The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1869-06-09

everybody who has anything TO gam
by it, with you, sir, and Doctor
| Webb for witness and then there
can't be any dispute afterwards"
| BY the time we had reached the
door of John Dynond's cottage, the
tsky had grown very dark, and large
i heavy drops, the fcrerunners of del
uge about to follow, had begun to pat
ter down. 1 was not sorry, therefore
that / had listened to Davids advice,
and brought my umbrella. q s,il. .
| CHAPTER 1.-THE THENDER-CLAP.
1t was a touching sight to see the
worthy old day-laborer, worn out with
the weight of years and excess of toll
as he lay on his humble bed, tranquil
ly awaiting the summons which would
call him to another and happier world
| There was nothing terrible or tragical
about such death-bed, for the old
man was willing and ready to depart;
but there was something pathetic in the
thought that after half a century of
patient, untiring toll, after a life of
perpetual endurance and selfdenial.
such man should have SO little to
leave behind him. His worldly goods
consisted. for the most part of the hum
bic, yet highly cherished hefrf oonis
which had been handed down to him
by his forefathers, and it was to make
an equitable division of these between
his two sons that he had especially de-
sired my presence at this solemn hour
At the foot of the bed, close by the
table, on which were placed various
articles ofiood and medicine, sat Reu-
ben Dymond and his WIFE 1 men
ton the exact position severally occu-
pied by the various persons present, for
a reason which will appear hereafter.
perhaps, David" said, ''it will
save time-and time in the present
case may be especially precious I
ask you what sort of property your
father has to leave"
"Oh, nothing, sir, that gentIefolks
would think it worth while to make
any stir about. The filrniture's the
principal thing, and some of that, such
as the chest of drawers and the clock,
l value chiefly because they've been
in the Dymond family time out of
mind. Reuben and his wife only think
of the price they'll fetch. And there's
a shelf of books, though mostly all re
ligious books"
"I'm afraid" said I, smiling, ''that
poor Reuben won't dispute with you
about the books
''No, sir, don't think he will. He's
a better scholar than am, but fathers
books aren't much to his fancy"
Reuben was fully twenty years old
er than his half brother, a man of
powerful muscular-frame, with a set of
features originally good, but now rem
dered coarse and heavy by habits of
dissipation. His wife, who was much
younger than himself, was rather a
well looking young woman, but with
an appearance of tawdry finery about
her which did not attract me.
After a brief interval of religious
conversation, the sick man feebly press
ed my hand, and spoke thus
s'And now, sir, about parting my
bit of things between my two boys"
AT these words Reuben and his rife,
who had heretofore appeared totally
uninterested, looked up with some fit
tie animation. l.1t. i-ia 1'''e-fT IT,
"Reuben and David p continued the
old man, rs he endeavored to raise his
head from the pillow, "you're the on
ly children [ have left to me, and I |
want you TO share and share alike"
''fhat's scarcely fair, father, is it ?"
observed Reuben, with sort of laugh.
"Y You've knowed me a score of years
longer than you've knowed David. =
Besides, he's single man, earning
good wages, while I've got Martha and
five young uns to keep.
''He speaks truth, murmured John
Dymond. "Say, Reuben, what will
content We ?''
81 shan't be hard to please,o an
swered the elder son. ''Give me the
pick of the furniture. the pots and pans,
and the" i-@ '.
"Why, you wanteverything p ex-
cluimed David angrily.
~ge" And I've a right to everything,
whipper snapper. Amt 1 the first
born by twenty years %
Hush, my friends" said I inter
fering; edo not grieve your fathers
last moments by quarreling." -"
81 have good cause to be angry"
cried David. 'tHe says 1 am single
man, and so ], am but who has kept
John Dymond from the workhouse
since the palsy struck him ?'' Not mis-
eldest son, but his youngest. Who
has fed and clothed those five children
while their parents were idling at thel
fairs and horse races? Not their faith
er, but their fathers ,l1alfbrother.n
aot' Boys, boys,p said the old man Inn !