The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1907-04-10

there came q knock on his door. 1t
wasn't the knock Of woman sutferlng
with the toothache and who wanted to
inquire for the dentist upstairs, nor YET
the knock of a creditor who was CON-
ing in to say that If his bill was not
paid that day he would begin lawsuit.
It was knock that bothered the major
for minute, and before he could make
up his mind exactly what to do the
door opened and the knockeress walked
in and bowed coldly and sat down. The
major recognized her at a glance as bis
old landlady-one Of his old landladies,
one of the ones to whom he was in
debted in the sum Of about $50. His
mind was instantly made up. he gave
her no chance to refer to his perfdy In
walking off as q debtor, but said:
'I see, my dear Mrs. Russell, that
you got my little note Of yesterday and
are here on time. am glad to see such
promptness on your part. It shows me
that have made no mistake in ap-
pointing you secretary Of the Great
American Economic company, capital
$3,00O,O00."
Wants Money Due Her.
81 got no note from you yesterday"
she replied. II haven't heard from you
since the day you walked out of my
house, and that's two years ago. saw
you on the street half an hour ago and
followed you. You owe me over $50,
and I want itr'
ssNo note from me! Dear, dear me!
The messenger must have gone to the
wrong house. I wrote to ask you to
call at this hour, and all night long
was thinking Of what a pleasant sur
prise I had in store for you. It surely
must be the hand Of Providence that
guided you here"
"You may as well leave out the blar-
ney and fork over my money. have
got lawyer who will put you in jail it
you don't pay
.'My dear, dear woman" said the
major as he fixed himself anew in his
chair, ':there was time when I was in
financial straits. Such periods are some
times referred to as a person being
stone broke or on his uppers. had the
ambition, but not the opportunity.
While waiting for the opportunity
wandered into your we'll Kept caravan
sary. You cast your bread on the Wa
ters-that is, you took me in without
xrr;+h r1n fr-1cf ~
my honor to pay you in the future
81 never did anything Of the kind,
sir"' exclaimed Mrs. Russell. Il told
you the front room upstairs and board
would be $S per week, and you said it
was cheap enough. I couldn't get a
cent out Of you, and after four weeks
you skipped out. You are blk aud a
deadbeat, sir, but I'll have my money
or know the reason why"
''You had confidence in me, my dear
woman, when others had not, and
determined that when the time came I
would repay you hundredfold. That
time has arrived I could draw you
check for $4,000, but propose to do
even better than that. AS I said, I
have just organized the Great Ameri-
can Economic company. want a Sec
retary at $4,000 per year, and the
place is yours. AS you leave this Of
fee for home I will accompany you as
far as the Twenty-eighth National
bank and there open an account for
you to the amount Of half your first
years salary Tomorrow we will see
about your horses and diamonds.
shall want you to drive to and from
the office, and the larger diamonds you
get the better I shall be pleased. Do
you write sloping or back hand?"
Won't Stand For Barney.
ssThat's nothing to do with the case"
she retorted. "You owe me bill, and
1 want it, and all your blarney will go