The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1851-09-11
From Arthur's Home Gazette.
THE DROP GAME.
BY JOHN JONES, IN.


Ter Of n certain village in New Jersey, sit
,a,ed within ten miles Of Philadelphia
You must take a p ,per this year. How
cpn YOU live, man, without the news?
The news! returned Lee, 'iiumph!
aavo more news than is agrceabc. Ia
ac,, don't believe in Your news mongers
% how. Every man mind his own busl
pess that il nv motto
Yes, but friend Lee II is Of interest d
snow what is going on in the world
No special interest to nc. What do
care about other peoples conssrns? l.
Won, make my cows give more milk, nor
ny land grow more bushels to the acre.
81 am MT sure Of that
'Ain, your
sNo!
We'll, I'm ibcn.'
There are farmers whose cows give
more milk than yours, and whose land
ields a better inc.eas From these you
might learn something to sour advantage.
Bot what has that TO do with the news
,apers?
"A great deal. Intelligent farmers in
orm the psbic Of their agricultural exper
ftpents; and give the new me,hods b.
which they obtain large Yields Of produce.
Book farming!' exclaimed Lshan Lee
II atone Of contempt. Never believed il
and never expect To. The good old fash
iaucd way il good enough for me-. lndus
ry and economy my-lhai is my motto, and
| each i daily u my children. liaud wor.
i worth all the newspapers in the world.
i am not sore ofihat,' returned tho Pos
Master. Hand work is bad!s of ai,hou
beal work, and vii. so9n fad itself in III,
,ear'
si'm rot IN the least ansous,' sid Lee
With a sell satisfied air, rs he turned IL
| nd went on his way towards The city, hi,
| ahs well filled with butter, aud his wagc,
we'll loaded with eoodls stock Of poultry
nd fruit. "a bird 10 The hanl is wori
wo in the hush,'--hc kept on talking /,
| tinse'f. sNhen there is dollar in m,
lpyehot I hnow wirrt I've Gaf But wh.,
| spend il fnr n newspaper, What is iher,
20 show for l.? lneyer knew any good I,
eane from taking the papers. rhev oul,
Gt nonsensc inlothe Young peoples head
nd make tl.cm think themselves misa
inn tbeir parenss. Did! aud they sl,n!
rli c6iue into my house,
L1ban Lee. If the tra;h must be told, Ii
<oriiL love Of money. The daIar W.
,xays held SO close To the aNi- If vision
iiat itilo beyond the round. bright coir
vas ever di>cernihlc. Hy hard work. ii
'astry and cconomr, be had gradual,
raincd upon the wur.d, until he was the
,wner of a snug piece ofisnd covering
about fifty acres, well stocked and as wei
Tiled as his good old fashioned way o.
farming would permit.
The over careful in saving when love
of money subdues almost every other sen
eimeni, are no, generally over honest ii
getting. The everyone for himself princi
o!e of action generally leads 10 disregard
| ,! Others interests, trespass upon other,
rights, and departure from truth in deal
ing. lnto these defects Iaban Lee na,nr
illv fell, as many citizen who had boughi
ough chickens, had butter, and spoiled
turkeys, from the ''fair and honest country
man," could testify. Lee knew how mici
WAS gained in these transactions; but nesc,
lad any idea ofhow mach he lost, Fal
ofieuer than his customers Guessed, hi.
ollter, or at least carefully arranged
portion confirmed ia his tubs, lacked severa
ounces Of the true weight; and more thar,
once had he come near losing a goodIN
aumbcr thereof, at the hands Of Tho Cicik
4 the Market.
Such a man was I.aban Lee.
As the counirvman wcndcd bis wa,
towards the city. his thoughts were busy
n summing up the probable amount he
would receive for the contents Of his mar
'set wagon; yet this occupied state Of bis
mind did not keep his eyes from resting
with intelligent discrimination upon the
-oad he travelled. Money, and articles
# value, had been found by others, and
why might not he be so Fortunate? Such
things were frequently lost BIZ the careless.
The idea OF restitution never occurred II
iim; ba' this was KEEP, obscured by the
Measurable anticipation Of gain as The find
ar OF lost property. Once, aud only once
iad Labln Lee been fortunate. On GER
ain occasion us he walked along the road,
ne espied, n short distance in advance. n
fright object par,ially concealed in tbs
sand. Eagerly b, sprang forward, snatch
ei il from the ground aud wss rewarded BY
blaming haIf dollar! Small rs the sn,c
vas, 70 gsin thus, nwoke in his mind tho
Inost pleasing sensations. From that time,
whether in town or in country, few SQUARE
rods OF earth or pavement over which he
.,assed, escaped his watchul eyes.
On The present occasion, nolwilhstand.
ing Lee examined the road by which he
travelled 10 tho city with his usual care,
40 treasure was found. Better fortune
,owever attended him on the following day.
He had sold out his butter, poultry aud
iruit, and over thirty dollars, received IN
eychange therefor, were in bis pocket,
Prices Ind ranged pretty high, and the
farmer felt satisfied with his sales. Just as
se was preparing 10 leave, the sudden cy-
iam,tinn Of man at his side startled him.
md turning around quickly, he saw gen
t'emanIv looking stranger with well filled
pocket book in his hand.
'Samohody dropped this said the stran-
per addressing Lee. 'Aud IT'S filled with
money!
The farmers ewes were instantly dis.
,enied. lie tcIi his knees iremblc.