The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1907-09-06
"n03"
lNaERSOks'S LOAN

Il presume every prominent man !
with a moderate amount of wealth is
pestered by a horde of pensioners, /
said a young attorney at the Lawyers
club. In addition to the regular par
asites that prey upon him continually, !
are occasional needy ones that appeal
to him at every opportunity.
I'm this respect the late Col. Robert
G. Ingersoll was probably the most
ANNOYED man of his time Generous
to a fault toward his friends, his big
heart was touched by appeals from
the most casual stranger. | doubt II
there was a city in which he lectured
where he did not leave behind part OF
the money that he had earned upon
the platform. / ought to know some
thing of this, for | myself made
touch on the colonel and he respond
ed to 1t like the gentleman that he
was.
1T was down in Memphis about ten
years ago. How | happened to be
there is nobody's business It is
enough TO say that was stone broke,
friendless and desperate. even en-
Wed the swearing, half-naked steve
dores down at the river wharves, as
they stood in line to receive their pay,
only to hustle off and lose their money
in a crap game. My hotel bill at the
Peabody was worrying me lot. 1t
wasn't big. but | had nothing with
which to pay it. | scarcely had nerve
tn in M
| never would have stepped up to the
desk if hadn't been compelled to ask
the clerk for my mail in the hope
that a letter might contain a check
that would relieve my misery.
"One day | noticed in the hotel
lobby Autograph likeness of Col. In
gersoll. | had seen it before, an
nouncing a lecture on The Mistakes
Of Moses But this time it furnished
an inspiration. ! hated to confess it.
I had met Col. Ingersoll in the days Of
my prosperity, year or so before.
But the meeting had been of the most
casual sort and gave me not the
slightest claim upon his friendship.
doubted if he even remembered me.
Such was my necessity, and so low
had my self-respect ebbed that ! de
termined to join the vast army Of
leeches that followed him.
ION the night of the lecture, which
was given the next evening, | went
around to the stage door and gained
admission by stating that | was
friend of the famous orator. A stage
hand gave me seat in the wings, and
at the close of the lecture handed my
note to Col. Ingersoll.
81 can see the noble old chap as he
came out into the wings to meet me.
He evidently had met my kind before,
but he was patient and courteous.
4 don't remember you he said,
but tell me what can do for you
Tell him, I Embossed the tongue Of
my woe and let fly. l told him | had
to have $40.
That is pretty large sum for one
man to ask of a stranger, he remons-
trated gently.
81 admitted it, but pleaded the
harder
Very WELL he weakened handing
me the bill. Only remember that !
am not so rich as many think | am.
Hundreds of persons ask me for
money | can't give them all twenty
dollar bills Some day I may need
this, so if you have any luck hereafter
send it to me. | may have to pass it
on to some other poor devil
"That loan of the colonels helped
me over the rough hill Of my hard
luck. Inside of a year | was in Wash
ington with a good Job. One day, and
it happened to be pay day for me, |
was coming down the elevator of the
old building formerly occupied by the
department of justice on Pennsylva
MIA avenue, not Tar from the White
House. The elevator shaft was dark
and / did not recognize two men that
entered the car as it stopped at the
floor below the one at which ! had
stepped in When the passengers got
out at the ground floor | noticed one
of the men stop and hand a quarter to
an old apple woman who was sitting
on the stoop outside the door beside
her basket.
"The giver of the coin was Col In
| gersoll feeling of shame swept
over me. had not returned the
money that had been Of such benefit
TO me in the crisis of my life. | had
! S25 in my pocket, and | knew my land
lady would be lenient with me, so l
grew bold The colonel was just get
/ ting into his carriage at the curb
Col Ingersoll | said, stepping up
to him, I don't suppose you remem-
Der me?'
NO he replied just a trife sus-
piciously, don't believe | do
"'Well, / replied, I believe you
said that once before, but this time I
don't think you will regret having me
refresh your recollection. First take
this 500 and I'll explain myself
II did. and I don't think ! ever felt
,,,ovo ,,ro,,I ~ HAVING pn11ad f,,vcaIf