River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1905-09-14

lOuT udyS, ~ 0uleT6u Tie pISSy. DuL, IL
stead of going south, the bracket man
turned about and started directly north
Hold onl" cried the Insurance agent
This isn't south; you ere going north
and must go south.
Bringing his horse to stop, the
bracket man apologized profusely for his
blunder, and declared that north was tt&o
only direction he could go, as the terri
tory south didn't belong to him. OF
course. there was nothing else for the in
surance agent to do, but get out, and,
reaching under the buggy seat he brought
forth his valise.
BY this time the farmers wife and all
the children were at the gate, and all
were interested and amused over the in
cident The insurance agent once more
babe them good-by, and started off on
foot Suddenly, however, he turned
about, and, in hesitating way, scratched
his head, then returning to the gate,
where the whole family was still congre-
gated. he said:
'See here, I really don't like to be
carrying this stuff around and / want
you to take this valise, and lock it up I'M
til return. have money enough in my
vest pocket to last me until / get
back"
Only too glad of the opportunity, the
farmer did as requested, when once
again the insurance man babe them an
other good-by, and started of.
MI. nh FOL nj
making the deal, Immediately hitched UP
his best team and drove pell-mell to Au-
rora, where he found the general agent
in his room at the hotel, in business up to
his ears. There were before him charts
and letters galore, from all sections oil
the country, some wanting one county.
some another, and all in desperate
straits for more or less territory. Un-
der much excitement, the farmer ex-
planned that he wanted 20 counties at
once, and produced slip of paper with
the names of those desired.
After coo1ly looking over the list, and
then going over the state map the gen
eral agent remarked that he was sorry
but he had received letter that very
morning from two men in Galesburg
who wanted ten of those very counties
together with 20 others, and were ready
with the cash to take them.
"But,' protested the farmer, ''you
agreed that should have all the coun-
ties | wanted at $500 each. These men,
who make you this offer, are long dis
lance from here. while am on the spot
and mean business"
ssHave you the cash to pay for them? p
asked the general agent.
"Ican get it within 20 minutes" gasped
the farmer.
"Well," replied the general agent, Il
hate to do it, because am certain 1t Will
spoil the other deal; but go ahead, get
your money right away. and will make
out your papers, and have them ready
on your return"
The money was forthcoming, and the
deed duly executed and witnessed, and
the farmer fastened home to await the
return of the insurance agent At the eX-
piration of four days there was anxiety
depicted on the face of the farmer, and
an 81 told you so" look on the face of the
wife. Another day, and both were walk
ing the floor Two days more and an
excited visit was made upon my farmer
relatives, when the entire transaction
was fully narrated and discussed.
The farmer knew that he had the cash,
and possibly hundreds of dollars, il not
thousands more than was due him, there
in the house. locked up in that valise, but
the question was, why should the man
stay away, and if he didn't return, what
would be the proper and legal procedure
to take.
Two days before my arrival, the farm
er again visited Aurora, to find that his
general agent had flown. He consulted
a lawyer, who advised him to immediate
ly return home, call in two or three
neighbors, as witnesses, and break open
the valise.
His advice was followed, and when
opened. the valise was found to be filled
with three or four old shirts, in which
were wrapped two or three bricks. The
balance of the space was stuffed with ex-
celsior.
The reader will readily understand the
state of mind my dear farmer relatives
were in, to receive and entertain me, a
patent-right vender.
After a short visit with them, started
out with my patent, and few weeks
later arrived at Bloomington, where l
took quarters at hotel
While showing the invention was rep
resenting, young man entered into
conversation with me, and explained
that he was canvassing for book, and
he then went on to tell me of brother
of his. who was out with gang of pat
ent right men, selling washing machines.
and how his brother played the part OF
bracket salesman; and how he would
drive up to the farmers house, in the
morning, with horse and buggy. Under
the seat of the buggy was an exact dupli-
cate of the valise in which the insurance
agent carried his money, and this, of
course, was the one the agent withdrew
from under the seat after discovering
that they were going the wrong way.
Accounts for the Mystery.
"And SO the Romans once invaded
Great Britain" said Miss Gillgal, to
whom her Uncle Charles had been
reading Of Caesars conquests. "That
accounts for il. then"
Accounts for what?" asked Uncie
Charles