Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1872-11-22
BEN PILLEY.
The Ran Out OF His Place.

Coming home late one evening,
met DR.. Saul at the door, radiant
"I'vc done a good stroke of WORK
this week, Lathrop. Found situa
ton for Ben Pulley"
''1n town."
eyes. Why not?'
"What sane human being would
ever tcthcr Ben Pilley in a town?"
The doctors countenance fell
but he recovered himself.
"You're hungry. Tom, and cross
Supper's waiting. Now''-atter he
had seated himself and untolded his
napkin-"it was the merest chance
of luck! ] heard Of clerkship
vacant in the Pennsylvania Central
Railroad office; remembered that
the Pilleys were hard up"---
Gas usual"
Gas usual-and nailed the place
for Ben.''
"You don't mean to say you
would put Pilley in a railroad
ofice?"
sit is Pegasus in cart-harness.
sure enough" said my wife, scorn
fully. 'In his own profession, my
cousin Benjamin ranks as one of the
first astronomers in the country
Among the young men of.coursc."
"Certainly, certainly" said the
doctor, deprecatingly. "'rhe posi-
tion is, / know, a miserable make
shift for man of Mr.. Pilley's learn.
ing. But it was a case of-well,
bread and butter, madam, to state
the thing plainly. The Pilleys,
since Ben lost his school, really
have been in that condition that
finishing the sentence by 4 solemn
draught Of coffee and shake of the
head.
"The question is, not the fitness
of the office to Ben, but Ben's fitness
for the office,' I said. "Railroad
work demands, as | understand it,
above all other things, promptitude
and accuracy"
sBenjamin will probable fulfill
any obligation into which he may
enter," said my wife coldly. "My
family usually do"
| Now, the Pillcys hang on the very
outcrmost branches Of Melicent's
family tree. But the doctor and l
made no reply. We knew what it
was to touch root or twig Of that
sacred growth.
81 only hope he may not lose the
chance" said Saul anxiously. "lle
was due here two days ago"
"Ben is dilatory, confess" said
Mel, with an awkward laugh and
glance at me. "But when he sees
the necessity of punctuality in busi-
ness matters he will acquire it. Any
body can do that"
81 thought you liked Pilley,
Lathrop?" said the doctor, uneasily.
Liking is hardly the word. My
feeling for Ben has far-oti' resem-
blance to that which ! had for Nell
cent l.ere in our old days Of court
ship. l learned to know him toler-
ably we'll when we went out fishing
together during last summer. |
never knew sweeter moral nature.
| never received from any man so
many glimpses of noble thought OF
high intuition. His wife is admira-
by suited to him, too. She is a
eicam of sunshine for any shady
place"
81 really never saw all that in
Ben," said my wife, turning against
herself for some inscrutable reason
"He's clever enough, grant you
There's tradition in the family
though, that he was born day toe
late, and has never caught up with
the lost &mc. He even put off tax.
ing all childish diseases until he
was grown. Why, last fall tho
absurd creature had the thrush
the thrush! And as for his wife
of all the incapable, indolent-I car
bear everything about that woman
DR.. Saul, but her folded hands and
good humor, but that drives Inc
frantic. Sunshine!'
"Yon'll have them in Pontefract'>
Woods as neighbors. took No
800 for them,' said Saul. "You car
look upon the whole family rs mis-
sionary ground, and go to work il
it. Pilley will bring them up in :
week or t"o 0, | suppose.
"At least I'll attend to having tho
house set in order for them" The
doorbell rang at that moment ant
her face changed. "Therc they
are! That is Susan Pil!ey's gurgle
of a laugh if she's alive, and the
: children as usual all talking Al
once!"
We rose in confusion and follow
ed her. Now Mel.'s heart would
warm to Thug if he came as :
guest. J was not at all surprised
when | reached the hall to find he1
with swarm Of young Pilleys
clinging AROUND her, while She
laughed and kissed and huggcd
their mother with the sinceres,
affection. $3.50 good in you to sur
prise us in this way, Susy! specu
lation meanwhile in her eye as te
where in this box Of a house they
were to sleep.
ut was Ben's doing. The doc
tor tclcgraphed for him to come "
last Tuesday, but he said no. HI
would bring the whole family ano
show you all that he could act will
decision and promptly-for once ,
with the usual running accompani
mcnt of 4 laugh.
"But where is Benz"
"Oh! he lost one of the checks fol
the largest trunk, believe, and
those stupid baggage-people would
make a difficulty. So he sent IL:
before him. Here he comes," as
Ben, tall and thin as ever, and will
the usual appearance of having JUS
been blown by a violent wind into
an excited good-humor, came in.
"God bless you, boys!" seizine
the old Doctors hand and mine.
melted at the first touch. Ther'