Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1911-05-25
K
FOR MICA
By M. QUAD
By M. QUAD
Copyright. 1910, by Associated Lit
erary Press.

AANN " I'll oI q p1OuLy u luS1O
had been a hitch in his calculations,
! and he was about done for.
There was Jim Greene, a newspaper
man. That is, he had been employed
on various newspapers without credit
TO them or him.
There was Dick Grahame. a shyster
lawyer, who had been disbarred and
was thinking if he should turn lee
turer and expose the rest Of the pro-
fession.
These three men were eating cheap
dinners. Between mouthfuls they sized
each other up. None Of the three
sized another up as an honest man,
and this fact warmed them to each
other. The meal had been almost fin
ished, however. before Mr.. Ikestein
ventured to observe:
Gentlemen. this Is a hard world"
1T is" replied Mr.. Greene.
mo n can be an honest man any
more" said Mr.. Ikestein.
If he tries to be honest he fails and
has to pay 80 cents on the dollar" con
tinued the speaker.
Gentlemen, we three are honest
men. We must have the interests Of
country more at heart. We must
go out in to the park and sit down on
a bench and talk in confidence. Be-
cause of my clothing business you
must not distrust me. Because of your
business l must not distrust you"
The result Of their talk was an un-
Outstanding. and the result of the I'M
Outstanding was, the organizing Of the
Great Western Mica company. Mr..
Greene could write luridly. and he
was to manage the advertising.
The public caught on to the ads.
slowly. 1t was used to gold and sill
yer mine ads, but this was a mica
mine. and it didn't guarantee to pay
over so per cent dividends for the
first twelve months.
Now and then a minister or a widow
sent in a poor SIS for investment, and
thus the Office rent was paid. but none
Of the trio bought himself an auto.
Eve should have promised 100 per
cent dividends" growled MI. Ikestein.
1--WE should have made it 15O," add
ed Mr.. Greene.
1.-TWO hundred at the very least"
announced Mr.. Grahame.
"But still we may add to the pros;
perity Of the country by being not too
honest" continued Mr.. Ikestein as he
sawed away at his steak. Gentle
men, into the Office this afternoon
there came a sucker. He was good to
look upon. In his hair there was hay
seed. Among his whiskers were long
straws. He was the innocent Of the
valley"
"And he wanted stock?" was asked.
Better than that. For stock he
cared not. For the land he cared a
great deal. Having purchased three
more cows. he must have more land
for pasture. See?"
"But that land is a mountain peak!'
exclaimed MI. Grahame.
$50 I did not explain, but so the in
nocent man from the valley seemed
to know. He said that the higher up
a mountain he could get his COWS the
higher prices he could get for his milk
and butter"
And he will buy 1t?"
IF the price is right. Gentlemen,
1t is up to us to think. Have we been
too honest? If not. then why have we
not met with prosperity? A too honest
man has too little to offer the public.
We have offered but so per cent divi-
dends."
But the savings banks offer only 4
per cent" protested Greene. who was
responsible for putting the mica divi-
dends so low.
lit is true. but a savings bank is
not a mica mine. 1t has a granite
building, with bronze hinges on the
front doors. 1t has stained glass win
dows. 1t has a president who rides in
an automobile. 1t does not permit the
faker to come in and sell s~uspenders
and lead pencils. All. a savings bank
is d~ifferent-very different"
But about the sucker?"
He will take that COW pasture at
$1,000 and let us out. 1 am to let him
know tomorrow"
That's five hundred apiece" said
Greene.
And in a lump" added Grahame.
And we can take the money and
advertise the Arctic Peach
with dividends at 125. This time we
must not be too honest. The public
loves him not 1t sends him too few
checks. 1t is then agreed that the
sucker shall have this mountain peak
COW pasture"
The sucker called next day, and the
deal was closed. The money was d.
! vided. and the three went their sepa.
rate ways. 1t was a year later when
Mr.. Greene met Mr.. Ikestein on the
street.
"You see-you see" shouted the lat
ter as he raised his hand skyward.
II see what?"
"You see the too honest men. You
see only so per emf dividends. You
see we make nothing"
"Oh. yes. l see."
"And you see the sucker. You see
the COW pasture. You see we sell out?"
Eyes, I see all that"