The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-04-11
The QuickIedge Partners.
BY II. g. BERTON.

BY II. e. BERTON.
II was certainly a very odd partnership
DcaCOns, scholars, men of the world and row
dies may be found IN many climes; but it i,
not so easy TO find a deacon, Il scholar, man
OF the world and a rOwdy associated as part
nCrs; still harder it is to find such quartz
living peaceably together in one small house
and eating their meals from the same table
Deacon Purkiss, Prof Bagg, Mai. Wyndc and
Joe Backscy were the sole, joint and equal
owners Of the Quickedgc Claim, and resided
together in a small hut as amicably
be the amenities enforced by lucre!-as If
they had been lifelong acquaintance.
The Deacon was man of means; the Pro.
lessor was a metallurgist; the Major was an
excellent manager and general business man
while joe, who originally discovered the "in-
dications" at Quicklcdge and disclosed them
10 his partners, received one-tourth of the
profits OF the concern for services already
rendered.
The Deacon was extremely religious, as
rightly became Il Deacon; the Professor was
Il church member in good standing; the Ma
jor was man of high moral tone; but Joe
was neither moral, religious, nor a church
member. He was good.natured, generous,
honorable, brave healthy and handsome; but
his ideas proprlcty were utterly at variance
WIFI llDSG DDAScSStu ny MS llC
agreed perfectly with them on general prinCi,
pies; but his ideas of the application Of said
principles were lamentable in the extreme.
He despised an Indolent man as heartily AS
did either the Deacon, the Major, or the Pro
tcssOr; but Joe thought that poker playing
for forty hours on the stretch was industry OF
the most admirable sort Joe considered theft
IN abominablc vice; but to help himself to II
horse which some other rowdy had stolen
somewhere was perfectly Legitimate oCcupa-
lion He agreed with the Deacon that muir
der was a most horrible crime; but the ear
ncstness of his depreciation was rather mOdi-
fled by his maintaining that to shoot II man
for cheating at cards was not only an cXcuSa-
bic act, but very necessary one.
Once month the accounts of the Quick
ledge Claim were settled, and a division OF
profits were made Three of the partners de
posted their gains in the Spurtip National
Bank; but Joe'S were always carried to Sor
rels Pride of Spurtip" saloon, where they
disappeared under the influences of cards and
bottles During the progress of this funding
operation which usually consumed from three
days to week, Joe's place at the table re.
manned untitled; and the DeaCon's pious ears
were untortured by Joe's goodnatuIed mis-.
application OF ScrIptural language; but when
his money WAS gone Joe would return and
could almost believe that Joe had met with
change. But after several repetuons of
JOc's peculiar method Of spending the month
the Deacon determined that a genuine change
OF heart was what Joe needed.
The Deacon spoke to the Professor about
II; and the Professor agreed with him. The
Deacon spoke to the Major; and the Major
thought that reformation would work won
dcrs in Joe. Then the Deacon, and the Pro
lessor, and the Major discussed the matter
together over their corn,d beef and beans
and immediately there was discerniblc IN,
first GOODNESS that had ever existed between
the owners of the Quiclslcdgc Claim VII,
men need display their worst passions in dc
Tense Of their purest ideals is impossible 4
explain. Certain grave authorities have dc
ClaTed that Il is due TO the unlimited prescnc
Of the Arch-Enemy OF Souls: while Their
have been shrcwd observers who maintainc,
that an inherited essence, called, "Old Adam
is the real cause. But that as il NAV, it is cer
tain that these three partners ended the di,
lussion barely in time 10 avoid bad feeling
and that each one understood that if Joe wa
10 be turned from the error Of his ways.
must be brought about by the understanding
member himself, without any assistance fror
the other two.
On the next morning. ~ Joe al dcyourin
pancakes and mOlasscs long after his partner
had finished their brcasiasi-'luc was teri