Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1916-10-05

Boys" said he earnestly, this is
tine most ~'onderful town that has
ever been. There has been nothing
like it in the past, and there will never
be anything like it again. After | HAD
sold out my papers | went wandering
across the Plaza with my hands in my
pockets. Next the FL Dorado there is
a hole in the ground. 1t isn't much Of
a hole, and the edges are all caving in
because it is sandy. While L was look
ing at it two mon came along. One
was the owner of the hole, and the
other said he was Il lawyer. The own
err offered to rent the hole to the law
yer for $3.50 a month. and the lawyer
was inclined to axe him up. After
they had gone Oh | paced off the hole
just for fun. 1t was twelve feet square
by about six feet deep. Then l walked
on down toward the water front and
talked with all the Storekcepers. They
do a queer business. All these goods
we see around came out here on con-
signment. The local S~torekeepers have
a greater or lesser share and sell MAIN
~ on commission. Since they haven't
any adequate s%torehouseS and can't get
any put up again, they sell the stuff
mainly at auction and get rid of it as
quickly as possible. That's why some
things are so cheap they can make
paycments of them when a ship hap
pens to come in loaded With one arti-
Gle. I talked with some of them and
told them they ought to warehouse a
lot of this stuff 50 as to keep it over
until the market steadied. They agreed
With that. but pointed out that they
were putting up warehouses as fast as
they could, which wasn't very fast.
and in the meantime the rains and
dust were destroying their goods. 1t
was cheaper to sell at auction"
"-And Il heap more exciting" put in
Johnny. Il went to one of them"
We'll, I wandered down to the shore
and looked out over the bay. 1t was
full of shipping, riding high at anchor.
I had an idea. | hired Il boat for So
and rowed out to some of the ships.
Believe me or not, most of them We're
empty, not w a Waterman aboard.
I found some Of the captains, however,
and talked with each of them. They
all told the same story"
"Crew skipped to the mines, | sup
pose" said Yank.
Exactly. And they couldn't get any
more. SO l offered to hire Il few of
them"
"The captains?" 1 inquired.
~No; the ships"
'The what?' we yelled in chorus.
sThe ships"
"But if the captains can't get
crews
"Ah, l don't a to sail them"
went on Talbot impatiently. "It was
hard work getting them to agree. They
all cherished notions they could get
rew and go sailing some more-good
old salts! But l hired four at last.
Had to take them for only a month,
however, and had to pay them in adj
vance five hundred apiece"
81 beg your PARDON said Johnny
softly, "for interrupting your pleasing
tale, but the last item interested me.
I do not know whether I quite heard
it right"
"Oh, shut up, Johnny!' said Yank.
@Let the man tell his story. OF course
he didn't have the money in his pock-
ct. How did you get it, Tal?"
Ward shot him u grateful glance.
81 told them I'd pay them at4S'clock
which gave me plenty Of time
'"Two thousand dollars oh. of
course!" murmured Johnny.
$50 then" continued Talbot, II hus-
tied ashore and went to see some Of
my merchant friends. In two hours 1
had contracts with twelve Of them
that totaled $4,000"
why didn't some of them go out
and hire ships on their own account?"
asked Yank shrewdly.
Because ! didn't mention the word
ship until | had their business" said
Talbot. II just guaranteed them stor-
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