chain and ten dollars," I said.

"I'll make it five."

"Let me take your watch and chain a few minutes."

"All right," he answered.

I immediately called on Mr. Kintz and said: "John, are you willing to
give your gold watch and five dollars for Mr. Clock's silver watch and
gold chain?"

He replied by simply handing me five dollars. I then returned to Mr.
Clock, made the trade and also received from him five dollars.

Although the amount I made was small, it came in a very opportune time,
and afforded me much satisfaction, as I argued in my own mind, that if I
was able to drive those kind of trades in a small way, while young, I
might be able some day to make similar deals on a larger scale.

The next day, when I met Mr. Keefer, I explained how I had made ten
dollars. He laughed and said: "Well, if they are both satisfied I
suppose you ought to be."

The next Sunday after I had made the trade, several of the boys,
including Mr. Kintz, Clock and myself, were sitting in the hotel. I was
reading a paper when Mr. Kintz and Clock began a conversation about the
watch trade, when Kintz remarked:

"If that gold watch had not been a lady's size I never would have paid
any difference on the trade."

"Did you give any boot?" quickly asked Clock.

"Why, I gave five dollars," answered Kintz.

"The d----l you did; so did I," replied Clock.

They immediately demanded an explanation, which I gave, by declaring as
the "middleman" I was entitled to all I could make; and this was the
universal opinion of every one there, including the landlord, who
insisted that it was a good joke and well played.

[Illustration]

CHAPTER VIII.

THREE DOLLARS WELL INVESTED--LEARNING TELEGRAPHY--GETTING IN DEBT--A
FULL-FLEDGED OPERATOR--MY FIRST TELEGRAPH OFFICE--BUYING AND SELLING
DUCKS AND FROGS WHILE EMPLOYED AS OPERATOR--MY
RESIGNATION--CO-PARTNERSHIP IN THE JEWELRY AND SPECTACLE BUSINESS--HOW
WE SUCCEEDED--OUR DISSOLUTION.

The next day after making this trade and procuring the ten dollars, I
bought an old silver watch from a stranger who had become stranded,
paying him three dollars for it. This I traded for another watch and
received five dollars as a difference. From this I continued to make
trades until I was the owner of ten head of fine sheep, three pigs, a
shot-gun, violin, watch, and a few dollars in money, besides having paid
my board at the hotel and bought necessary clothing.

When I found a buyer for my sheep