The Van Buren press., 1871-08-22

weakness and believe God will help me
this time.
"God grant it may be so, Daniel. Get
in and take seat Thee must be hungry;
go home with me.
On the way the Quaker drew out OF
him all that has been written; and be ad-
vised him to go to California, He told
him to go to New York and work his
passage round the Cape. He determined
to do so. The Quaker furnished him
with suitable apparel.
"Thee wants to see thy wife and chill
dien before thee goes I"
"Yes, friend Edgerton, do, but they
have become estranged from me. III 1
went perhaps they would not believe
what say. 1t is better that should
not see them, indeed it is bettor that they
should not know where am. want to
surprise them, as hope to do by com
inc back a sober man and money enough
to make them comfortable. prefer that
YOU and your wife should be the only
persons in the place who know where !
am and what l am doing"
Thus, while riding towards the quiet
farm-hou Of the Quaker, the whole
thing was arranged. When they reached
the place, the horse was put in the barn,
and they entered the house. He said to
his wife, as they took seats by the fire :;
"Amy, thee may put another plate.
Daniel will stay with us few days, and
then he will go to California.
The benevolent Quaker was confident
that Daniel Akin would keep his resolve.
At length, when everything was in
readiness, the horse was harnesscd and
before daylight Daniel was on his way
to a railway station. He had not been
in the village since the night when the
words, "not drop more, Daniel, were
uttered. He was missed from his GUS
tomary haunts, but it was supposed he
h, d gone of oil spree, and SO nothing
was thought Of his absence. His wite's
f.tler lived in the adjoining town, and
some thought he had gone there
No inquiries were made, for many
were rejoced that he was missing, and
cared not for his return.
He had been gone somewhat more than
a year. when the Quaker was in the store
of Haskins and remarked that he wished
to hire a pasture the coming season.
81 have got one will let you have
free of rent. if you will put up the fences
on the place, said Haskns.
"Where is it 2" said the Quaker
"On the Akin farm.
I" If thee will rent it at that rate, thee
mus have let it get out of repair "
"It is so indeed ] cannot leave the
store to see 70 it, The house is poor,
and the family that lived in it were too
shiftless to buy wood. and burnt up all
the rails. ! bad rather sell it than rent
IT.
"What will thee take for iii
at cost me some sixteen hundred dol
lara -
Yes but thee paid in goods and
charged thy own price on them"
"To be sure | did. Aiken could not
get trusted anywhere else, and | felt that
! was running great risk in letting him
have goods. charged him accordingly,
just as anybody else would under the cir.
cumstances
"Thee has not told me what thee
would take for the place, | will give thee
eight hundred dollars for it, If that is any
object to thee"
Haskins thought long enough to con
cude that the interest Of eight hundred
dollars was far better for him than the
farm, for the use Of which he realized
scarcely anything, and said, "fou can
have it, "
IA 'Thec can make ont deed to NOR.
row, aud thee shall have thy money BY
the way, does thee know what has be.
come Of Daniel Akin p
mo. He has not been in the village
for more than year. AT any rate have
not seen him.. "
We may tell the reader what Ilaskins
did not know. The Quaker had that day
received letter from Daniel Akin, stat
ing that he was at the mines hard at work,
and was sticking to his motto, " Not n
drop more, Daniel, and that he had laid
up a few hundred dollars, and desiring
him to inquire what the place he once
owned could be bought for. Mr.. Edger.
ton had taken the method above mention
ed to find out IIaskin's views. So conf
dent was he that Daniel would come home
sober man, with money in his pocket
that he vantured to purchase it, for the
purpose of keeping it for him.
He wrote to Akin what he had done
and about three months afterwards re
ceived letter stating that by express he
had sent five hundred dollars in gold to
a banker in New York. with orders to
sell it and remit proceeds to him, to 60
towards the farm. Gold commanded a
large premium, the five hundred become
more than eight hundred before it reach
ed Mr. Edgsrton's hands Akin request
ed him to draw new deed giving the
whole property to his wife Mary, and
have it duly recorded and left with the
Register Of deeds.
In his letter he said. I" If percbance
should ever break my resolution, ! have
secured home for my wife and children.
prefer however, they should not know
anything Of this for the present. II ]
live to come home, will give Mary the
deed with my own hands if not, you can
do it. Now that the farm is boughtyou
had better stock it, for still stick to my
motto, " Not another drop, Daniel. "
Another year passed BY this time
the Quaker had stocked the farm with
young cattle and sheep. The fences were
put in repair, and everything but the