The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1914-11-13
AGoodHearted
Man
BY SAMUEL E. BRANT

When Sam TOliver came out west
lie was much run down. l took him
INTO my store more from sympathy
than anything else. l paid him a small
salary. He was a good enough work
er, a popular salesman and always
attentive to business. But it wasn't
long before l saw that Sam wouldn't
get Oh In my service any more than
in his own. He had a failing-a heart
that was altogether too tender.
He didn't spend any more on him
self than he should. but he spent a
good deal more on other persons. All
any one had to do was to tell him a
tale Of woe, and down would go his
hand into his pocket. and out would
come any funds there might be at the
bottom Of it. One day on returning
from an absence l found several dozens
of baskets on the door, Of the store. l
asked Sam where they had come from,
and he said that Il peddler had come
along and offered him the lot so cheap
that he didn't dare to refuse to buy
them for fear l would turn him away
for a fool.
He had paid more than they were
worth. and l knew l was stuck with
them. | wouldn't have minded the
transaction If | had had room for the
bulky baskets. | learned afterward
that the peddler had told Sam a cock
and bull story about a sick wife and
seven small children with nothing to
eat in the house.
l suppose | must be a trif1e weak
kneed myself in such matters for not
getting rid Of Sam at once. Fact Is he
was such a good natured. lovable chap
l couldn't. But the basket purchase
wa. not the worst of it. l would shut
off such persons as couldn't pay for
their goods, but l couldn't shut off
Sam when they came in with pitiful
tales Of needing a pound Of sugar or
coffee, n dozen candles and many other
articles from trusting them for the
goods. Finally l made Il list of persons
on no account to be trusted and hung
it up in the Office, telling Sam that If
he gave any one of them credit the
iLlOUIlL SuOulu NC ClIil SCu uH dSd1Aot
him and deducted from his salary.
Nevertheless, despite the list and the
warning. Sam kept on giving out goods
to those on the blacklist. When a wO-
man couldn't move him in any other
way she would bring in Il hungry look
ing child or two. This was sure to
break the thin shell about his heart.
1t wasn't long before these accounts
amounted to more than would pay my
clerks salary for a year. At the end
Of the first month his salary was bal
anccd by bad debts he had made. I
told him on his promise to do better
that | would let him off for thirty days
more, when, if he hadn't reformed,
would surely deduct all outstanding
amounts from his pay.
One day. when the charges for bad
debts against him had grown very
large, a very pretty. nicely dressed
young oma came into the store and
asked If ] had a young man working
for me named Samuel Toliver. told
her that l had. but he had just gone to
dinner. Then she asked a lot of Ques-
lions about Sam. how he was fixed and
all that. Sam had just stuck me for
an additional amount of u~ncollectible
debts, and l was mad. l told her that
he would get on we'll enough II be
would obey orders, and l explained
what he was doing for me.
The young woman listened till l had
finished, then asked m the amount
charged up against Sam. looked at
the amount in the ledger and gave it
to her. 1t was $3.472.49 s. What did
she do but take out a pocket check
amount and accept an assignment of
my claim against Sam!
You're to say nothing to Sam about
this she said. handing me the check.
Thank you. ma'am." replied
NUNS the word"
the lady was gone. The next morning
he didn't show up. I then wondered
what the young lady wanted to buy
my claim for and was very sorry
had sold it to her without knowing.
Then it occurred to me that she might
he some one that Sam had Tilted or
something like that. and ] fancied she
had come down on him for payment
and driven him out of town.
lust as I was shutting up Sam came
in in fine spirits. saying that he had re-
ceived a letter from the east notifying |
him that somebody had died and left
him some money. He asked me what
was the amount Of the bad debts that |
were charged up against him and, when
I told him. gave me a draft on the at
torneys for the amount. Before !
thought of my promise to the young
woman I told him that the indebted |
ness had been paid that morning.
l expected him to look pleased. but
instead he looked puzzled. he asked
to show him the check l had re-
ceived. and when he saw the signature
be looked up at me like a %schoolboy
whose sweetheart had done his sums
for him unknown to him.
All Sam told me then was that the
young woman was an old flame of his:
then he went out to find her, The next