“Sure why don’t ye advertise in the papers?” asked Tim, as Mike called him. “That’s what everybody does that has anything to sell or wants to buy. Advertise for a goat wagon and harness. Sometimes goats dies, and the folks that owns them don’t get another, but sells the outfit.”
“But it costs money to advertise,” objected Mike.
“Sure and won’t the paper you work for trust you?” asked the gateman.
“The paper I work for?” repeated Mike, wonderingly.
“I mean the one you delivers for, nights,” for Mike had a paper route for an evening paper, the Journal.
“They ought to know you there,” went on Tim. “Tell the advertising man what you want, and that you’ll pay him when you can.”
“I’ll do it!” cried Mike, and he did. When, rather timidly, he explained to the man at the desk in the office what he wanted, and told him that he had delivered the Journal for several years, a bargain was made.
The man would put the advertisement in the paper for Mike, saying he wanted to buy a second-hand goat wagon and harness. He was to pay for the advertisement at the rate of two cents each day, for the Widow Malony and her son were so poor that even two cents counted.
“And you can easy make up that two cents by getting two new customers for the paper,” said Tim, when Mike told him what had happened.
“Yes. But how am I going to pay for the goat wagon and harness in case some one has it to sell?” Mike questioned.