The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1914-05-08
TheG Promoter
A Stranger Plays Him = Low
Down Trick
b N. QUAD

1914, by Associated LIT
erary Press.

r III
erary Press.
There was some one outside Of Ma
56r Crofoot's office door.
A knock. knock, knock.
Come right in"
"I'm looking for the Major Crof0ot
that has all sorts of good things to in
vest in" said the caller.
"Then you have come to the right
place. Have q chair"
Thanks. Now, then, l don't wish
to take up your valuable time. Have
you got anything good on hand? l
want something perfectly safe that
will return 8 or 10 per cent on the
money"
my dear sir, 1 have got half a dozen
Of the best things going. When you
speak Of 9 O 10 per cent dividends It
makes me smile. l don't deal in such
small fish. Anything l take hold Of
must pay 80 per cent or l drop It,"
"Good Lord!" calculated the caller ~
he sat up.
Thirty per cent at least, sir. What
would you say to stocks paying dollar
for dollar?'
"But I'm willing to take 40 per
cent" replied the man Gee whi1,
but what man can ask for more than
thatY"
every fair, very fair" loftly replied
the major, ''but nothing to brag Of.
| Being you have come direct to the Of
fee l want to pick out something ex-
ira. Let me see. The Universal Glass
Eye company paid 60 per cent divi-
dends two years ago, but last year
! dropped down to 80. It will be still
less than that this year on account Of
hard times. Lots Of one eyed people
stick a patch over the eye and let It
90 at that. II you'd come in q month
ago I could have let you in on the
ground door Of the Magic Rat and
Mouse Destroyer. The stock went like
wildfre. and the last was sold at $500.
We figure it will pay 400 per cent div
idends for the next twenty years"
And l can't get in. Thunder, but
why didn't I know about 1t! But you
must have something for me-" insisted
the caller In anxious tones.
LET me see! Let me see! How alb
sentminded I am this morning. Just
~ you knocked l wa making up the
incorporation papers for my last and
best scheme. It's one thatn lay over
an others. l was saving It 10 begin
the year on"
Good, good! What IL 1t? By
George, old fellow, II you put me on 70
something good you shan't lose By ny
"You know what delicaciss turtle
soup and turtle steak are considsredr'
II do"
"ADd you know the high price frogs
legs bring!'
Yes"
well, that's the basis Of the Great
Western company, just organized. We
Are going to rent nine square miles of
Lake st. Clair Eats and raise our frogs
and turtles and can them on the spot
They will be canned in champagne,
and the labels on the cans will be
handsome enough to frame and hang
In any ones parlor. Three turtle
steaks and two dozen frogs legs every
can. killing and canning take place
every day. We shall control the nj
ket Of the world"
"What dividends do you figure onY'
"Weal, last night i was figuring on q
straight 100 per cent, but this morning
! thought ! ought to make a little al
lowance. Many turtles die Of home
sickness, you know, and q certain per
cent Of the frogs are bound to jump
the wire fences and got away. To be
very safe and conservative l have put
the dividends at So per cent. l think
that Il a rather neat figure, don't your"
Great! Great Scott, I've been lend
ing money at 6 per cent"
"How-how much were you thinking
Of i0vestingT' asked the major in .
voice that trembled In spite of himself.
Twenty thousand dollars perhaps"
"And y0u-you win pay something
down to secure the stockT"
"A hundred dollars. Here's 4 check
I'll indorse over to you, and I'll come h
tomorrow and pay. the balance and get
the stock. By George, but I'm In luck!
Just think Of getting hold Of some
thing paying 81 per cent dividends!
Why. my wife will think me crazy
when l tell her about this. You.won't
let Morgan buy the whole thing up ana
freeze me out, win you?"
mo. You shall have the stock"
"And III remember you. m buy
you q pearl pin out Of the frst divi-
dend. II you want, when you get
started, III show you how to catch
frogs for canning. There's a peculiar
way Of getting hold Of them BY one
hind leg. Ninety-1ve per cent! Ican't
help but dwell on i'll"
'Yes, it's a good thing" replied the
major as he showed the folded check
into his vest pocket in q careless way.
'Y0u will be in tomorrow"
"Surc. Mike! II wa n Tronchman