OCR Text |
Show HIS COLLATERAL GOOD. How Tom Fitch of Nevada Used to "KalM the VInd." 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 ho got hard . up would resort to almost any means to get a stake. One day he wrote a scathing speech denouncing Sharon, then president s! the Bank of California and afterward United States senator from Nevada. Ia it he charged Sharon with almost every crime known to the decalogue or the statutes. He put the manuscript in a large envelope and walked into the Ban' of California. " : : " he said to the cashier, handing hand-ing the package through the window, "here are some securities whioh I offer as collateral on a loan. Ploe.se hand them to Mr. Sharon 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 rith n nnta from FMtnrt. 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 do-sired do-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, whioh he promised to deliver at ever convenient conven-ient opportunity, for the same amount. That, too, proved good collateral, and the story would have never come to light if Fitch had not, in a moment of drunken frankness, told it himsalt Cincinnati Commercial Gazette. The bones of very aged persons ar faid to have a greater proportion of Urn than those cf Tonng Twrvola |