Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1911-07-20
ON THE GROUND
FLOOR
BY Nj. QUAD
Copyright. 1911. by Associated Lit
erary .N~ess.

Aunt Mary Davidson was farmers
| widow, aud she ran the farm with che
| help of hired man. She had always
| been given credit for being sharp,
keen woman. People said that she
knew twice as much about business
| as her husband. The husband was
| Industrious and hardworking, but the
buying and selling were left to her.
When Aunt Mary found herself a
widow and entirely responsible for her
! actions she determined 10 make money
q little faster 10y speculation
In due time Aunt Mary came across
| the advertisement OF the Blue Jacket
silver mine.
The Blue Jacket proposed to let a
| limited number of people In on the
| ground floor. Aunt Mary was one of
! them. She sent tor free book"
| and when II came the picture OF the
| president OF the mine was on the COW
er. He had the look OF a foxy swim
| der, but his vanity was stronger than
| his prudence. Aunt Mary held ner
| breath for Eve minutes over the star
! tling promises made in the book and
then sent on 500 When she received
| her stock certificate IL looked so nice
| that she forwarded 5000 more of Der
! cash When all the fools In the coun-
| try that could raise money had been
| gathered in and the swinders mad
made fortunes the postal authorities
| stepped In.
! Ii so happened that two or three of
| the swiudled were after the president
| Of the Blue Jacket so closely that he
| thought 1t better TO go into the coun-
! try for awhile than to take steamer 10
| Europe. W hich is the usual way. Aunt
| Mary read of the affair IN the papers.
| She had been robbed OF her $500. 1t
| hurt her TO lose the money. but il hurt
! her TO nave been taken in and done
! for The worst OF the matter was
| that she had advised others 10 grab
good thing and, OF course. she would
| be held responsible. She was gritting
| her teeth and wishing she could get
! her paws" on the rascals when
stranger knocked at her door. IL was
a summer day. II she took summer
|
time he would like to come for a cou-
pie of weeks He was business
man from the city whose nerves had
been shattered by too close applica-
ton.
Aunt Mary took a long look at the
man and invited him in She took
another long look at him and made
him a low rate and added that he
could depend on fresh eggs and I'M
watered milk AT the dinner table she
scanned his face for the first time.
| He said he was connected with
! Bible publishing house. but she didn't
! quite believe him. After dinner Mr..
! Coles as the stranger called himself.
sauntered about He inspected the
wagon shed the barn and the milk
house ana finally came to the smoke
house As he was peepine in he was
given "a push and the door slammed
and locked on him II was Aunt Mary
who had done the business When she
had ner man fast she brought out a
chair and sat down by the door
-" want to know what this means"
was shouted nj her from inside
Why, YOU ere locked III the smoke
mousse was the reply
| I'M Wnat for:"
80 that can nave talk with you.
| II you wasn't locked N you might run
away HS soon as began 10 say things.
! Nnd. TOO want you where the con-
stable can find you when he arrives. =.
| How does the Blue Jacket silver mine
come along these days. she asked
| Il know nothing about 1t / tod you
| was In the Bible line
Have you got a Bible in the suit
case?"
No"
You ought TO carry one with you.
Are you still dealing in ground floor
silver stocks?''
| MY good woman, you are making a
terrible mistake and one that may
cost you every cent you are worth n
| the name of the law / demand that
| you unlock this door,
"Shoo. now but what a hurry you
are in! / don't expect the constable
for an hour vet How much Doodle
did you get way with: spusp rhere1l
be reward offered for you. ana in
that way 90 get my 5 40 back
Look mere woman said the man
inside ills AS nave told you. You
are mlstakinS me for some one else
Perhaps you are NOT to blame but
don't carry things too far know
nothing 81 youl $500 but If you will
Iel me out IN give you that much
money to 20 on. have important en-.
gagements
What are Bibles selling at now?"
quietly asked Aunt Mary in reply
The man began TO yell for help and
Kept it up for ten minutes Then he
saw il was no use and hoarsely asked:
Woman. what do you want?"
= want my money back and 5000 for
my worry"
"You shall lave IT,"
II want $50 for the people around
here who invested on my advice and
S25 extra for each one.
You shall have it
The strapplng hired man was beckon-