A LUCKY MISTAKE.
In a real-estate office the other day I heard a gentleman relating the experience of an Eastern friend of his who, many years ago, for a bad debt of 20,000d01 , was compelled to accept Western land of the estimated value of 15,000d01. He paid constantly - increasing taxes upon the land for a number of years without going to see it. One day his agent telegraphed him, asking him what he would take for the land, which had finally come to be far within the corporate limitsof Chicago. The owner figured that, with taxes and interest, the land had cost him 30,000d015., and more in a joke than anything else — not dreaming that the offer would be accepted — wrote a telegram saj r ing that he would take 50,000d015. cash for the property. He sent the message by his office boy, whon the clerk insisted that the sum be spelled out in the message. The office boy re- wrote it, and by mistake wrote 500,000d015. instead of 50,000d01a. In an hour back came the reply : " Offer of half a million dollars accepted. Make deed and come on and get certified cheque." The man made his offico boy a handsome present for his clerical error, and gave his old time debtor 25,000d015. with which to reestablish himself in business. — St. Paul Free Press.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP18871001.2.56
Bibliographic details
Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 80, 1 October 1887, Page 1 (Supplement)
Word Count
224
A LUCKY MISTAKE.
Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 80, 1 October 1887, Page 1 (Supplement)
No known copyright (New Zealand)
To the best of the National Library of New Zealand’s knowledge, under New Zealand law, there is no copyright in this item in New Zealand.
You can copy this item, share it, and post it on a blog or website. It can be modified, remixed and built upon. It can be used commercially. If reproducing this item, it is helpful to include the source.
For further information please refer to the Copyright guide.
Log in