The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-01-09
BY DONALD ALLEN.


I 9Eopyg'i Ghi. 1911. by Associated Liter
AIRY Press
1sarre wasn't exactly a financial panic
In the village Of Mount Airy but It
amounted ~ q strong ripple. Il WASH
because the Blacksmith had failed nr
the cooper had decidcd 10 remove
The nliii-dau hadn't hrohcu nor the
grocer run ont of keT@seut
II was simply or acCo1ut OF an old
maid. and f}7e Same o' that old maid
was Sarah Ann Leo.
Miss Lee was known 10 I've fairly
well OF. She was known 70 Toe rather
stingy. She was known to lee So cute
that no tin peddie, had ever succeeded
in cheating her. II WAS known that
she h57@w thing OF two about finance,
and that WALL street had held out scores
OF aiiarements 10 uer in vain. While
ali the rest of Mount Airy mad been
tryins To solve magazine puzzles where
premium ~ S. u-rre offered, Miss Sarah
Am Lee had held aloof in contempt
But now Miss Ire had received a
circular IN mail. II was typewriter
and confidential I; was not written
from ar Office on Wall street. hut from
one on Beaver street Wall street sig
nified trickery. Beaver street signihed
industry. Was IL not named after an
animal that worked hard ard gave
FStT1Ef9BN e SIlAFtf ls%d11. INNS hlTs
Lee reasoned.
The Idaho Square Deal silver Min
Ing Company had been formed and
stock issued The Square Deal was
not an experiment, That is. il was
not necessary 10 so looking over the
big West asking where IL was. and as
for being q silver mine instead ~
coal. all a man had to DO was to pick
up the solid chunks living around the
mouth OF IT, /; hadn't peeu discovered
by an Indian squAw while hunting for
her lost papocse. but had been bought
outright from a mar Who mad dug out
all the silver he wanted and was now
willing to give some one else an uppor-
funitN.
Engineers. experts, butchers. UNI
hreiia members and popcorn merchants
were agreed that there were ten thou
send tons Of ore In sight. and millions
more waiting to ne uncovered. The
mine had only cost $4,000 but $50
D6N,a would he taken from II.
The stock ought To sell al twenty
cents above par from the very first
jump. but owing 10 the late dry
weather 1t had been decided to start
in at fifteen cents on the dollar and
Increase 1t gradually as the rains
came on. This would give every body,
even babes. chance 10 invest
Miss Lee had read the circular down
TO this point with n smile on her
face. and WAS about 10 throw It away.
when her eye caught the name Of the
president CT the square Deal. II was
that Of an old schoolmate of hers.
In later years ne had loved her and
asked her 10 he his Wife. but she had
been SO slow IN making UP her mind
that he had gone off West to herd
the long horn steer. She had known
him as honest ana truthful and al
WAYS to be depended on
All this made heap Of difference
In that circular. what ne promised
he would perform. even when he
promised so per cent dividends to
stockholders.
Everything v-as serene. and Vet Sa .
rah Ann Lee WAS not to he taken in
and done for by man selling pump
kins fer watermelons. That circular
looked good to her. II had the ring
OF truth. 1t said what it meant. and
it didn't waste pages and pages in
saying ii. She believed in H. and
yet she had lingering suspicion.
Like an ola maid with suspicion,
she put on her hat and started for
the city. On arriving there she made
her way to Beaver street and 70 the
number given in the circular.
Her FIRST impressions were favor
able. Beaver street was busy, just as
should lee the case. The place she
brought up at had solid look the
same as a beavers house, There was
no FUN doodle elevator, and she
climbed three pairs Of stairs without
murmnr Yes, the man at the desk
was her one-time schoolmate and
lover He had changed some. but
there was that same honest. truth
ful look in his eyes she had seen IN
the years agonc Half an hour was
devoted To other days, and then tn"
president nf the square Deal came