The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1909-05-27

hos~ pocket by knowing him,
while as to me character. I'm very
sure I'm the worse there"
watts de matter NIT him7"
whats not the matter with him4
II he's agreeable he's not natural,
and If he's natural he's not agree
able / don't pretend to be a saint
I've seen some fun in my day, and
hope to see some more before l die,
but there are some things that I
wouldn't do. II live be cards it's all
for and above board. never play
anything but games o. skill, and
reckon on me Skill bringing me out
on the right side, taking one night
with another through the year.
Again, at billiards l may not always
play me best, but that's generalship.
You don't want whole room to know
to point what your game is. I'm
the last man to preach, but L don't
like that chap, and don't like that
handsome brazen face of his. I've
spent the greater part of my life
reading folks faces, and never very
far out either"
Won Baumer made no remark and
the Two continued to smoke silently,
with an occasional pull at their flag
ons.
Besides, it's no good to me socia-
lly," the major continued. "The fell
low can't keep quiet, else he might
pass in crowd, but that demned
commercial instinct will show itself.
: II he went to heaven he'd start
an agency for harps and crowns. Did
/ tell you what the Honorable Jack
Gibbs said to me at the club? Ged,
he let me give it straight. Buck he
said, I don't mind you. You're one
o. the right sort when all's said ana
done but if you ever introduce such
a chap as that to me again, I'll cut
you as well as him for the future
I'd introduced them to put the young
spalpeen in good humor, for, being
short, as ye know, l thought it might
be necessary to negotiate a loan from
him"
''Vat did you say his name wasg"
Van Banner took bulky pocket book
"Girdlestone."
as his father a kauffmann?"
What the levil is a kauffmann?"
the major asked, impatiently. rs it
q merchant you mean?"
"Ah, merchant. One who trades
with the Afrikaner."
"The same"
Van Banner took bulk pocket book
from his inside pocket, and scanned
long list of names therein. "Ah, 1t
is tie same" he cried at last trium-
phantly, shutting up the book and
replacing It,: @Girdlestone and Co.,
African kauf = that is, merchants :
Frenchurch street, City"
"rhose are they"
"And you say they are rich?"
Eyes"
''Very rich"
yes" The major began to think
that his companion had been imbibing
in his absence, for there was an un-
fathomable smile upon his face, and
his red beard and towsy hair seemed
to bristle flom some internal excite
ment.
Every rich! Ho! Ho! Very rich!"
he laughed. Il know dem, not as
friends. Gott bewahre! but l know dem
and their affairs"
What are you driving at? Let's
have 1t. Out with it, man"
Il tell YOU" said the German, sud
denly becoming supernaturally sol
emn and saving his hand up and down
in the air to emphasize his remarks,
'in three or four months, OF a year
at the most, there will besno firm OF
Girdlestone. They are rotten, unless
-whoo!" He blew an imaginary
feather up into the air to demon
strato the extreme fragility of the
house In question.
You're raving, Baumser," said
Major Clutterbuck excitedly. why
man, their names are above suspic-
ion, They are looked up as tn,
soundest concern in the City"
dat may he; dat may be-" the
German answered stolidly. What
know, know, and what say
gay"
"And how dye know it? Dye tel
me you know more about 1t than the
men on Change and the firms that dc
business with them?"
81 know what l know, and say
what Il say" the other repeated
"Dat tobacco-man Burger is a rogue
nere is fiye-and-thirty in the hundreC
of water in this canister tobacco, anC
one must be for ever relighting."
"And you won't tell me where yol
heard this of the Girdlestunes7"
1T would be no good to you. 1t ii
enough that what / say is certain
LS II suffice that there are peopl,
what are bound to tell other people
ali that they know about anything
whatever"
''You don't make it clear now" thu
old soldier grumbled "You mean tina
these secret societies and Socialist
lot each otner know all that comes Il
their way, and have their own mean
OF getting information"
Dat may be. and dat may not be.
the German answered in the sam
oraeular voice. 'T thought in an
case, my good friend Clutterbuck, tha
/ would give you what you call 1t ii
English the straight tap, II is al