“Don’t raise it again,” he said; “it is up high enough now to give me a good surplus.”
But Ben only replied by saying in a tone loud enough for everybody to hear him:
“It doesn’t make any difference to me what I pay for this property. I’m going to have it; and I’ve got the money right here in my pocket,” slapping his breast as he spoke, where there was not a dollar.
The words, however, had their desired effect upon the broker. Thinking that he could safely run the price up, he continued to bet against Ben, until he reached seven thousand dollars. No sooner had he made this bid than Ben looked over with a smile of triumph, and said:
“The property is yours, sir. I hope you are satisfied with your bargain!”
The broker was almost frantic with rage and disappointment; but there was nothing to do but abide by the consequences. He had bid more than twice the amount of the mortgage, and the residue of course went to the man who had owned the house. Ben thus did an act of kindness which his friend will probably never forget; and he also succeeded in bleeding the financial sharp—as difficult a thing as it was satisfactory to accomplish.
After his eventful sojourn in Indiana, Ben went back to Pittsburg with plenty of money in his pocket. There he went in for a general good time, and made the dust fly in a lively manner. He made further investments in banks—the faro banks—which are not always fair oh.
In the course of his tours about town, he discovered in a house then well known his former mistress, Kitty. It was on a Saturday night, and while Ben was in the place, the house was “pulled,” and all the occupants, including Ben and Kitty, were locked up. They were obliged to remain in the station-house until Monday morning, when they were arraigned. Each of the others was fined either five or ten dollars, but Ben and Kitty, toward whom the Mayor entertained special feelings of friendship, were each given the privilege of paying one hundred dollars, or spending sixty days in jail. Ben had money enough only to pay his own fine at the time, but he succeeded in raising enough afterward to pay Kitty’s also, and thus released her from imprisonment. Ben instituted proceedings against the city for unjust punishment, and left the case in the hands of his lawyer, ——. If that gentleman ever succeeded in getting any damages, Ben has not been informed of the fact up to the present writing.
Before leaving Pittsburg at this time, Ben repeated the Mexican dollar dodge, of which mention has already been made, among a number of the leading shoe merchants of the place; and, by this and other means, he raised enough to carry him to the West in good style.
Striking Cleveland, he put up with his friend Charley Moore, and remained for six weeks, at the end of which time his capital was again exhausted. At about the same time he learned through El. Rumsey that there was to be a glove fight at Birmingham, O., and thither he made his way.