The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1911-02-09

|
down TO that day and hour and
minute.
Sarah Ann Lee and her friends were
to be let In on the ground floor for
old times sake. They were TO be
given stock at ten cents on the dol.
lar, and In year that same stock
would BIO hard to find at $3.50. Only
limited quantity was obtainable,
however--just few OF her best and
dearest friends. Before she left
Beaver street she was presented with
several specimens of ore from the
Square Deal, and she went home
perfectly satisfied In her own mind
that there were a few honest men
/ left In this world.
Miss Lee was not selfish woman.
She was Willing that others should
share In her good luck. Sho visited
this one and that one, and told all
about II. They had to believe the
| circular when she told OF her trip to
town and showed tho specimens
There were people in Mt. Airy who
had money in the bank-money in
| stockings, money In old tomato cans
money In their hind pockets. It
wouldn't have come out TO save the
| country, but II did come out to in
vest in Square Deal silver stock
Some families mortgaged their only
COW, after investing what they had on
hand and others parted with hens and
ROSTERS which had grown old and
gray In their service.
The ripple hit the school teacher,
the doctor, the minister and the mer.
chant. That ground floor" was load.
ed with money for them. In one week
Miss Lee disposed of $4,000 worth Of
stock and carried $1,000 in cash up
to Beaver street Then she purchas'
ed $4,000 worth for herself and went
home a smiling woman.
For the next three months she was
the toast OF the town. She owned the
place. Not single soul spoke of her
as an old maid and wondered II her
temper had prevented her from get
ting married. There were three
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furniture and trips to Europe when
the dividends began to come in. A
hushed expectancy hung over tho
town. Every investor In the Square
Deal expected to get check from
Beaver street any minute.
And then those busybody nowspa.
perB and the paternal postofiice de-
partment had to spoil It all. The
papers proclaimed the Square Deal a
swindle, and the postal authorities
took up the mail II was acknowledg'
ed that he had paid $4,000 for the
mine and had been swindled. but that
didn't relieve him of the offense of
swindling others. He had fed with
what money he had collected and his
victims deserved no sympathy.
The next ripple In Mount Airy was
lively ripplel It rippled down the
street to Miss Sarah Ann Lees house,
II washed ever her fence and up to
her doorsteps. Had she been man
she would have been dragged forth
and the tar applied, but as she was
not she was simply denounced az q
cheat, fraud, swindler and several
other things. She had hard time Of
Il for the next week. Then she call
ed n public meeting and explained all
about things MS well as she was able
This wasn't enough. and she knew 1,
wasn't, and so she added that she pro
posed to go to Idaho. visit the mine
and see what could be dono to save
the money Of her friends.
This announcement brought forth
cheers. and when Miss Lee finally
took the train the town was at the
depot to see her off. II makes a lot
OF difference whether people are go
ing to lose $40 or win thousand
Three weeks later there came a let
ter--several letters--a letter for every
one in Mount Airy who had invested
There was check In each letter. OF
the value of the investment. Their
there was general letter from Miss
Lee to be read to all, She had reach
ed Idaho. She had reached the mine
Nothing had been heard Of the where
abouts OF the Square Deal OF Beaver
street. but she had met the man who
sold him the mine and swindled him
They had fallen In love. They were
to be married shortly
A man had swindled Square Deal
Square Deal had swindled others
She was to marry the swindler OF .
swlndler to keep others from beinf
swindled, and please find check In
closed"
And Mount Airy was saved and ar
old maid had got husband.
His Comment.