengthened condi-
ton of the PEBBLES family at present.
One thing, amid all his troubles
Capt. PEBBLES had kept intact this
home. Purchased in installments, the
fruits of hard toll and privation, he
regarded 1t as a refuge for him and
his family that should never be
touched and yet when he left the house
he had resolved to sacrifice it.
81 will lend you 5000 on your house,
PEBBLES" said John Simms, capitalist,
land what's more you sign the mort
gage and I won't require your wife's
signature, nor will I record 1t until
necessary. You pay up your debts as
you agree and pay up the mortgage as
you can"
With the money in his pocket and
trouble in his heart, PEBBLES walked
homeward, feeling. as does a sailor
when he abandons his ship. His home
was gone, he could never repay the
mortgage under the present frown of
fortune.
At the street corner he met Capt.
Lanyard.
"Hello. Peebles," said he, you look
as If you had been dismasted in q
sQuall."
However reticent a man may be
about his own troubles sometimes they
gall him so that it is a relief to talk
Of them and PEBBLES told Lanyard the
whole story.
"Whew!" said Lanyard, that's
tough. Why don't you make some
money!"
"But how?" asked PEBBLES.
"Spekilate," replied Lanyard. "The
times gone by when a man can make
any money sailing schooners for wages
of any ship built and l have money in
bank and in my pocket. Now, I never
met q belated craft on the sea that I
did not have provisions and spare spars
to give her and I'll help you, PEBBLES.
Buy wheat"
Wheat" calculated PEBBLES.
There was curbstone broker in
New York who thought himself lucky
If he had bloater for his Sunday din
ner. He went to Chicago and he's made
forth and, as did him a favor or
two when he was poor, he gives me
some tips and they never 60 wrong.
Here's a letter from him saying buy
wheat, September wheat. The gov
eminent report will be out next week
and it has leaked. 1t will show a dam
aged condition and wheat will go up
five or ten cents with jump There
you are. buy September wheat"
''I've only $780," said PEBBLES.
: Plenty" said Lanyard, buy 5000
bushels, put up your $500 and when 1t
goes up to where you'll have $3.50 profit
sell her out. It's as easy as heaying
Q log.
"S'pose 1t goes DOWN."
at won't 60 down. This fellow is
never wrong. I'm going to buy 10000
bushels. See Comstock and tell him
I sent YOU"
PEBBLES walked on thinking deeply,
This was the secret of Lanyard's pros
perity. Why shouldn't he do as well.
He heard himself hailed and saw 10
siah Boggs, shipowner, beckonine
to him. PEBBLES" said Boggs. sT'ye
made up my mind to sell the Mary
Jane. I'll take 5000 for her. Nose
around among your sailor friends and
sell her and I'll give you five per cent. .
Five thousand dollars was dirt chear
for schooner like the Mary Jane and
PEBBLES felt he could sell her. There
would be $3.50. which would see him
square even IL the wheat deal wen,
wrong. Things were turning.