Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1864-01-22


scsnt. Indeed. he received many Of thost
trials that come as discipline 10 faith ana
patience Sometimes he fels them as sach
and with no one to assist him buI little David
whe, it must be confessed to any one bat
father, was rather hindranee than help,
he worked on with an uatiring pa,iense, and
wenld have worked ia peace, had il rot been
for his close proximity to his cousin Baker.
.7 CHAPTER II
Hannah hastened her steps wben she hear
her fathers heavy strides behind her She was
accustomed to his eIddsn barsts OF temper.
but this was the frst time she ever ventured
to Interfere knowing that his anger often
turned against those who strove 10 check it,
shs FASTENED on preferring to meet him in her
mothers presence than alone, As she drew
near the house her mother called to her and
bade her gather up some linen that was spread
on the grass by the foot path while thns err
tgaged her father passed her without look or
a word, and with slow steps she followed him
to The house He passed into The well-room
and finding his wife's cheese basket and trays
somewhat in the way, he gave them kick
and sent them tumbfng 70 he other end Of
the room then sending pan Of sage that the
good women had just cut aud placed on cor
| ner Of the sink after them, he proceeded to
perform his abIutions His wife was placing
the dinner on the table; she SET down 4be
great dish OF vegetables she held in her hands.
and, casting glance into the shed, she ex-.
claimed z5#
why, Moses, what in the world are you
doing there ?" al
Keep your confounded weeds aud trays
out Of my way then, will you il is no placs
for them under foot; and don't keep me hers
all day waiting for dinner
"Dinner has beea waiting this half honr, she
replied pleasantly then added in low tone
to Hannah, :" wonder what has happened to
put father cut Of sorts to-day?'
Before Hannah could reply he came in fol-
lowed By bis hired men, who had been idling
away half an hour or go under the shade tree,
aud gathered around the table Baker be-
longed to that class of persons, who, when an
cry with one person cannot speak peaceably
to any one eiee; and as he had a rare t&lent !
for making bis words Of mind felt, The dinner
passed off in gloomy silence, occasionally in |
terrupted by some fault-fnding remark about |
the cooking, which he uttered in a tone half |
way between a growl and bark. When be
rose from the table. he ordered the boy TO /
bring out bis horse. 4
q thought you did NOT intend to have US I
use the horse-rake any more today, SO 1 tura-
ed the horse cut" replied the boy.
"Who said anything about horse-rakes 2" /
thundered the old man. q" Go to the pasture
and bring up the bay horse and don't stand I
there gabbling."
While he was giving his men directions for
their afternoons work, the boy returned with.
the horse, and said inquiringly-" thought
you owned the big oak that stands in the
fence on the south side of the round pasture,
Mr.. Baker. met Jem Davis over the hill and
be said Sire Benton owned it, and be was go
ing to help cut it down this afternoon. He
said that Palker, the ship-buiider, offered him
ffty dollars for it."
- Let him cut it If he dare !" nuttered Ba-
ker again and, as if iH reply to his words,
then came the clear, ringing sound from the
strokes Of the axe frem the direction of the
disputed tree.
The men exchanged significant glanees, and
started TO their place of labor, while Baker
strobe across the field to spot that com
maRded view OF the tree. The irst glance
convinced him that the boys information was
correct. He hastily returned, sPrang upon
his horse, and before the good axes Of Benton
and Davis had severed the bole OF the giant
oak, he was cleseted with one Of the busiest
lawyers in the city Of H. When young
David Benton returned thel night from the
distant meadow where he had been at
work, he found his father listening, with
knit brew and compressed lips, to the monoton-
ous, nasal toues of the town constable, as he
drawled forth those absurd and often lbellous
charges usually found in writ of prosecution,
and which, through the wisdom Of our laws,
any man may make against his ueighbor for
the value Of a few shiliinGs.
With him everything had done well ; at
least, go said the people of lhe villags, when
they looked upon bis excellent farm. bis we'll
Rled graneries, his sleek hoeks and herds and
counted up his mortgages aud notes upon it,
terelt But cou d they have lacked into his
heart, and seen how il grew hard and selfish
beneath his ever increasing thirst Tor gain
they might have thought otherwise. True,
they knew he grew more aud more captious
and irritable, and that his ungoyernable
bursts OF temper oiien changed the brightsess
of his freside TO gloom - but, then. he was rich,
and riches cover a multitude of sins even 10 a 4
country village. In proportion to The success
Of his own schemes in the pursuit of wealth,
bis contempt for the want ci success in others
increased, and he did net fail TO manifest it
" Any man may be rich it he CHOOSES to be"
was his constant reply to his wife and daugh
er, whsa they ventuEed to offer some excuse
for their less suecesfu neighbors Josiah I
Benton and he had started in tue world on an
equal feoting regarded property, but now,
scarcely day passed in which he did not l
make his CO Hsin feel the difference his rea /
tionship giving him, as be thought, a peculiar
right 10 meddle in his affairs. 1
About year previous an old maiden aunt
Of theirs had died, and Instead OF taking her
property with her had always seemed her {
intention, she lefI it to these nephews, with {
the strict injunction that they were to settle
The estate themselves, so that none OF her
money should be squandered in feeding probate 6
judges aud cleFka After many hot disputes
and angry words they finally snccced in {
dividing Ghe property; bat the alterea1ions had I
reused so much bitterness aud iI-feeHng, had t
brought out so many things that they were {
bent upon viewing as proofs of the want of !
honesty, that the old womau's bequest proved
a curse instead OF blessing a