Free Land Comes High

I heard about the man who was giving away town lots free, and one day I left the train at a small station and hired a man to drive me over to the site of the fnture Kreat city. I found a sixty acre farm staked oat into lots 20 feet front by 50 deep, but only one house and one person were in sight. The house was a farm cabin, and the person was the owner of it and the one I wanted to see. "Coiné for a lot?" he asked as we drove np. "Yes, in cace my information is correct. Do yon give them away free?" "I do." "I had heard so." "Go right ont and select any one you like. Those selected are marked with red stakes, those not yet taken by black ones." I took a walk arovind and made a selection, and he fonnd the nnmber and sasd: "Yon want an abstract of title, of course. Hare it is, and the fee is $3." When I had received it he hunted out a deed already sigued, and filled my name in, called in the teamster and his wife for witnesses, and said: "Here ia your deed. 111 have to charge $4forthat." I paid the snm named, and he then got down a big book and said: "You want it recorded, of eourse. I am the county clerk. The fee for recordingis3." I had it duly recorded, and jnst then dinner was ready. He invited me to uit down, but when we were through he said: ( "My charge for dinner is seventy-five cents. The taxes on yonr lot will be dne next week, and yon had better leave the money. The amount is $1.75, and my comnrission for receipting will be twenty-five cents." I paid him tbe snm named and was about to get into the wagon, when he said: "The charge for bringin# you over and talring yon back is $2. Half belongs to me, as I own the wagon. One dollar, please." "Can you think of anything fnrther?" I asked, as I handed him the dollar. "Well, youil have to stop at the junction about four hours before the eastern train comes akmg. I own the resfcanrant there. Please eat all yon can." "I have," I said, after a litüe figuring, "paid yoa $13.75 for a lot yon advertise to give away free. How much do you cali this land worth an acre?" "All of six dollars, sir. Tve been offered five and wouldn't take it." "Then Tve paid yon more than the valoe of two acres to get a lot large enongh to bury a conple of cows on!" "Exactly, sir- exactly, and I congra( nlate you on your bargain." "Then yon dont cali it a swindfer "No, sir! No, eér! A man who will kick on buying a chunk of the glorióos west for less than $H isnt straight, and. Mr. Tomrpkins, I'd advise you to keep an ey on him going back and see that he doesn't iump out of the wagon and bilk yon out of your