Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1865-01-07
s.A1CS lyALl.'s DIRE. AM,

Late !n the evening OF the 3lst Of De-
ccn.oer, Simon GaInali sat posting hi.
b.o>s nrd trying to square his accounts
really for New Year, Dut, for me r"a
sou or other, be could No, make the &c.
counts batanve. There was an uutor,u.
maze wrong figure somewhere or other
which he could no, find out, that spoiled
the whole Of the reckoning. 1t was mot
till twelve O'Clock that he went to bed
wearied with meulal exer,ons and per.
p!exi'y. lie slept. but only TO go over
again. in his dresms, the perpiexing col
nmns Of figures which had been vexing
him the evening previous. But, ia bis
sleep, they seemed still more peipIexing
than while he Nas awake. At length, as
he happened 70 Look up from hi, work (l,e
sea med 10 be sitting ia his own counting
rottn, with he same tailov candle b-fpre
he saw tho door open, and man enter,
Of lair and young aspect, With sn i'm.
.nsn>e folio book unGrg his arm, bound
hike an account book.
Wall: in and be seated said he, alb
sent miniedly.
&C ,od evening" sal! the stranger, Il
see you are i'll trouble can help you p
Yes sand Simon, that is, if you un
dt rs and accounts and fiyures.'
L understand them after my way,'
said he.
"Well," said Simon, I wish you wou'd
hel ME look over mine Il little; for can
do nothing at ell with them"
let me see, SAID the stranger
l.. IL l.
his arm, he laid it doHn on the table vide
open. and then sat 4owa beside Simon,
who had his o*n books open before him.
Now,' SAID he, "show me your ac.
counts. What is the difficulty with them 2
Il cannot make the sides balance"
said Simon. II have added the colnnns
eleven tunes over, and every time hey are
more and more out Of the way'
lie; me see, said the stranger again,
looking rapidly over the list Of i.'ms on
each page Of the open book. What is
this? A COW sod to Widow Higgins for
twenty seven dollars. What was that COW
really worth, Simon?
Well, said SIMON, perhaps did
get too good bargain out Of the widow
but the COW was worth eighteen dollars at
any rate
"llere again Two cords of wood to
Timothy pepreriy for eleven dollars aud
lif'y cents How many three feet and IA
sticks were there in these two loads, s..
mon ? and how much half rotten wood,
when it was warranted all sound 2"
What do you say roarsd Simon.
"Do You mean 30 accuse me OF cheating?'
WAS only asking quest0ns,' said The
stranger. Il leave j. to your conscience
to accuse YOU
But what has all this 10 do with the
footing Of the cylumns r added Simon
angrily.
"A great deal, according to my way of
reckoning said the stranger, continuing
to look Simon full in the face r.a.. s-~
And then that mortgage Of Deacon
Peter Jefferson that you took up. Don't
you remember" continued the calm visi
tor, "tha, there had been three hundred
dollars paid on it of which You omitted to
make account, because there was no proof
which could be brought of the payment?
How do you expect to square your books
with such fraud AS that recorded in them r.
How came you TO know that, and what
business is it Of yours ~ asked Simon. not
only angry this time, bat somewhat fright.
ened. "Who are your
at is no concern of mine. indeed; but
it concerns yon very much, said the visl.
tor. Pray, how long do you expec, to
1--we in this world, Sinon?'
II have made no calculations, / must
take it as it comes.
"Well, you cannot live, proably. more
than thirty years longer; for yon are,
believe, little orer farty now. You may