Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-04-12

While the stranger was speaking, the sec
ond man appeared on the bank with half
barrel on his shoulder.
lie called for his brother to help him get it
on board, and Jim had time to ask Jethro:
do you think there's anything wrong about
the mans story"
WAL, | did think so first off; but l spose
I'm fool. l amt heard anything about
sugar BEN raised round here; but | don't
know why there shouldn't be"
Then you would trade with him."
That's your business, not mine. ! don't
see how there can be anything crooked about
IT, stands to reason that if they had come
up here on venture they would run short of
money an you might be able to make pretty
This silenced all Jim's fears, if, indeed, he
had any and when the sample was brought
INTO the store, the young traders only thought
was the prospect of making paying bar
gain.
"There 1t is' said the man, as the half
barrel was brought in and unheaded. II can
get four and half cents for that quality of
brown in New Orleans; but we've got to have
some money right away to pay bill we owe,
or else the Sheriff will be likely to make us a
us cash, wen let you have it for three and
half cents, and you'll make just dollar
hundred for freighting it to Orleans"
-~Jethro examined the sugar, pronounced it
10 De WOTJu dS IuuCu dS tuc iHdu hnu Sdiuy
and Jim asked
How much have you got?
"Not over fifteen hundred pounds"
"In give you three cents, and weigh it
from one barrel into another, for where the
profit is so small l can't afford to average
the weight of the barrels.
The man called his brother aside, whispered
to him for few moments and then offered
to sell for three and quarter.
Jim refused to pay more than the price ne
l.ol mil pnuIH taxi
their pay in goods.
The men held another consultation, and
seemed to be earnestly considering the propo-
stion.
"Well let you have it," the first man final
ly said, after quite lengthy, whispered con-
versation, during which he had acted as II he
had been trying to satisfy his brother that it
was better to sell at that price. 'We'll bring
the sugar on board, and you begin to weigh it
out | reckon we , can trust you to give us
"You shall be paid for every pound you've
got" replied Jim, as he made his preparations
for weighing
Then the work of taking the sugar, on
any one to help them bring it out of the
woods, they laughingly declaring that since
they had agreed to do that portion of the
work, it was no more than right that they
should keep their agreement.
1t was a long job emptying the sugar from
one barrel to another; but it was at last con.
Guided. and the net weight, as True added
the figures up, was found to be 1852 pounds,
which, at three cents per pound, would amount
to forty dollars and tifty-six cents:
"Never mind the six cents" said the man,
as Jim was trying to make the exact change.
Next time you come this way, stop here, if
you've got the time. Come up then to see
our plantation, and we may want to buy
some goods
Then, as if in hurry to get home, the two
men jumped on shore, cast off the hawsers,
and the River Queen drifted out into the cur
rent, the strangers disappearing in the woods
before the boat was ten yards from the
shore.
tits better to have made that trade than
none at al" said Jim, as he worked at the
sweeps to get the fat boat into the current;
"and if we can make a cent and a half a