The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1868-12-24

! pretty deep excavation, he can tumble the
! hill over, ard crumble it down. What do
! you think of it %
/ | told him that the plan seemed possible
! to me, and proceeded to show him the pow
! der. There was none Of it really course
enough for the purpose; but the gardener
/ said that Mr.. Newell was in great hurry
/ to get the work done before gardening time
came, and this powder might perhaps do.
/ He ordered barrel, aud promised to send
it up during the day. Il happened to be
rather busy day, and I could not take the
time to go home to dinner SO l toCk
/ lunch at the restaurant at twelve. On my
way back to the store | met the draymau,
/ Mike, as he was called, aud remem bering
my promise to send up the powder, 1 stop
! ped him and directed him about it.
Nike" I said. ''caIl at the store and
I get barrel of powder, which you are to
/ take UP to Mr. NewelPs. Deliver it to the
gardener he knows about it. And, by
the way, you may also call at Trains, and
get a barrel Of -four and take it up to my
house"
1 was very busy that day in my Office,
ard it was nearly night before | thought
again Of the powder, when l stepped into
the store and asked the clerk if it had been
taken.
Yes" he said, "llike called for it and
took it. I have beeE sorry since, though,
that let him have it,"
why SO 2"
because I seen he had been drinking
But ne handled it well enough, and drove
off in the right direction, So L guess it will
I be all right"
took no alarm about it; for. although
I knew that the draymsu was in the habit
Of drinkin to some extent, l never had
known him to get into such condition that
he could not attend to his business. after
an hour longer in the Office, l was preparing
te go home for the evening. when a loud .
I harsh voice in the store caught my ear, ard
coming out. l fonud Mr.. Newell himself
sound!y berating one of the clerks.
whats the matter, sir ?' | asked, as
came forward.
Matter enough the irascible man an
swerd, turning his anger upon NE. Il i
have you know, sir. that if NY patronage is
worth anything at all to you, you'd letter
not, in future, make it the subject of your
practica! .kes. l can't and wont be trfed
with :"
BY this time / was beginning 10 be lit
tie i:ritated myself.
81. Mr.. Newell will explain himself,'
sad, eve will try to rectify anything that
we may have done amiss. For nay part, l
don't understand what offence has been
given"
Isn't this Cux's hardware store -
Newell inquired, somewhat Modified by my
coolness.
Yes sir"
Are not yon Mr Cox Z"
Il am"
Didn't my gardiner come here for a bar
rel of blasting Eowder !'
''tie did. sir ; and"
Yes burst in Newell with fresh irrita-
7 - ! .rt a.
cally clerks send up a barrel Of -four to an
swer the order? Hey %
mo SIR" l answered, beginning to get
little light. Here is AIr. Fagg. who de-
livered the drayman good, honest barrel
of Al blastug-pOwder. Did you Flags -
The clerk gave a ready affirmative. Mr..
Cox unused moment. and then said, with
q greatly mocdrate tone:
well, here are the facts. I wanted the
powder very much, and got impatient for it,
l went down to the gate and waited, and
was there when the drayman came. He
rolled the barrel off the dray carelessly, and
said with drunken leer, Here's your pow
der, sir, and blast you and it toOi' | over
looked his impuGence, seeing that he was
intoxicated, aud called to him to stop, as
| saw by the appearance of the barrel and
the brand on the head that there was some
thing wrong but he never paid any heed
to me. aud drove away. To make sure,
had the barrel unheaded, and found it full
Of -four, as | supposed l should. Now how
DO you explain it %
Easily enough" | answered. And
think l must have turned pale as my
thonghts ran far ahead of my speech. and
. dweit lealfuiiy on the consequences that
might flow from tho drayunan's drunken
mistake. The man had orders to take
barrel Of -four to my own house at the same
time ne received the order to take the pow
der to yours. He has given you what was
meant for me, and me what was intended
for you. The mistake shall be recti6ed at
| once.'
Mr. Newell withdrew, satisfied with my
explanation and hardly waiting for him to
leave the store, darted cut of 1t and ran
I hatless and without umbrella or overshOes
through the rain that had begun to fall,
/ turning neither to the right nor left, and up
setting more than one person IN my head
long course. My heart knocked against my
side so loudly that it was audible every
step Of the way, and | never slackene3 my
pace until had reached the door Of my
house though tired and breathless. With
the words of Mr.. Newell there had flashed
uren me a frightful fear Of the conseq
t. my own household of the drayman's
bluuder. l remembered that my wife had
told me several days before that we were
almost out of flour, and that | had forgot
ten for several days to get it, and that up
on this day she had told me that there was
Just bread enough to last till night, and that
to-morrow's baking must be prepared be-
fore we slept. While heard Mr.. Newelrs
words, it occurred TO me that the drayman
had delivered the barrel with its dangerous
contents at my house after lamplight. and
that my wife and the domestic. not per-
/ tl,o lra
of what the barrel contained, migbt-nay,
probably would-open it by the lamp or
candle! And as l danced frantically along
the street, the thought of the dreadful peril
of my darling Lucia and my boy almost
maddenei me- and lent wings to my speed.
The distance from the store to TIE house
was not less than a mile; don't believe
was more than FIVE minutes in making it.
AS approached the house l saw that the