The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-07-20
THE GRAND
PROMOTER
BY NJ QUAD
Copyright 1916 by the Mcclure
Newspaper syndicate.

| Ill HNtRHiAlhN AhANAANH
Major Crofoot stood looking out o
one OF his Office windows with hi
hands thrust deep In his pockets and 4
look OF meditation on his face. ii,
was medltatng about his landlord
lie was now $40 in arrears for bis
room and board, and when he came
home TO dinner he might find his trunk
In the hall.
Then. too. here ut his Office he ex.
pected every day 10 be bounded for
Office rent long In arrears.
In the midst OF his medltations the
major felt touch ON his elbow. and
be turned around 10 behold his land
lord with hand outstretched and TO
hear him say:
Major Crofoot, your back rent OF
this office now amounts TO $50. Come
/ DOWN.
"0nly S60!" smiled the major after
swallowing hard for half minute.
"why, / thought II was near hun
| dredl IL won't take me over five min
utes TO I'LL out bond in your name.
| shall make one for $500"
mo bonds-no checks-no promises
the cash In hand" warned the land
lord.
Have you lost confidence in me-"
asked the major, with worried look
on his face.
II lost 1t long ago. sir"
~ am sorry-very sorry. l was GO
ing TO I'LL you out a bond of my Egg
Forcing company, and the bonds stand
at a premium, and you can take one
over to the bank and sell 1t at par and
carry the gold home in your pocket"
NO bonds" repeated the landlord.
"Well, Mr.. Blake, l have just sent
thousand dollar bill over to the bank
TO get changed. If you will sit down
for five minutes the boy will be back.
Mr.. Blake sat down. There were sew
eral looks OF doubt on his face After
one minute he was uneasy and shuffied
his feet After two minutes he was
more uneasy and got up and walked 10
the door and back. After five minutes
he looked out OF the window TO see If
the majors boy was coming on the |
run with the handful of money.
Mr.. Blake waited for twelve minutes I
and then rose and said.
Major Crofoot, l believe you have
lied to mel"
II am getting uneasy myself" was
the reply. DO you think it possible.
Mr.. Blake, that the boy cribbed the
money and has run away with it,"
II think it possible that this Office
will be vacant within an hour And
Mr.. Blake stalked out OF the room and
downstairs. while the major sat down
to his desk and said to himself with a
great sigh of relief:
well. that is off my mind for an +.
other three months Mr. Blake Is not
the man TO climb four flights Of stairs .
for few dollars back rent"
Forty minutes had passed away and |
then the landlord, deputy sheriff and
two husky men entered the room, and !
a legal paper was served on the major.
who read 1t and replied: !
Gentlemen, have you called TO see !
about investments? | have a large list
If them and none that pay less than /
per cent"
The landlord and the others paid no I
attention 10 this statement, but seized {
he furniture and carried it down 1
tairs to the sidewalk The task was 4
quickly over. There was only the old 1
Iesk, an old swiveled chair and two !
ommon chairs with lame legs. There I
vas also a small coal stove which had Z
Deen deathly cold nearly all winter. /
he major was a man who felt that ii !
vas cheaper to be frost bitten than to +
NY a quarter of ton of coal. ].
He made no objections to the remov- +
of the furniture. but followed down ].
tairs and calmly took a seat at his +
esk and began writing out a protest ].
he landlord and the men went away, +
ut crowd gathered and there was !.
lock of the sidewalk. Pretty soon +
oliceman came up and asked 7
rs this an eviction for nonpayment +
rent I.
ut has that appearance" was the
sply, but. it being warm. balmy =
ny, | shall continue to do business as .
sual"
But you can't" was protested.
This crowd has got to be dispersed
you don't find a room somewhere to 4
owe your things into / shall have to II
III the patrol wagon and have them
rried to the station house"
II will look for room. SIR" said
e major, with proper dignity. If
Id one l shall hope that you will
me around soon and let me show
u my list of investments. There is
me that l sell to policemen only"
iy1, hoI