Sketches in Crude-oil: Some accidents and incidents of the petroleum development in all parts of the globeMcLaurin, John J. (John James)
History
Sketches in Crude-oil: Some accidents and incidents of the petroleum development in all parts of the globe
McLaurin, John J. (John James)
Petroleum -- History; Petroleum industry and trade -- North America -- History
Estimates of McKeown’s wealth ranged from three-millions to ten. A guess
midway would probably be near the mark. When asked by Dun or Bradstreet
how he should be rated, his invariable answer was: “I pay cash for all I
get.” O. D. Bleakley, of Franklin, was appointed guardian of the sons
and Hon. J. W. Lee is Mrs. McKeown’s legal adviser. The oldest boy has
married, has received his share of the estate and is spending it freely.
A younger son was drowned in a pond at the school to which his mother
sent the bright lad. Once McKeown, desiring to have Dr. Agnew’s candid
opinion at the lowest cost, put on his poorest garb and secured a rigid
examination upon his promise to pay the great Philadelphia practitioner
ten dollars “as soon as he could earn the money.” He thanked the doctor,
returned in a business-suit, told of the ruse he had adopted and
cemented the acquaintance with a check for one-hundred dollars. In
Baltimore he posed as a hayseed at a forced sale of property the
mortgagors calculated to bid in at a fraction of its value. He deposited
a million dollars in a city-bank and appeared at the sale in the old
suit and slouched hat he had packed in his satchel for the occasion.
Stylish bidders at first ignored the seedy fellow whose winks to the
auctioneer elevated the price ten-thousand dollars a wink. One of them
hinted to the stranger that he might be bidding beyond his limit. “I
guess not,” replied John, “I pay cash for what I get.” The property was
knocked down to him for about six-hundred-thousand dollars. He requested
the attorney to telephone to the bank whether his check would be
honored. “Good for a million!” was the response. Now his triumphs and
his spoils have shrunk to the little measure of the grave!
“Through the weary night on his couch he lay
With the life-tide ebbing fast away.
When the tide goes out from the sea-girt lands
It bears strange freight from the gleaming sands:
The white-winged ships, which long may wait
For the foaming wave and the wind that’s late;
The treasures cast on a rock-bound shore
From stranded ships that shall sail no more,
And hopes that follow the shining seas—
Oh! the ocean wide shall win all these.
But saddest of all that drift to the sea
Is the human soul to eternity,
Floating away from a silent shore,
Like a fated ship, to return no more.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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