The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1912-03-07
A PECULIAR
FACULTY
By ARNOLD TREAT
Copyright BY American Press Asso-
citation, leil-
By ARNOLD TREAT


never liked 70 study when ! was at
school, and after quitting school 1
didn't like 10 work 1 remember that
as a boy during the marble season
took no interest la the game except
''for keeps" and usually won al the
other boys marbles. when came IN
from playing the game with my peck
cts loaded down with alleys and aces
and builseyes my father would look
~ them wonderlngly.
When l was eighteen was put 10
work. Ny employer owned . large
number Of dwelling houses. and they
were mostly vacant The reason for
this was that be would do nothing for
his tenants They were all mortgaged
20 the same man. who couldn't get the
interest on the mortgages. The mort
gagee came into the once one day
tearing mad and told my employer
that be didn't know how 10 manage
such property and the houses must be
put into the hands Of some one else
Hartweil. the owner. offered 70 put
the management In my hands. %
which johnson. the mortgage. assent
ed I suppose Harfweil thought be
could make me do what be liked but
IN that be was mistaken I offered a
big commission to agents 70 recon-
mend the houses and gave the tenants
everything they asked. The result
was that within a year ! had the
houses All occupied. all 10 prime o..
der and paying good interest on the
investment.
When I sol things running ! had
nothing more 20 do. 20 ! lit DOT into
the world for q BIZ Of excitement
strolled down the street. with my
hands IN my pockets and saw . red
Gas out a. the door u a handsome
dwelling ia eof some idea o. the
value of such property aud thought
ia 50 In and attend the sale. Per
haps ! would buy the property. I
hadn't any money even 70 pay the /
pereninee % the amount o. purchase /
demanded when the property 4 knock.
"a down 20 the highest bidder. bat
that didn't trouble me z bif had
she assurance u satan himself. 10 !
went IN and found . iot Of bidders.
earh Que setting e. u be- was amid be
would have the house 90 bis hands.
estimated thar the property was worth
q lot more than any Of the bids.
don't know why I ala 20. only
know that | felt certain Of H. So !
raised she last bid b. $1,000. That
scnred everybody else on. Tor put on
= look a. much % 70 say. I'm bound
10 own this property n ! have 70 pay
double H. value Tor IL The conse.
quence was that Il was knocked down
10 me Tor s2i.ooo The anciioDeer
rallied on me for the usual percentage
n purchase. which wns f2.ioo. A.
had nothing bot my wits % satisfy
him. procceded 70 exercise them. I
iakei him n be would take my cheek.
md be replied. mot without Il being
certified Then asked him n be
wouid walt flli I sent a check 20 the
,ank for ccrtincafiou. and be said he
arouid. since / hadn't any check or
heck book -or hank for that matter
o draw 90 ! was wondering what
move ! should make next. when the
,wner Of the property rushed IN and
Iakcd II lhe sale had taken place.
When told that it had be sank In q
hair and moaned.
sI've got the money be said. with
which 10 pay "a The mortgage"
4 thought the case must be one Of
oreCiosure.- remarked. I've bought
be- property dirt cheap. I'm ready 70
81 Il back 10 you for - PER cent u
That IT'S worth. consider e worth
10000. III sell Il 70 you for $4,000"
he man frctfed and fumai and dick. /
rpd. but 1t last he accepted my terms.
-1ust you give me 5000 for my Z
arrain.- said. -and III sign any {
aper you like"
lie agreed 20 do 30. and I made a }
uick profit. Then I told him that
that had said was true. and I
bought could self the property for Z
1000. He declined TO bother with :
V. but within a year sold Il for
5000. II was Ill luck. A railroad
.rminal station was put up near the 2
roperty.
I slapped that 5000 around IN an
,rts Of Investments and every time
at Il IN pulled Il out with a lot Of 2
lher dollars sticking 10 r. some q
mes + doubled Il. twice ! frebIed Il.
I'd on one deal increased II senfold. Z
When had got few hundred =
.ouaand together. ] went hume and 2
.ked father how he was getting on. 8
Il said he was very hard 40. our
Iterriew ended IN my drawing him
check for double what be needed.
len sallicd out to look around for o
ore chances.
Not long after that a friend told me q
Iat he had asked my father to ex. 9
ain my success. My father told him 2
mt was no good on the principles o.
at govern ordinary mortals; that ] ~
ID no sense. no management IN the
uaI acceptntion Of that word = IN q
ort. that was born for neer-do' y
Ell. but there was something IN my ~
'ad somewhere to see things invisible .