The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-09-09
BOB"
INGERsoLL'S LOAN

Il presume every prominent MAJ
with moderate amount OF wealth Il
pestered by horde Of pensioners,
said a yonng attorney at the Lawyers
club, In addition TO the regular par
asites that prey upon him continually
are occasional needy ones that appea
70 him at every opportunity.
In this respect the late Col. Rober
G. lngersoll was probably the mos
annoyed man OF his time. Generous
10 "A fault toward his friends, his biz
heart was touched by appeals from
The most casual stranger. ! doubt u
there was city in which he lecturec
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 a
touch on the colonel and he respond
I ed TO it like the gentleman that he
VAS
1T was down In Memphis about ten
/ years age, How | happened to BIG
there is nohodys business. 1t is
enough to say that | was stone broke,
frlendless and desperate ! even en-
Wed the swearing. halfnaked steve
dores down at the river wharyes as
they stood In line to receive their pay,
only to hustle off and lose their money
In crap game, My hotel bill al the
PEABODY Was worrying me lot II
wasn't big, but | had nothing with
which TO pay 1t. scarcely had nerve
enough to 90 IN and eat my meals, and
| never would have stepped up TO the
desk ii hadn't been compelled to ask
the clerk for my mail In the hope
thai letter might contain check
thai would relieve my misery
One day noticed in the hotel
lobby d lithograph likeness of Col In
gersoll | had seen II before, an
nouncing lecture on The Mistakes
Of Moses But this time Il furnished
an inspiration hated TO confess ii
| had met Col lngersoll 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 il he even enemhared me.
Such was my necessity and SO low
had my self-respect ebbed that / de
terniined to join the vast army Of
leeches that followed him
On the night OF The lecture. which
Al. 1
around TO the stage door and gained
admission by stating that | was a
friend Of the famous orator A stage
hand gave me a scat in the wings and
at the close of the lecture handed my
note TO Col Ingersoll
i can see the ncble 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
j don't remember you he said,
but tell me what ! can do for you
TEL him. ! Embossed the tongue Of
my woe and let fly ! told him / had
to have $40.
That is pretty large sum for one
man 10 ask OF stranger, he remons-
trated gently
Il admitted it. but pleaded the
harder
Very we'll 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 | may need
this. go 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 colonel's helped
me over the rough hill of my hard
luck. Inside Of year was in Wash
ine.on with a good job One day. and
II 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 far 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 quarter to
an old apple woman who was sitting
on the stoop outside the door beside |
her basket.
The giyer Of the coin was Col In
gersoll A feeling of shame swept |
over me. had not returned the |
money that had been OF such benefit |
10 me In the crisis Of my life had |
SIS in my pocket. and | knew my land |
lady would be lenient with me. so /
grew bold The colonel was just get. /
ting into his carriage at the curb. !
Col Ingersoll. said, stepping up /
to him 7 don't suppose you remem-
Der me-
No. he replied. Just a triAe sus.
piciously. I don't believe do
Well. replied. I believe you
said that once before. but this time ] |
don't think you will regret having me
refresh your recollection. First take
this $50. and III explain myself
4 did. and ] don't think ever felt
more proud of having pulled myself
together than ] did then. for ! was
telling the story 10 the one man who
had seen how nearly down and out /