New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-07-21

| anu Ao AAhCHASCs AADJ Wei huOW luC Fd4uC
of money, and sent poor PiIkerton YEARLY
back with hardly sovereign in his pocket.
| He had exhausted all his own money and
the bill as well, and sat down, miserably
enough to wait. His contract had taken
up his whole time; he had even offended
some of his best customers, and he sat in
his almost empty shop, lately so full of
hustle, with his strong, muscular hands
| spread idly before him.
You're dull, father, to-day, said Polly,
| apparently as gay as a lark.
idle men generally are dull"
Law you're not idle; why, you are al
ways at work. All work and no play you
know. Why don't you go and smoke pipe
with old Mr.. Mansell ?"
II shall be thinking of that bili-comes
| due next week" sighed PilkertOn.
''Never mind; I've got all our accounts
out, and if they would only pay up"
"Ah! but my customers are all out of
! town; and that man Moses, never saw
! Macbeth about him"
What funny name-thats the same
name that Ben talks about so beautifully"
| said Polly to herself. "They must pay,
father" she said aloud. "It was a ready
| money job, and at a ready money price"
''Ahp said PilkertOn, Il do wish they
would think so. You see, gentlemen of their
persuasion have not got to do as they would
be done by"
mo; Ben says they do or else they would
be done, whispered Polly. Il don't much
like them. But there are good among them.
Halo here's the pOstman, father, with a
check"
Pilkerton hurried forward, and trembled
as he took a lawyers letter. He STAN
mered, hardly knowing what he said, " l
can't have made mistake with that fresh
bill Of mine; it hasn't come due yet; and
this isn't writ, is it, Polly" Poor old
fellow he was too innocent Of those useful
bits of paper.
Heavens. father what is it,"
He had torn open the letter, and one
glance at it was enough for him.
Messrs. Moses, Macbeth 81 Co. could not
pay him the money; but they did the next
best thing they cOuld-they put his debt in
a schedule.
20 Polly! Polly!o said the poor man, big
drops gathering on his bald head-"bank- |
ruptw
.!'You, father"
Worse; the something Jews shall be
sold up, stock, lock and barrel, frame and |
flap, headstall and crupper!"
Then he sank on his stool, and, taking up |
his leather cutting knife, threw it on the |
floor with such force that it shivered like |
glass, the blade flying out of the door and |
nearly cutting dogs tail off Then the |
good man-and he was goOd-swOre a great
oath that he would never work more.
BE man, father" said Polly, trembling
at his great rage, and yet somehow admir-
ing him.
'Be man ?. said he, yves. and work for
these desperate cheats-these fellows who
take contracts, screw you down to the last
penny, and then, aided by the law, cheat I
you out of that. These men who live in
great houses, upon the fat of the land and
the lives of the poor. Be a mani be a
3lave!. By heaven the fellows who SLOUGH
about and won't work are right, after all.
how many an honest tradesman and his
amily have been brought to misery and
starvation by such as these Many a ten
Ter gal, and many an honest, hard-wOrkinQ |
mother, Polly-thank God! my wife's
,one."
80 father! father! never heard you say
0 before. What wicked men thew are!
lay God forgive them! But, father. are
'ou sure this isn't their misfOrtune?"
Sure. said the father, "when it's the
hlrd time. My mates warned me to look
harp. Old Mansell did; and he knows a
hing or two.
What! when the lawyers have done
1elr worst and had their pickings? No
10 you suppose, Polly, as those gentlemen
York for their own families or their cred {
.ors! Why, they are as glad when there is =
bankruptcy as an undertaken is when q
here's funeral coming off" Z
How bad the world must be, father" !
We'll 1t IS not good One-just now.
bout halt crown in the pound is all that
i'll come to me-
"Just the eighth part"
Little better than the 1.-THE of mint and y
said the saddIer bitterly. L
And will that aid you! When does the
i'll come due ?"
In week; the bankruptcy may be set ?
ed in six months"
Why don't you 90 through the court. Z
70, father p said Polly, with a sudden in h
,iratiOn. !,
"What II" said the old man pInam
humOr sparkling in his eve-'twbat. I 4
oily No; I'd rather 90 and rot in prison, e,
Id be aJourneyman again and make sad.
es. My right hand hasn't forgot its cun y
ng. Let the worst come to the worst, III al
m a crust for my gal" NJ
80 father dear old father! cried Polly. 81
ONE into the back shop and let me kiss oil
ID; your re all a man, father, and you al
avs were" 50
These good people, although so shaken to ST
cir bases that they were quite subdued, til
q spoke almost in a whisper, were not w
thOut secret sustenance of hone. Polly te
united up all the silver spoons, ran in and
I her little glass case, and added I'D the To-
is again to try and make them pound
SO more, in case she had made mistake he
aInst themselves. She sought Mr.. Reach s+i
'ker and asked him what was to be done mt
en- bill became due, upon which he s+,
q, Meet 1t ike British tradesman," on
BUT what If you can't, Mr.. Keach?" nj,
ell, then, you may, perhaps" he was tea
ng to explain about renewal, but Mr.. ~"
ach had small opinion of a wOman's
lWIedge OF business, and was silent for III.
me: then he said: THAT bills dishon- Lr,
d; for, of course, ones friends have been his
,lied to-" ~;
oily bIushed and remained silent; she TX TX
II upon her lips to ask some help of VII
ach, but her heart failed her. As for inc
bankers clerk, he knew all about the his
ure of NJ. NJ. g. Co., and knew verv VII
that his fathers old friend and dis do
e was put in great straits thereby, He r
I'd Polly after his fashion; was Jealous of mai
ng ManseIl; but, having his own little 6nC
lie to play, would not hold forth his his
er. sii1
e, however, took care to warn the di- not
against lending money A
on are too generous father" returned and
son, with a slightly perceptibIe sneer. VIII
lily lost on the preacher 1T is not to cup
expected that man who subscribed a pro
ca to your testimonial should borrow diss
iTed' You may have such an applica- poe
y my word, said DR.. Stoker, dav or bill
afterward, "keach, you are prophet" into
leach also among the prophets" said taxi
lister. shoI
ather means profits. Ihave put all his thoi
~ IN the Greeks, and they are moving put
You have not penny to play with" read
gu guess what | was about to say, said men
d. cold Pilkerton came to me, and dete
ed to borrow money" StoB
Ike his impudence," said Reach. old
at next, SIR" be.
ly StOker turned pale She was about. furn
Oily instance, to prefer the same re- 81