64 THE TEMPERANCE MEETING

 

eye on that little place of his. I always
had a fancy for it, and would like to get it
at a bargain when it goes off, as it will
have to before a great while.”

“You buy a good deal of property ?”

“Yes.”

“What did you pay for Shriver’s place?”

“‘ Nine hundred dollars.”

“No more?”

“No; Shriver refused, once, to my cer-
tain knowledge, sixteen hundred for it.”

“ He let it run down shamefully.”

“Oh yes,” replied the tavern-keeper.
“He became a mere sot, and neglected
every thing. I wouldn't trust him, now, for
a three-cent glass of whisky. His place
was sold, of course, and I bought it at a
bargain. I wouldn’t take, this hour, an ad-
vance of four hundred dollars on the pur-
chase. It’s always best to buy property
that has been suffered by a drunken fellow
to run down for a few years. It gets to
look a great deal worse than it really is,
and you're sure to buy a bargain.”