The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1913-03-27
BUYING A
CT AIM
By TIMOTHY W. BARLOW

Billy Watkins was a lovab!e sort OF
a fellow Indeed, he WAS too lovable
to ever mike anything Of himself. He
had some capital and started a bush
ness OF his own. Any one who Is ex-
perienced in business knows that some
body about the premises must stand
fnroads upon the treasury. Everybody
that has anything to sell the concern
invents all sorts of stories as to why 1t
should be bought. Everybody employ
ed has q reason for increase of salary.
And so 1t goes. If there isn't some one
to turn a deaf ear to such talk bank
ruptcy is sure to come.
Billy paid me big salary to be
buffer between him and persons who
wanted something. But in spite OF all
| could do they would get past me to
Billy himself. and the concern was
sure to be out some more. Jones'
Billy would say TO me. has sickness
in his family and needs an advance Of
$780," or. That drummer who was in
here this morning showed some beauti-
full goods Besides, he's been having
hard luck lately. I'm sure his wares
will go off like hot cakes" The result
would be that Jones would quit us in
debt, and the goods would remain in
stock unSOid.
OF course the inevitable red flag
came in time. After we We're sold out
l loaned Billy $500 for present ex-
penses. When / loaned it l never ex-
pected to ask for it. Billy said that
when he got on his feet again he
would pay IT. and knew he would
il he ever got On his feet But ] was
taken I'll soon after | left his service
and was obliged to submit to an i'm
portant operation. The consequence
was that the great specialist who oper-
ated on me. hospital board bills and
loss Of time took all had.
applied for II payment Of my loan.
but Billy had given SO much IN sym
patty that he hadn't anything with
which to pay his just debts. He sold
some heirlo0ms for matter Of $40.
which he gave me, and when ! was
obliged to apply to him again sold his
oyercoat and sent me the proceeds.
didn't know Of either Of these sales
or ! wouldn't have accepted the sacri-
fee. The sale Of his overcoat brought
on a cold which was followed by pneu-
monia. and Billy came out Of hos
pital more deeply III debt than before.
Not being able to work after my
operation and not knowing Of Billy's
real financial condition, applied to
him several times In succession. get
ting less and less amounts each time,
till at last received silver dollar.
After that didn't try to squeeze any
more blood out Of a turnip.
One day a very nice looking lady
called on me and asked for Billy.
fancied he owed her money. so was
chary about giving her his address.
- Mr. Watkins can't pay any bills"
! said. He's awfully hard up"
"Does he owe you anyth1ng" she
asked
About q hundred and fifty dollars"
What will you take for your claimw
Anything you like to offer"
"How would $50 suit you"
MAKE it SIS and It's a 60" ] said.
more to follow the thing up from Gu
riosity than in the expectation that she
would take me up
"1'H split the difference and give
you $62.JO."
"AIl right" agreed. wondering
what it all meant. She pulled a little
checkbook out Of reticule and wrote
me check for the amount. and
assigned my claim on Billy to her. Be.
ing a woman didn't suppose that she
would do anything mean in the prem
Uses. though after I had made the
transaction was sorry for it, fearing
she might want the claim to get re-
venge for something.
didn't see Billy after that for some
time. Indeed, didn't care to meet
him. for the moro l thought about the
woman's buying a claim against him
the more l believed she had done it to
secure some revenge. ! IedTeu I'D near
Of his being prosecuted in some way.
One day saw Billy coming on the
street was about to dodge into an
alley when second glance showed
me that be sas much changed. He
was dressed handsomely, with chrys-
anthemum In his bnttonhole and
swung a smart cane. As soon as he
caught sight Of me he made dive for
me. I waited as man will stand for
an automobile he expects to run him
down. not knowing whether or not
would receive shower of reproaches.
When coming up to me he put his
arms about me. giving me bears
hug.
where the deuce have you been
keeping yOurself?" he said 1--WE been
wishing to see you to tell you of the
luck I've had. Not long ago an old
fame Of mine who once refused me
sent me check for $S7 so saying that
! a claim against me had been transfer
red to her for less than it was worth.
, that was welcome to the difference
for as long a time as ! liked Well, I
! took this for hint to ask again, and
did. with the desired result We're
to be married next month, and wish
yDt, 70 br. NV hast mo