The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1907-03-13

done bizness there the heft O. his life
an could tell We considerable An he's
your own fourth cousin an a school
mate" ......
Lish snorted.
Nathan Taylor! Huh! Don't s'pose
he's goin' to encourage opposition, do
ye? did speak to him a little, an he
advised me to take the drug store
stand; said it was at the best part O.
the bizness street an on a corner an
that the extra trade would pay the big
rent a dozen times over. The idee!
seen in a minute what he was arter.
Longs was bound to 60 In, he felt
the faster rushed through the money
the quicker I'd git out. Why, Jest one
years rent would take half a quarter
Of all we've gotl An, nore'n that, he
said I'd better be pretty careful how I
left things to them drummers an that
ought to go up to the city an. hunt
round through the stores fer jest the
things I needed an the best prices.
But he didn't say word bout the $25
or more expenses, that wouldn't turn
me in a cent. Oh, no! He even limited
I'd better hire a bright young man,
with experience to help in the store"
The next week the drummer was as
prompt as his word and came down
with an extensive assortment Of sam
pies. An entire day was spent with
him in the big, empty store, which
Sairy had swept and scrubbed with her
own hands. At first they were DELHI
crate and circumspect in their buyings,
Sairy being for ordering a dress pat
tern from this and that, few yards Of
one ribbon and another, piece of braid
or cake Of fancy soap, and Lish for
breaking dozens and dividing the boxes
and packages. But after the drummer
had repeatedly assured them that they
were purchasing to fill store and not
for their own immediate necessities for
few months ahead they grew boider
and yet bolder, and finally, when pas
sion for buying had begun to possess
them, they ordered from everything
shown and toward the end recklessly.
After 1t was all over and the drummer
had left they drew long breaths and
looked at each other curiously.
We've bought a sight, Lish," Sairy
faltered
II should say So" rubbing his chin
thoughtfully. "More'n was ever put
into store at one time before, I guess:
But It's bizness," frightening up some.
LAS the Teller said, we can't open a.
eforo with q varH n, slao+ioU
mo, l s'pose not. But now mucn 90
ye think we got, LishT' her face still
anxious.
II dunno" he confessed slowly, ''an'
at first an keep count, but got off the
track. Mebbe thousand, two thou
sand, three thousand, though faint
likely SO much as the last. We've new
er bought more'n 500 or $50 worth at
time before, an it's hard to guess.
But $4,000 or $4,000 is good for
mighty big pile O. stuff"
The second day the goods came down
In boxes and barrels and kegs and bun
dies and in great square cases that re-
quired two men to roll from the freight
platform into the wagon. Lish hired a
team and man to help and did all the
hauling himself. The next morning the
bill came
Lish opened and looked at it eagerly,
then drew long breath and rubbed
his eyes and looked at it again.
He seized his cap and damned it vi
ciously upon his head and left the
store. The village bank was upon the
principal street, and the cashier was
an old friend. 1t was upon this bank
that Squire Brown had given him
check for $1,000. The cashier happened
to be alone.
BY this time Lish had regained con-