The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-10-24
THE STORY-TELLER,
SAUL KETCHUM'S BEOUEST.

A feverish excitement was experienced
by the young men of our town upon the
announcement that Miss Effie Ketchum,
an heiress, was to visit her friend Miss
Knowell.
Barrenville contained no heiress to
any considerable wealth, and, as we had
never seen a real live woman with lots
of money at her command within its
borders, it was not surprising that stir
should be visible among the beaux who
were candidates for the matrimonial
halter.
Upon inquiry it proved difficult
matter to ascertain who circulated the
report of Miss Ketchum's wealth, for
Miss Knowell emphatically declared she
had not impaired the information to
any one; but at the same time she ad-
mitted that her friend Effie had assur-
edly inherited the possessions of an old
uncle who had died childless in Missou-
ri. The amount she had received she
knew not, but report said that Miss
Ketchum dressed expensively, and it was
presumed she could not do so unless she
had means to back it.
1t was, therefore, agreed that Miss
Ketchum was wealthy, and that Mary
Knowell was possessed of more informa-
ton on the point than she was willing
to admit, for she did not intend her
friend to be sacrificed to the fortune
hunting young men who would buzz
about her like bees around sweet
flower.
Such studying of attitudes in mirrors,
arranging cravats and practising steps
was never before seen in Barrenville
The conversation necessarily ran on Miss
Ketchum until the subject was talked
threadbare.
At length she came, and the anxiety
for an early introduction was painful
The hearts of the young men of Barren
vile throbbed and burned, and their
heads grew dizzy calculating interest on
large sums of money.
Jack Starbuck and Zenas Mahan were
the two best-to-do young men in the
town. They both pursued the calling
of lumber merchants, having saw-mills
on the opposite sides of the river. There
had always been an emulation between
them, and their desire was to distance
each other not only in business but in
affairs of the heart also.
Jack Starbuck was never known to
set his affections upon any particular
girl, that Mahan did not appear upon
the scene and ultimately spoil Jacks
pleasant schemes, whatever they may
have been, for Zenas Mahan was a
splendid-looking fellow, and, in point of
personal appearance, Starbuck was not
his equal.
But Mahan never evinced desire to
marry, SO it Jared badly with the girl
who was ready to transfer her affections
from his rival to himself, and no one
pitied the dupe after the little game had
been played to an end.
Now, when Miss Ketchum arrived in
Barrenville, it was generally conceded
that either Jack or Zenas would win
her. for her wealth forbade the sup
position that the latter would scorn the
alliance, despite his well-known pro-
pensity of deserting those whom he had
won.
But before proceeding further let us
take look into the interior of Missouri.
At the time we write of there was
lawless set of men who inhabited some
of the inland towns. 1t required a stout
heart for immigrants to settle in certain
localities, but they nevertheless were not
wanting.
Among the few who took up their
abode in Q. was Saul Ketchum, from
the State of North Carolina. There
was much to be said about him. He had
very little money, but was possessed of
most passionate temper. 1t was not
long after his arrival in his new home
that he gave such evidence of his Prov
ess and readiness to do mischief that the
neighborhood stood in awe of him, and
few ventured to oppose his known wish
es. This man, though lazy by nature,
had the good luck or good fortune, or
whatever you may call it, to make money
out of every thing in which he engaged.
He had no children; his wife was the
only inmate of his house, and she, poor
sickly thing, came to Missouri shaking
with fever and ague, and only lived a
year after her arrival. Her death pro-
duced no further effect upon her hus-
band than to make him empty the whis-
key jug more often than he hitherto had
done, and to growl more savagely when
things We're wrong with him.
He left behind in North Carolina two
brothers named Timothy and Mark.
Both had daughter born to them
about the same time, and unconsciously