The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1865-03-30

SVme HuOle uOllaTS OF anticipated gain
to the claims of honest dealing. To be
sure it was not done wholly from love
Of honesty, for ne had some vague fears
hanging about him of u repetition, on
the next New Years eve, of the strange
visit which had given him the alarm
BUTT did not come. Still another year,
and yet it did not come. The impress
sion Of the dream began to grow dull
and fade away, and Simon at times
though not all the time eithcr-to be as
hard a customer as formerly. He was
by no means entirely given over base.
ness yet, though there was danger that
he would by and by become so If he
kept on. Although he had some con
science left, he was slowly wearing it
out.
One day, which happened to be his
birthday, he had made, as he imagined,
some unusually favorable trades, not
altogether on the side of honesty either.
He walked home reckoning up his sgains
in his own mind, and laying plans for
their most profitable investment. As
he arrived near his own door, he met O
funeral procession. 1t was that of a
neighbor Of his, who had been in health
but few days before.
-"Tbat was sudden death, was it not
Mr.. Gainall I? )" said passer. by to him
as he was about ascending the steps tc
the door. "But none Of u.s." continued
the speaker, "have lease of our lives
not even for an hour"
"True enough said Simon and o.
he spoke it, all the circumstances of th
dream, and the con versation of his mys
terious visitor, flashed into his mine
, with the quickness Of lightning. Thu
/ evening, as he sat by his fire alone
that is, with no company but his wife
/ he was uncOmmonly silent and moody
His wife noticed it. She Inquired
= "What now, Simon?" lie was consid
erably more silent than was usual, o
f probably she would not have though
r of asking.
81 was thinking" says he, 81 al
forty-fvc years old to-day. Neighbo
Jackson has left us, and l may be a
. likely to follow soon as not"
d 1t happened to be the case that HI
neighbor Jackson had been the victit
of one of bis hard trades. He thougl
of that, though he did not say so.
"And," continued be, "if l am eve
going to be any better than | am--an
| suppose there is need enough of it -
why, suppose l had better be abou
> it,"
"Well, said his wife, " 'it is better lat
than never, you know, as the oil
~ proverb says"
And, in truth, Simon did really il
prove his conduct, even noticeably
those who were best acquainted wi
!, him. He attended church more reg,
larIy too, although he had always bee
: ln the habit Of going quite often,
least, in fine weather. And, sdll fu
ther, be began to be more hcedful
the sermon, instead Of letting b
thoughts wander, during Divine servic
over his farm and in and out of his tv
~ great barns, as had been his more usu
r manner. o.. 'Et '- IT,. 600.
:, One day there came along by h
house fancy horse-tradcr, with sever
of his four legged articles of merchar
- die with him. He calls upon Sine
II for trade. ..-..--
"What will you give me for the lot
lie | know you used to be a good hand
ST getting a market for such nags as thes
Wbat'll you bid ?"
'r Simon looks them over from head
$ foot. Ile knows we'll enough wh
I, horses arc. ......, ......--
! 81 won't touch the things at al
Id price," he says. .t..
ty "Why not2 You have traded wor
at critters than these are, before this,
lie my knowledge" nr.f"
or "Well, have but have do
D. enough of that. IN never buy anoth
p horse to sell that l cant honestly
as commend"
lie "Ha, ha ! Then you won't sell
De great many, I'm bound. ButiL's fun
IL isn't it, to hear old Simon talk abe
as honestly Who ever heard of an hon
'm horse dealer2 Not |, at any rate
no What's the matter of you, Simon u
r. Do let's have some sort of trade"
ed But Simon did not trade
And this was the way things went
en- for year or SO, Simon did not alw
ist do just right-not even what he himl
ns, thought was right, after considering
ho matter over but he tried to do bet
of ond he did, He not only refrail