The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1866-06-15
Volume l3-Number 5

for the satisfaction OF saving mn
few more coins Of gold and silver.
which at the best, he must soon part
with. But great is the folly and in.
consistency OF avarice. When it has
become passion IL occupies the
whole mind and soul to the uxclu.
sion of everything else. ...
- however slightly indisposed, Job
ilympton always feared that death
was at hand. Death seemed d.
more terrible TO him because l,e ,n,,s, &
leave his gold behind him. The ovly
thing he had cared Tor in life mus,
be taken away from him with lie,
Alter some deliberation John
llympton decided to take advantage
OF his uncle's superstitious fears, not
altogether willingly, but without hes.
ilatlon, because he knew that there
was no other way OF Fighting his
sister and himself. We will sec how
he succeeded.
Late one night Job Plympton lay
tossing about on his hard pallet. He
was unable TO sleep, for it so happen.
ed that he had been thinking that
very evening of the wrong he had
done to the children of his dead
brother and was vaguely alarmed
lest in some way retri5ution should
come upon him. This uLeasiness OF
mind was probably increased by his
bodily weakness, for he had been un.
willing to incu: the expense of suita
ble food. lie had long hesitated
whether to order the purchase of q
chicken, which had been recommend
as suitable for one in his state, but
finally decided against, because poul
try were rather high at that time.
When his restlessness was at its
/ height, he was suddenly startled by a
sound outside the door. IL was not
time for Bridget to visit him, and his
lret thought was that 1t might be
thieves. -........
The door slowly opened, the old
man eyes being fastened upon il
with glance Oi' terror, which was
lgreatly heightened when q tall figure.
completely robed in white, entered
The room and slowly advanced TO his
bedside.
job Piympton covered and shrunk
back, his hair rising on end at his
fright. -..'.
with difficulty lie succeeded In
gasping out, Nv Who--are--you?'
| The figure passed to the center OF
The room, and in hollow voice, an.
swered, Don't you know me, Job?'
NO. stammered the sick man, his
teeth cbatlcring as il in ague Iii.
Yet you knew me well when | was
IN lie, iyprocs eded our ghost
"Are-you--a--spirIli' in fresh
accent ol terror.
| The hgurc IN white nodded slowly
and cmphatically.
"N hat--do---you-wa me?"
inquired job IN quivering accents.
"Nou do not ask me who / amp
demanded tie figure. ...
"Excusc mel didn't think. Who
are you?' -
IL am the spirit OF your brother" {"
Here job llympton teeth began
TO chatter anew. ....
81 am the spirit OF your wronged
and deceived brother. When | died
lett the sum of six thousand dollars
10 my children, John and Emma
Is this not truet' ..'.. -,..
"Ye-es."
"And what have you done with the
money! demanded the spirit sternly.
"l--lorglve mel kept it.
"And never let them know Of the
provisions which had lett for them"
"Ies. 1t is all true"
"And why did you do this?'
"Because IL thought it would be
better for them not to know. They
mlStt have sqnandercd it, you know.
1t might have prevented their work
ing, and being industrious---I always
meant to give it to them when |
died"
"llow do you know that your soul
nay not be demanded OF you this
nighl?'
20, no, no." exclaimed the old man
almost with u scream, ''not to night.
am not ready--I am not prepared
to 60"
"fou say right--you are not fit to
die with this wrong on yo1r SOUL
But men are sometimes called when
they are unpreparcd." 90
"l-will repair tue wrong" 4
"Will you give back the money!"
"Yes. 1t Shall be done TO NOR
row" @ L
Tomorrow Is TO late 1t must
be done to night" lei-4 ...f
"But my nephew is not here How
can l do it might" ..........
"Sign this paper"
"I--have no ink" ''A | ."
"lIere it is" ...t sH
job glanced nervously over the
lpnper, which read MS follows:
81 hereby transfer TO my nephew,
John Plympton, and his sister Ernma,
sixty shares in the B. Bank, being
the amount OF property left me in
trust for them, By their late father,
my brother"
The old man affixed his signature
To this document nnwillingly enough,
and with many groan. yet even at
that moment thinking there was no
witness to his sign ture when Squire
Dunbar, the village lawyer, aud his
son, noiselessly entered the room.
"Just in time, Squire Dunbar, TO
witness my uncle's signature, said
tha ohnat I'm Inc natural vninn an fIft |