The Washington herald., 1920-11-07
AN O. HENRY STORY
SUPPLY AND DEMAND

the Big Stick. with as many extra
knots on 1t as there is on the rec
ord run Of the Lusitania. oh, / read
the papers now and then,' says he.
Now. let's hear your entitlements,'
he goes on, and the meeting will
be OPEN
WELL says !, I'm known as one
w. D. Finch. Occupation, capitalist.
Address, 541 East Thirty
New York chips in the Noble
Grand. I know says he, grinning.
1t amt the first time you've seen
II go down on the blotter. can
tell by the way you hand It out.
Well. explain the Capitalist
Il tells this boss plain what I
came for and how come to came.
"'Gold dustr says he, looking as
puzzled as baby that got feather
on its molasses finger. That's fun
ny. This amt gold mining coun-
try. And you invested all your cap
ital on a strangers story? Well,
well! These Indians of mine-they
are the last Of the tribe of Peches
are simple as children. They
know nothing of the purchasing
been imposed on says he.
oob says UuI IL
sounded pretty straight to me-
".W. d. says the King. all of a
sudden, I'll give you a square deal.
1t amt often 1 get to talk to a
white man, and I'll give you a
show for your money. 1t may be
these constituents of mine have a
few grains OF gold dust hid away
in their clothes. Tomorrow you may
get out these goods you've brought
up and see II you can make any
sales. Now, I'm going to introduce
myself unofficially. My name is
Shane-Patrick Shane. / own the
tribe Of Peche Indians by right of
conquest-single e-handed and una
fraid. / drifted up here four years
ago, and won 'em by my size and
complexion and nerve. / learned
their language in six weeks-it's
easy! You simply emit a string Of
consonants as long as your breath
holds out and then point at what
you're asking for.
81 conquered 'em. spectacularly,
goes on King Shane, and then
went at 'em with economical poll
| tics, law. sleight-of-hand, and q
kind of New England etics and par
simony. Every Sunday. or as near
as I can guess at II, I preach ia
'em in the council-house U'm The
counciD on the law of supply and
demand. ! praise supply and knock
demand. use the same text every
time. You wouldn't think. w. D.,
says Shane. that 1 had poetry in
me. would your
well says I. I wouldn't know
whether to call 1t poetry or not
'Tennyson,' says Shane, furn-
ishes the poetic gospel l preach.
always consider him the boss poet
Here's the way the text goes:
For. not to admire, II man could
learn IT. were more
Than to walk all day like a Sultan
of old in a garden of spice"
"'You see, I teach 'em to cut out
demand-that supply Is the main
| thing. / teach 'em not to desire
anything beyond their simples,
needs. A little mutton. a little CO.
Goa, and a little fruit brought up
from the coast-that's all they want
to make 'em happy, I've got 'em
well trained. They make their own
clothes and hats out OF a vegetable
! fibre and straw, and they're a con-
tented Tot. It's a great things. winds
/ up Shane, to have made a people
happy by the incultivation OF such
simple institutions
We'll. tho next day. with the
Kings permission, ] has the Nc
Clintock open up a couple of sacks
OF my goods in the little plaza OF the
village. The Indians swarmed
around by the hundred and looked
the bargain-counter over. 1 shook
red blankets at 'em. flashed finger
rings and ear-bobs. tried pearl neck
laces and side-combs on the women,
and a line OF red hosiery on the men.
Twas no use. They looked on like
hungry craven images. but I never
made a sale / asked McClintock
what was the trouble. Mac yawned
three or four times. rolled a cigar
ette. made one or two confidentia,
side remarks to a mule. and then
condescended to inform me that the
people had no money.
Just then up strolls King Pat
rick. big and red and royal as usual.
, with the gold chain over his chest
and his cigar in front of him.
'How's business, w. d.? he asks.
Fine says I. It's a bargain
day rush. I've got one more fine
line Of goods to offer before I shut
up shop. I'll try 'em with safety
razors. I've got two gross that 1
bought at a fire sale
shane laughs till some kind of
mameluke or private secretary he
carries with him has to hold him up.
20 my sainted Aunt Jerusha!'
says he. 'ain't you one of the Babes
in the Goods. W. D.? Don't you
know that no Indians ever shave?
They pull out their whiskers in
stead.
well says I. that's just what
these razors would do for EN-
they wouldn't have any kick COM
ing IL they used 'em once
Shane went away. and could
hear him laughing a block, II there
had been any block
Tell EN- says / to McClintock.
1t amt money / want-tell 'em I'll
take gold-dust. Tell 'em I'll allow
'em sixteen dollars an ounce for It
in trade. That's what I'm out for
the dust
Mac interprets, and you'd have
thought a squadron of cops had
charged the crowd to disperse It.
Every unele's nephew and aunt's
niece of 'em faded away inside OF
two minutes.
At the royal palace that night
me and the King talked IL over.
They've got the dust hid out
somewhere says l. or they wouldn't
have been SO sensitive about IT.
They haven't says Shane
What's this gag you've got about
gold? You been reading Edward
Allan Poe7 They amt got any
gold
They put 1t in quills.' says /.
and then they empty 1t in jars. and
then into sacks OF TWENTY-FIVE