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Show HIS COLLATERAL GOOD. How Tom Fitch of Nevada Used to "BaiM the Wind." Tom Fitch of Nevada was a bright fellow and one of the best writers and stump speakers of the west, but he was thriftless, and when he got hard up would resort to almost any means to get a stake. One day he wrote a scathing speech denouncing Sharon, then president of the Bank of California and afterward United States senator from Nevada. Ia it he oharged Sharon with almost every orime known to the decalogue or the statutes. He put the manuscript in a large envelope and walked into the Bank of California, "Here," he said to tho cashier, handing hand-ing the package through the window, '"here are some securities which I offer as collateral on a loan. Please hand them to JUr. bharon in person, and I will wait for his answer. " Mr. Sharon was in his private office. Breaking the seal of the envelope, he found the speech and read it through, together with a note from Fitch, informing in-forming him that unless he was paid $5,000 he would deliver that speech in every town in the state. In a few minutes min-utes the cashier, on Mr. Sharon's order; reported that the collateral was all right and paid the happy Fitch the desired de-sired amount Three months afterward, having gone through the money in speculation and dissipation, Mr. Fitch made his appearance appear-ance with another speech, this time of a very complimentary character, which he promised to deliver at ever convenient conven-ient onDortunitv. for the same amount That, too, proved good collateral, and tho story would have never come to light if Fitch had not, in .a moment of drunken frankness, told it himself. Cincinnati Commercial Gazette. in India, declares Mr. Telang in The Forum, the man has the better of it In America the woman has the better. |