The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-08-16
COLUMBIA, TENN, FRIDAY, AUGUST le l,

From a towering rage, the old man
descended to argument and explana-
ton. He told how he had been de-
tanned In New York by an unavoidable
accident, and how he had embraced the
first possible opportunity to call for his
II had not worried much,n he said,
because had not thought that any
man could be eonsummately mean and
cOld-bloOdedly heartless and vile az TO
rob me upon such pretext."
At this John waxed wroth, and or
dered the man to leave his Office
| And the old gentleman, evidently
fearing that he would be led to the
commission of some foolish outrage If
he remained longer under the villainOus
influence closed his lips tightly to-
| gether, and went away.
On the afternoon of that very day,
John Gleddin sold the watch to an
agent of Philadelphia house for two
hundred and seventy five dollars.
"Hi yahu' he cried, as George
Austin dropped in during the evening.
PlOd on at your type case, old fellow,
plod onW
What's up. John!"
| "The greatest operation lever made,
1.-TWO hundred and twenty-five dollars
| In pocket at a single turn of the die
interest on fifty dollars for two weeks
What do you think of that ?"
II money were mans chief end,"
said George soberly,-"I If money were
the sole source of happiness should
say you were on the road. But you
| know my sentiments, and we wont
argue the point. And, besides, we
| haven't time. I came to let you know
that Uncle Moses has got home"
Uncle Mosesw cried John clap
ping his hands.
called on me this afternoon. He
wants you and to come and see him
at the fremont this evening""
"Of course we'll go and see him."
said John starting at cnce to put away
his valuables. "The old fellow must
be rich as mud, and you and are bis
only relatives"
"He is certainly rich," responded
George quietly, "and We are his only
near relatives; but / don't think
that. / only remember how I use to
love him in the old days, when my
mother was alive and he used to cheer
and comfort her, and used to play with
me under the great trees"
"And 1 remember" added John,
chow he used to tell me ought to
have my ears boxed because robbed
birds nests, and stole apples and
peaches from the neighbors' gardens.
| But that was along time ago. have
forgiven him for all that. l say George,
if lie should take a fancy to us, we're
in luck, amt we? You won't say any
| thing abOut-about-"
About what? ?" sz
was going to say about my busi-
ness; but never mind. Only those
| who have been behind the scenes know
the crooks and turns"
"You need not fear that shall say
anything to your disadvantage, John.
You'll find Une3e Moses just one of the
jOlliest and kindest hearted men you
ever saw"
And as John had locked his safe,
and finished his toilet, the two cousins
SGT forth.
Uncle Moses Gleddin had been
brother to Johns father a191 to Georges
mother, and for many years he had
been away in Europe engaged In re-
sponsible agencies for American houses;
and it was known that he had amassed
a fortune. He had married in yOLth;
but his wife had died leaving no
children, and he never married again;
so that the expectant nephews were not
without foundation.
At length the young mon reached
the hotel. aud as George had been
there before he led the Way,
"Uncle Moses" he said upon enter
ing the room where genial faced,
smiling, portly, elderly gentleman
arose to receive him, "this is john
Johh, this is Uncle Moses"
John looked, and turned pale as
death.
Uncle Moses looked, and flushed
like scarlet rose.
"How-this-JOhn ?"
"Of course it Is John, sir" said
George, in answer.
"And not Joshua &,trr s'
"O," cried George, thinking that by
some accident Uncle Moses might
have seen Johns face beneath the
pawn brokers' sign, "that is the name
of the man who was in business before
him."
"And," added Uncle Moses severely,
"if mistake not, it is the name under
which he does business for himself"
John Gleddin could not deny it, for
he saw, in his Uncle Moses, the man
from whom he had SO meanly taken
the valuable watch. He tried to say
something, but the words choked him;
and he stood like whipped cur be-
fore his relative. Finally he mustered
up courage to ask the old man to for
give him.
81 may forgive you" answered. Uncle
Moses, "but can not take you into
my confidence just yet. think you
had better go home and sleep upon it.
Let us both sleep upon it. would
rather not talk of it now, the wound is
too fresh"
John Gleddin was no more anxious
to stop than his uncle was to detain
him; and without further words he
took his departure. Once more at the
office he thought of the watch he had
sold, and of the two hundred and
twenty-five dollars profit he had made;
and the conviction was forced upon
him that his great operation was likely
to prove very heavy settler upon his
greater expectation.
And 30 it ultimately proved. Uncle
Moses could not take the dishonest,
unscrupulous nephew to his conf
dence, nor to his love; nor could John
muster the impudence to claim the
tender regards of one whom he had SO
meanly and SO unmitigatedly wrOnged
and abused. The result was that the
true hearted printer ere long left his
type setting to assume the wealth
which Uncle Moses deemed him
worthy and we'll qualified to enjoy.
What the pawn broker may gain in
time we cannot say; but If ever he
gains the confidence he has lost, 1t will
be when he has shown by his works
that he regards truth and honor as Of
more value than sordid profits Of such
operations as have heretofore soiled his
hands.-Ledger.
When the Dark Comes.