Rapides gazette. (Alexandria, La.) 1869-187?, 1873-03-29
WHAT CAME OF 1T.

"Then you think you wouldn't do it,
DollyP" said Uncle 'Liphalet, pulling out
the stove-hearth and pokiDg at the Goals.
'sNo, 1 wouldn't 'Liphalet," replied
Aunt Dolly, resting her shining knitting
needles, while she stirred the pumpkin
simmering in the pot. "The farms paid
for now, and If we're savin' we've enough
ourselves VII seekin' arter richesp'
"'Tain't riches I'd be seekin' arter,
Dolly, but this Mr.. Swinton-they call
him very smart young man, Dolly-he
says If the mill amt rebuilt the village'll
go back'ards, the farm II sink in vally, and
things'n ginerally run down. You know,
Dolly, never hid back when could do
anything to help along"
81 ain't likely to forget, 'Liphalet,
where the calf and butter money went in
time o. war, nor how you've given to
church and missions, schools and poor
folks, and everything else anybOdy'd a
mind to draw up paper for. You and
I've had more disagreements-"
''But this'n be helpin' ourselves as well
as helpin' others, Dolly. This Mr.. SWIM
ton-he's a very pleasant spoken young
man, Dolly-he says he'll guarantee the
stock shall pay for itself in three or five
years. He says he'd rather build here
his native village, and If we'll all take hold,
We've no money to put In, said Aunt
Dolly,-leaning back and fixing her eyes
on the Goals Uncle Liph had raked open,
-"unless we take"
''Unless we take what we'd laid by for
Rube's eddycation," said Uncle 'Liphalet,
softly. >, ,-s..-.
''Since God took Rube's eddycation into
His own hands, 'Liphalet, I've always
wanted that money to lie in the bank un-
til we'd plain call to use it. l can't a
bear to think of its bein' used like other
money"
''Nor l, Dolly, but Rube would wish 1t
doing good, and this Mr.. Swinton, he
says 1t might draw thrible what it does
now. We can maybe use the income in
helpin' boys who love larnin', as Rube
did,"
Dolly replied nothing. After the men,
ton of Rube's name silence was wont to
fall between the old couple, an old couple
outwardly as crooked, as gnarled, and
scraggly as any two old apple-trees that
drew 1sustenance from their rocky fields.
This Mr.. Swinton-he came out to the
farm the next day, and Aunt Dolly put on
her black alpaca apron and received him
with courtesy. A man of less shallow
sympathies would have been touched with
a kind Of pitying tenderness for the obse-
quious old woman, but to Swinton her
difference was constitutionally agreeable.
1t argued well. too, for his designs. He
drew his gloved finger athwart his foxy
colored mustache, and talked business.
Heaven help the simple-minded old
couple nowi What is ''business' to them
but kind of mysterious wonderland full
Of pyramids and sphinxes and statues of
Memnon? What businessman but a
priestly sorcerer, with his offerings and
incantations, living ever among the mys-
teries? "
But Heaven didn't help them. Some
times 1t does seem to fail people in their
sorest needs: and yet, things work OBJ
scurelya and very far around. and who as
yet has seen the end of anything?
Aunt Dolly in her wood rocker, knit
silently on the socks that would bring
her 20 cents pair. Uncle 'Liphalet drank
In the mans words with child-like credu-
lily. -
, Let me tell you, sir, manufacturing
enterprises are the life of our villages.
Compare" Mr.. Swinton drew his COM
PARSONS fluently and correctly. "Were
we 10 locate elsewhere stock would be
singular and unfortunate fires-loss of
Gonndence in the location-I am strongly
aesiroIs of conferring the advantages Of
Ine mlll On my native village; citizens
must subscribe"
As for the risk-how can there be any
rlsk! Let me explains Mr.. Swinton
was man OF facts, and his explanations
consisted Of facts, unimpeaehable, immov-
aole iacts that there was no going back of
or around. THAT doesn't admit Of a oues-
dsmol. 5lonml know Il to be true-why, we've
demonstrated 1t, sir. Do you see?''
Uncle 'Liphalet thought he saw. Who
could Ss avoid seeing square, sharply-de-
met TACT, that was nowhere allowed to
to; melt away into suppositions or uncer-
- n hain't but leetle money, any way"
sa,u Uncle 'Liphalet, pushing back his
hg htDagh gray locks with his rough, trem-
ping fingers. "Mother an me saved up
enough, leetle by leetle, to educate Rube
% mmn out he-Rube-died, you know,
and the money has lain in the bank"