The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1907-04-17

wasn't the knock OF woman SuHerlnS
with the toothache and who wanted to
inquire for the dentist upstairs, nor yet
the knock of a creditor who was COM
ing in to say that if his bill was not
paid that day he would begin lawsuit.
It was a 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 his
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 debtor, but said:
81 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. 1t shows me
that I have made no mistake in ap-
pointing you secretary of the Great
American Economic company, capital
$3,OOO,OOe"
Wants Money Due Her.
II 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 want itv'
mo 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 I
was thinking of what a pleasant sur
prise I had in store for you. 1t surely
must be the hand of Providence that
guided you here"
ney and fork over my money. I have
got lawyer who will put you in Jail if
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. 1 had the
ambition, but not the opportunity.
While waiting for the opportunity I
wandered into your we'll kept caravan
sary. You cast your bread on the wa
tiers that is, you took me in without
money aud without price, trusting to
my honor to pay you in the future"
II never did anything Of the kind,
sir!' exclaimed Mrs. Russell. 81 told
you the front room upstairs and board
would be So per week, and you said it
was cheap enough. 1 couldn't get
cent out of you, and after four weeks
you skipped out. You are blk and
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 I
determined that when the time came I
would repay you hundredfold. That
time has arrived. could draw you
check for $4,000, but I propose to do
even better than that AS I said,
have just organized the Great Ameri-
can Economic company. I want Sec
rotary 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-eig 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 shall be pleased. Do
you write sloping or back hand?"
Won't Stand For Blarney.
"That's nothing to do with the case,"
she retorted. "You owe me bill, and
I want it, and all your barney will go
for nothing. I shan't take any check
either, but want cash."
Mrs. Russell, do you know the value
of the waste in this country every
year?" asked the major after consult
ing battered city directory for
couple of minutes.
81 know that such rascals as you
beat me out of at least 5000 every
year.
''The money value of the waste is a
hundred million dollars every year.
The Economic company will save as
much of that waste as possible. It
will gather up CASTOR clothing, boots
and shoes, foods, played out umbrellas,
bottles, tin cans and SO forth In one