Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1912-01-31
WON AN
BOOMER
BY NJ. QUAD
Copyright. 1911. by Associated Lit
erary Press

and magazines and was not so far be-
hind the date. The great mistake he
made was in certain line OF reason
ing When he read the alluring adj
vertisement promising stupendous div
idends in this or that he reasoned thai
unless the advertisers were honest men
they would not make such statements
and that the postal laws stood between
him and n swindle. He also reasoned
that his newspaper would refuse TO
publish anything that had a suspicious
look.
1t therefore came about that the
farmer. after breaking his back with
hard work for forty years and having
secured comfort for his old age, invest
ed in a fake and was badly skinned.
He worried over the matter for cou-
pie Of years and then died. Mrs. Lee
was not of confiding nature and had
been opposed to the investments. She
was left the farm. portion OF which
lay in the village of Dover. but her
days for hard work had gone by. She
ran things after a fashion. but the time
came when she had 10 think of mort
gaging portion OF the property. She
had become sourei and imbittered and
had few friends.
One day tse Widow Lee might have
been seen entering the Office Of the
Weekly Tribune. 10 which she had
| been Il subscriber for long years. The
widow and the editor had a long talk
and shook hands on it. The result was
| that the next issue Of the Tribune con
tanned the following:
1--WE learn on good authority that our
town is to have big hotel for sum-
mer visitors. That's what we have
been looking for for years-sOmething
to start a boom
The next issue of the paper said:
I'VE understand that the Widow Lee
is to have forty acres OF her farm plat
ted into lots. and the cheapest one
among them will be held at 500
The town was buzzing when the
Tribune announced:
IF Dover is lucky enough to get the
Higham Military school we shall be in
clover. \ brickyard will be opened.
and there will be work for our masOnS.
carpenters. painters and labOrers FOR
the next two years. After that every
thing our farmers can raise will find
! 4 cash market. The price OF real es.
tate is advancing"
No one had bought or sold as yet. but
all were on the ragged edge when the
Tribune calmly announced:
I'VE have heard rumorS that the II.
and II. railroad is thinking Of running
spur line to Dover now that there
is Il prospect of its being 4 paying in
, vestment. We are investigating the
: rumors and hope 10 find them true"
Nothing to thrill. and vet the people
: thrilled. Real estate jumped 30 per
\ cent. and NJ went the price on the
n widows lots again. Twenty or thirty
\ strangers arrived daily and wanted TO
=. buy or rent The Dover inn did more
I business in a week than it had ever
a done in any three months. 1t was
n while Doverites and strangers were
a tumbling over each other with fresh
? rumorS three or four times day that
q the Tribune said:
i III the Sunshine Harvester company
If comes here with its $500 men and an
= acre of factory the problem will he
= where to find the land to build cot.
N tages on. The POO or more lots owned
d by the Widow Lee will not be tenth
4 OF those demanded. Bills will appear
Is tomorrow announcing an auction of
st these lots. and it goes without Saying
ID that the bidding will be spirited and
Dr. the prices high. All the rest of the
~ farm may 30 under the hammer ut the
lie same time. The report that we are e
have n factory here for the building OF
automobiles has sent real estate soar
ing"
The auction took place as advertised
J." There was Il good crowd. and the bid
ding was all that could be hoped for
y Not only the lots went. but the farm
~ as well. and those who got any Sor
OF parcel Of real estate were considered
lucky.
Neither on the next day nor the mex
Il was the Widow Lee seen to enter tn
x office of the Tribune. In fact. Sh
never entered it again. The 'whacS
uo up took place mt her own house. an
II both parties to it seemed eminentl
satisfied In a day or two the woma
headed for Illinois. and week late
ire the editor OF the Tribune came OF
IN with the announcement:
I'm retiring from the Tribune W
wish to bespeak the good will and pa
ronage of all DoveriteS for the new eC
flor and proprietor, solomon Grigg
newspaper man of many year
standing. The paper will still be il
dependent in politics and still receiV
rhS all kinds Of green and dry wood an
D" knots and StumpS on subscription.
ii. t,n.. fx-ad do oAx- orff