Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-07-02

] had once offered man help when
he had met with Il misfortune in bust
ness who had accepted the offer. re-
covered himself and by DIT Of sharp
practice taken from me three tunes
the amount had loaned him
One morning woman came into my
office and asked II knew Mr Thomas
Archer. l Acknowledged the acquaint-
ance, and she told NE taat she had
gone into a speculation with him in
which she had furnished the caeital-
S5Oo-and il had been sunk She did
not blame Mr.. Archer. he had been
honest in the matter. but lawyer had
told her that she might proceed crimi-
nally against him. She WAS uncertain
what TO do.
l asked her II she would take hs!" OF
her claim against my Old friend. Sc
said she would, and on her assignment
OF it to me l gave her the money. l
desired to spare my unfortunate friend
pain, but l was mean enough to cut
the poor woman down to half her loss.
/ suppose l should have been ashamed
of myself, but | wasn't l had the cut
ting down faculty that we successful
business men usually possess
/ Not long after this Archer dropped
in to see ME and incidentally mention
ed that he had scheme on hand by
/ which he expected 10 make u fortune.
| l was very glad 10 hear II, but turned
/ the subject, fearing he might smother
/ his pride so far as to ask me to furnish
/ the necessary capital l would have
. I-H srgr-
him Injuries. but did not wish to in
vest in his schemes.
1t was not difficult TO head or so
sensitive a man. but in few days,
having gathered his courage, he came
] back and asked me If l would consider
80 per cent of the profits of the scheme
sufficient reimbursement for the capt.
tai necessary TO develop it. l told him
that l knew q man who did that sort
of thing and gave him his address He
went or, much encouraged, to lind the
other man.
Whether poor Tom later came to see
through my artitice | don't know, but
he never again limited ut giving me the
lions share OF the profits of any
scheme.
One spring. being very much run
down. l desired to go for few
mouths trip. The only reason for my
not doing so was that l did not care TO
go alone and knew OF no one who
would go with me. l thought of Tom
and wrote him line saying that | was
i'll and perhaps my life depended upon
my taking an outing. II he would go
with me, i paying his expenses. he
might save me. he replied that moth
ing would give him greater Joy than
to thus accommodate his dear old
chum. but he was at the time much in
terested in u patent self filing coal
scuttle in which others had advanced
the necessary capital. and he could not
leave the enterprise without acting dis
hOnorably toward them.
was much disappointed. At the
same time / knew that his patent scut-
! tie was but another name for his sensi-
tive pride which forbade him travelling
with me at my expense. | could not
but respect him for ms independence.
but | regretted that ii deprived me OF
his assistance in recovering my health.
Ii was quite awhile before l heard
anything more OF Archer, and then
received notice of his death. He had
died In n boarding house In distant
city His laudady bad been very
kind to him. On the day of his death
she wrote me that lie had often spoken
10 her of me and our mutual friend
ship. / Immediately telegraphed her
TO draw on me for funds with which
10 pay doctors bills, funeral expenses
aud any amount Archer might owe her
for board. She drew on me, but only
for 500. felt sure that this would
not set matters right and sent check
for a hundred more.
1t was returned with a note saying
that 1t was unnecessary.
About year after this when walk
Ing along a street, | saw a man com
, ing who looked very like my friend
, Archer and just as scedy. l thought
!, he started on seeing me. and he turned
down side street Curious about tho
matter | followed him and soon was
, convinced that he was trying 10 get
away from me. / caught him; he
turned to face me, and when our eyes
SION | have ever seen on any mans
o. face He was my Old friend Tom.
| saw IL all. He could not conquer
his pride, but be could resort 10 the
most ingenious eypedicnts to enable
me TO Keep him from starving pnt
} my arm through his and led him to a
restaurant, where / called for a feast
and a quart OF champagne. After
had filed him mp ! said:
''This COMPOUNDED nonsense has been
/ going on long enough. have decided
to leave you the income on $4,000 as
) long as you live to brgin from today
p You will either accept II or I shall pro
2 coed against you crimiually for obtain
! ing money under false prctcnses Take
! your choice"
+, He chose the annuity. II lifted him
out OF his abnormal condition. aud
p take more pleasure today 10 his CON
, panionship than that Of any other iy
4 ing man