The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-12-01
BOUGHT CHEAP RAILROAD.
Paid $3.50 and started In to Make His
Fortune in Illinois.
(Springfeld (Mo.) Republican,

NNsnIO VI 1k4x11O1Ss
|. tspringield (Mo.) Republican,
Speaking OF the Frisco receiver
ship" said Ed V. VILLAS with q rem
the funniest things that ever hap
pened in the early history of North
Springfield, the time that Hank Jen-
kins bought up the railroad for $3.50
and started in to make his fortune.
Hank was leary-eyed. %ungainly, an
town every Saturday to bangle his
long less over the cracker barrels of
the corner grocery, chew endless
amounts of tobacco and swap mules
i n between whites. A keen trader was
Hank. He'd rather get a dollar IN a
sharp deal than to find two rolling up
the street. As he sloshed his quid
between his checks his weather eye
Vas always out for a bargain.
In the days when Hank bought up
the railroad %railroading was a good
deal different than; it is now, o un.
derstand. \ rough. registering bunch
of men. fond of liquor n carousing.
few weeks the railroad came to
Springfield. as YOU may know. it was
the object of interest for the whole
countryside. People came in for miles
to sec the putting engine. chugging
along h track apparently Of its own
force. The sight vas much more en-
citing than an airship taxicab line
would be now.
Among those who rode in from the
country to sec tho train was Hank.
He looked with amaze OH the rafting
cars aud noisy engines. Tie APP
preached Il switch engine c%uriously.
and looked it over with the same sus-
kept on hand for looking inside the
mouth of a horse he was planning to
trade for. Finally he approached the
engineer and said:
What dor yer reckin hat there
blamed thing is wuth?'
II don't KNOW replied the en-
sineer. with 4 wink at one of his fell
low trainn1en.. is worth a good deal.
you know. You could make big
money with it hauling stuff up and
down the tracks. Whatrl you give?
II ain't got but $780, returned
Hank. The engines cheap at $780,
said the engineer. 1T cost all O. $50.
need some money, stranger. If you
can plank the money down now the
engines yourn.'
But how'd I run it" put in Hank
i'll perpleNity. How much are you
sellin' the track fer?'
IF You'll pay $3.50 down now
said the trainman solemnly. we'll
throw in the track for, ten miles IN
the line. Then you a buy the rest
of it on easy terms
"A few minutes later two hilarious
railroad men were making for the
nearest saloon with Hanks $3.50, and
no less happy, was strutting up
cherished possession n wondering.
perhaps, what his wife would say
when she knew hat he owned an en-
CINE and ten miles of track on the
much talked of railroad.
Maybe you've dreamed of being a
millionaire and then woke up to find
that your bank account was over
drawn. Then you'll know how Hank
felt when he found out that he was
the goat And perhaps, you'll under
stand how the trainmen felt when
they sobered up from their royal
drunk TO fiji that an unhu1norous,
practical minded judge was waiting
for getting money under false pre-
lenses"
When the prize for promptness is
awarded, it probably will go to the
dun.
Occasionally a bold. bad man not
onlN goes to: the devil. but. 10 proud
- ~
1t occurs to Us that the dog show.
has neaer furnished a satisfactory ex-
cuse.
Neither is the man who is afraid Of
doing toe much, likely to be paid too
much. !
1t occurs to us that the cranberry
is a lame excuse for the high price OF
sugar.
A number Of the diamonds in the
rough are also phoney.