Studies in Gold Bricks, much as I had heard of gold bricks I never came in touch with the subject until I prose cuted and convicted the kind go-between. The Witness Who Had Bought One. To prove that the kind go-between knew brass filings from gold and was not himself deceived we imported a witness from In diana. On direct-examination he identified the man, the Indian, the oil-cloth and the style of brick which he had himself bought. On cross-examination he testified : Q. Where did you get the money to buy this brick you say you bought? A. Wai, I guess I borrowed enough. Q. From whom did you borrow it? A. Wai, from the bank in our town. Q. (Scornfully) Did you tell them what you were going to buy. A. (Placidly). Cert. I told them jest that. Q. And you mean to say they lent you money for that? A. Wai, I guess I was President of that bank. Just then there was a commotion in the (lock, and those near the prisoner heard him whisper excitedly to his counsel, a good fel low; who afterwards told me that the remark was : "For heaven's sake bail me out for half an hour and I'll sell him another/'
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bricks sold or else there would never be so many bought in the United States of America." Yes. After argument he admitted that. It was but a short step to the purchase of the second brick by a man who was convinced that the real regret of these kind men had led them to choose him as the purchaser of the genuine one, which was to be their text thereafter. The Man Who Did Not Buy the Gold Brick. A year after my trial I started to tell the story to a visitor from Detroit. He was a man of a few words, and after my second sentence he fired up with questions. "In dian from Reservation? Medicine man dance on grave? Oil-cloth wrapper? Yes," said 1, when he drew breath. "Well," said he, "I've met that brick. Would you believe it a client came in to me to borrow money on mortgage to buy it. He wouldn't be reasoned out by me, so I took him to the local editor, the local banker, the local jeweller, and got their opinions on gold in bricks. At the end he said he respected my advice and wouldn't buy any gold against it and didn't. But to this day he believes I did him out of four thousand at least. Another Kind of Gold Brick.
The Man Who Bought Two Gold Bricks. But the sale of a second gold brick is no fantasy. That is an Alabama story. At the end of a year the gold brick men returned to the farmer, who ought to have been sadder and wiser, and said they owed him both apologies and compensation, that they had treated him badly and were sorry. "But one basic proposition you must admit." said the spokesman. "There must be some good gold
What is the difference between a farmer and a gentleman farmer? You can't guess? "Why a farmer makes money in the country." Well? "And buys gold bricks in the city." "Oh!" said my friend. "Yes. I do some farming besides my law business, and one day I heard that among lawyers I was considered a farmer, and among farmers I was considered a lawyer. I guess you mean the same thing."
