Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1910-01-05
MY QUEER PARTNER.
BY BELLE c. WARREN.


there was concern in Minnoapoli.
which was selling the same grade OF
goods and always Undertaking. me
went over there TO see II could
make scale Of prices with the under
bidding firm.
round young man even younger
than myself He was not acting as
ngest. but for himself. | stated my
business. TO which he listened atten
lively. | argued that if he continued
10 underbd me would begin TO un.
derbid him, and one would thus ruin
each others trade. whereas If we made
prices together we could both succeed
| When | had finished he said:
What guaranty have / that you
| will keep your agreement
/ Surprised at such n question, I re-
piled. The same guaranty have that
you will keep yours"
There is no doubt whatever that I
Will keep any agreement shall make"
he replied, with some hauteur
1t struck me that he should 60 to
| some university for n course of logic.
| However. | pursuaded him TO make
a list OF minimum prices with me and
left him well pleased with the result
| OF my visit. We became very good
| friends as well as competitors. and
finally, when | concluded to act also
| on my own account. we concluded. IN
| ORDER TO save expenses TO form n part
! nership. ! offered 10 give him FIRST
| place i'm the firm name. but he insisted
! on taking the second SO we STYLED
ourselves Graves S Elllston.
| found my partner a queer mixture
FOR time L was virtual as well as
nominal head OF the firm. but lost it
IN very odd way. \ man came into
our store to buy large bill of goods
on credit. The profit would be large.
and was Drimful of enthusiasm over
the trade. Not so Eliston. lie fiat
| ~ refused to consent ito sell the man.
When it came to his reasons he had
none to give. Irritated, told him
that he should explain his position or
l would dissolve the partnership,
whereupon, driven to the wall, he said
that he didn't like the shape of the
mans nose.
Notwithstanding this absurd reason,
which / inferred he had given simply
ing my threat, we did not sell the
goods. Some months later the notes
the purchaser had given other firms
were protested and every dollar of the
indebtedness was lost | charged Ell
iston with having some information
unknown TO me about the rascal, but
he denied having any whatever Never
theless from this time l never urged
entering upon any important transac-
ton without my partners full APP
prevail.
But when it came to n matter of sew
cral hundred or several thousand dol
lars, while | would unblushingly make
J an offer OF half the amount asked,
Elliston could never bring himself to
consider such course as anything but
ridiculous. Thus the large transac-
lions fell into my hands
Although Elliston seemed to me TO
be very notional, ! gradually found
That he was better business man
| than L. He was certainly my superior
In looking ahead While my mind
was on the present, his was on the
future. This was especially true in
the matter of expenses. l am free TO
admit that had it not been for him
| our expenses would have eaten UP our
profits. He was continually surprising
me, when payments we were Obliged
to make came round, by having pro-
! yided the funds to meet them This
faculty, together with his keeping ex-
/ pcnses down, made money for us every
! year for several years. Then one day
lot. f..1.T 4. i ~
| his interest in the business since he
! puFposed travelling abroad. This was
a blow to me. for / was not minded
| TO give up business myself, and I was
| sure / could not make money without
| the aid Of the typical faculties pos
/ sessed by my partner. However, he
/ gave me easy terms, and ] bought him
| out.
! As soon as the papers had passed Ell
! listOu babe me goodby and left for
/ New York to sail for Naples 4 week
! later I received q letter from him mt
! Chicago, asking me to meet him there
| Since he gave no reason / hesitatcd
/ However. knowing him ~ be queer
| fellow who usually had a reason hid
/ den away somewhere for what he
did. / left my business with my head
clerk and took train.
The next evening ! called at Ellis
/ toms hotel ana sent nip my card. I
was shown 10 private par.or, where.
/ instead Of finding him, "a woman ad.
/ taIccd to greet me-
You're Ellistou's sister" ] CNcl1im-
co doubtless his twin"
u au EHi.iOu himself" She rcuIfcI