Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1873-03-25

llourisblns business IN the manufacture
oi facts
He h, ped facts upon facts on the
head oil ,nc president until he smothersd
that gen, icman in facts; he piled bales ol
facts byf,rJ tue directors until they could
not sec over the pile he threw facts in tho
eyes oi ,hc stockholders until they were
stone blind; he gave banks and creditors
security ol facts. and his friends quaffed
ncpenlhc ot lacts in the social glass
Days when croqueting was dull the
books were fixed Book keeping,
once science, designed to show the re'
ruuiary standing of individuals and COM
pauics, now became al easy and econ
omical method OF "fEing" things Now
and then dividend was declared. and
the stream that turned the mill giuered
IN the sun like the river Pactolus. Uncle
'Liphalct put greenbacks into the con-
lriJution. box and thanked the Lord daily
that lie was giving him increase OF sub
stance.
Then there began to be haze in the
Air through which had gltlered the river
P1ctous. Swinton said il was smoke
from the Boston fire; il grew denser aud
denscr
Smoke from Ihat-Bo.ton fire winds
blow it this way yet" said Swinlon. be.
tween the pulls of his cigar. But smoke
has au unpleasant effect on mems eyes
and meeting alter meeting was held TO
devise measures to get rid OF it. Uncle
'Liphalel, at these meetings, sat silent
aud trembling. listening TO talk that he
conld no more understand than the chat.
tyl in. OF Choclaws, and was shown
statements that he could no more COM
prchend than the inscriptions on Pom
pcys pillar. The Man OF Facts louugcd
in un attitude OF such elegance us men
are wont to assume when by themselves,
and agreed with every body, assured
everybody. was for putting this thing
through and offered his lacts for this
halter purpose with astounding liberality.
Alack The Swintou cigar smoke, though
It rose gracefully, and cured around the
heads OF the stockholders. naturally
mingled with the smoke OF the Boston
fire. and mems visions became more and
more obscured
All ut once Swinton WAS Of to Europe
Tor purposes of self. culture, perhaps
the man needed it. Then were his lay
ers OF facts, his dividends in paper. and
his dividends in money pushed aside o,
We gods, what sight met the gaze oi
men. then! Now the smoke rolled up
IN volumes from all quarters; darkness
that might be felt set in, and men CROPPED
for each Others hands. No more did the
Pactolus glstcn and glitter and simmer
before their eyes. bat in their ears roarcd
swollen. turbid stream. ioaming. toss
ing great cakes OF ice up and down, and
threatening TO bear them all away. grind
them up. and carry them out to open
ocean
Some OF tho men there could talk. and
though one have letters on his feet, ictIers
on his hands, and brick, ON his head, il
h can talk his condition is not unbearA.
bic. But Uncle 'Liphaict couldn't talk /;
so he picked his way down the icy steps,
groped his way home through the snow
storm aud ratlled the back door rs a siS
nal to Aunt Dolly 10 lo. him in.
"Are you frozen. Liphalel?' ?' asked
Aunt Dolly in terror, as the candle light
struck the white face.
Uncle Liphale, staggered in, and sink
ing on the lounge covered his lace with
his wrinkIed hands
80, Dolly"
"You needn't tell me, Liphalet,
know lis. I've lolt twas coming. But
o, 'Liphalci, we've holped each other
through hard times these fifty years and
we've got each other. yet"
Unclo Liph. only groaned.
Maybe the larm'll last US through /;
we're almost worn ont, and it wont be
long that we'll be waiting. With the
farm and each other"
90, Dolly, Dolly. you don't know the
worst, and | can't tell you. | never can
tell you, never" Uncle 'Liph. stagger.
ed pant way across the room, then turned
suddenly.
They're going to take it all, Dolly
everything strip us clean, clean as we
were when we began fifty years ago
house and farm aud cows,-everything.
There's been great carelessness as well
as great wrong from the very beginning,
and now they're coming. The law'll let
'em, and is got to go,-the back paslur,
and the wood lot, and the young orchard
and everything, ng,-even Ru5e's grave,
Dolly. 0 God haven't served Thee
these fifty years; why shouldst Thou cast
me off now?"
The gray, scraggy face with the gray
straggly hair around ii, was turned
toward the ceiling, Aunt Dolly went out
into the night,
1t was stormy, and cold, and bitter.
The sleet cut against her cheek, the wind
raved in her hail and the snow drilted at
her feet, but Aunt Dolly didn't mind it.
She only wanted air and to think. She
leaned up against the weather browne d
clapboards. Was it really going, going,
going, all going? She couldn't think,