Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-02-21
D1ILY STORY Y
SMITH & JONES.

lCOpyr1ght, 1906, by Mcclure newspaper |
Syndicate.l |
Jonas X Smith and William B. Jones |
were schoolmates and bosom friends. |
At the age of twenty they entered the
same counting room. Two years later
Smith went into the diapers business,
and Jones went to South America To
represent a firm.
Three years after Jones had departed
for South America things so changed
with his firm that he returned. Smith
knew that he was coming and was the
first to greet him. Neither had mar
ricd during the interval. The draper
had prospered, but desired to enlist
more capital and enlarge his business.
Jones had money and became a part
ner. So great was their faith in eaca
other that no papers We're drawn be
yond those making it a legal partner
ship. They trusted to each other in
everything else. The partnership COR
tinued for five years, and the firm
made money. This made at least six
teen years that they had been daily
together as boys and men. and one
would have said that each thoroughly
understood the other. One day. in
view of further improvements. they
had balance sheet drawn This
showed the exact share of each and
the profits made. There was Il diffyi-
cnce of just a halfpenny i'll favor OF
Smith. The matter was first mention
ed i'll a joking way and in the greatest
good nature. but later on it became
bone of contention. Here We're two
lifelong friends who had handled thou
sands of pounds between them disput-
ing about a halfpcnny. Each declared
that he was actuated by principle. and
SO hot did the dispute rage thai :
dissolution of the cOparnership was
agreed upon.
Jones went out of the firm and eg-
tabliShed an opposition trade. In two
years he baukrupted both concerns.
People for thirty miles around were
furnished with free railroad tickets to
come and buy. even at half price, and
they We're furnished free meals at the
stores.
When bankruptcy came il made n
clean sweep. Both men went out into
the world without a dollar. Smith TOOK
Il situation in warehouse, and Jones
secured spne with real estate agent.
Smith secured board far away from
the other place. but inside of two days
Jones was bOarder at the same place
Then they spoke for the first time in
two years and their words were over
heard by the landlady, as testified to
afterward As they met in the upper
hall Jones said:
Smith. | have just word to say TO
You. l shall kill You some day for your
meanncSs about that halfpCnny."
That's my intention toward YOU
That was all They sat at the same
table and slept within Il few feet of
each other for five months and never
passed another word. They ignored
each others very existence. The other
boardCrs in the house came to under
stand the situation and fell into r.
though of course it was Il subject OF
general remark. On Il dozen different
occasions mutual friends nterceded
That poor little halfpcnny stood i'll the
way and could not he put aside. Al
the end of five months Il relative OF
Smith died and he decided to buy \
house in Il suburb of London and have
| Il widowed sister act rs hOuSekeepcr
| This project was talked over at the
| table before all.
1t was Il most curious thing that
| Jones should be III the employ of th-
| real estate man who had erected tn,
| houses in the suburb referred TO and
| that it was a part Of his duties t
| show would be purchasers through th5
| houses. Such was the ease. however
| and one afternoon when Smith alighted
| from the underground at the suburb
| he found Jones ready for him. Il
must have been Il surprise TO him, anC
| yet he was equal to the occasion. Hf
asked to be shown Il certain house
and Jones led the way into it. People
on the street heard and saw this. Tha
| evening neither man returned TO hi
| boarding house. They did not return
| next day. Then the police were Spoken
| TO. and a search was instituted. Smiu
had said that he was going to look at {
| house. Jones had said that he wal
| going to show house to customer.
| They found the house into which tn
two men had gone anal had not beer
seen to reappcar with its outer doc
| unlocked. In Il room upstairs the!
| found Smith and Jones dead. Wha
| happened was told by tramp wh'
was in hiding in the house because h
had committed theft and feared TIT
| police were after him. He was asleei
in an upstairs room and was awaken
cd by the sounds of the mems voice
in dispute. He heard one say:
Smith, Providence has sent yot
here to your death. ! am going t
kill YOU
Jones, ! have been waiting for JUS
such an opportunity TO take your life!
replied the other.
There was little or nothing more salt
| bpfore thay cIoSad with each other