Los Angeles daily herald. [volume] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1873-1876, 1874-02-15

SWereQ In his Ola SLOW WAY
1--WE been at home, expecting you,
jacob; waiting for you until l could
wait no longer
Pm sorry for that 1 said, feeling a
little cheerier to hear him speak. Il
would not have been so late, only l
had to 60 round by Bagly on business.
dare say you notice I'm coming from
there now. l only went on business,
SOL
He made another pause before he
answered, and though it was trick
Of Solomon's, and always had been, /
felt myself growing uncomfortably
cold. Why could he not have stayed
at home, as parsons should on Sunday
nights?
But the icy chill thawed all at once
to a clammy heat when Solomon
asked me quietly, and without turn
ing his steady gaze from my face:
How much of that filthy lucre have
you won, Jacob IS
You-you have been dreaming,
Solomon
thinking his long fingers, which
had been clasped together ON the gate,
he stretched one hand toward me,
Five netes,' he said, still with the
unmoved gaze. Five worthless, ILL
won notes.
clasped my breast pocket anxious
ly. Il have little money here, SOL
l said, as airily as could, q few
pounds, more or less and want to
buy you new umbrella, yours is get
ting shabby. I'll go into town to-
n, nrro,v a nd chorco Onot
tried to get up little cheerfulness
over it, but Solomon's gaze damped it
all out Of me; and, besides, he had
taken back his long, hungry, out
stretched hand.
give notes." he said again; give
worthless, ill-won notes, Jacob ~
Even if had the notes, Sol" be-
gan, trembling like a leaf in storm,
neven if had them-ha, ha what an
absurd idea, what should you want
with them? And-and," l added,
clutching desperately at straw of
courage, "what right have you to
them ~
"There is no right in the question:"
said Solomon, and his face grew longer
and longer, 1T Is all wrong
"You don't often joke, SOL" said I,
pretty bravely, though was tremb-
ling like any amount OF aspens, "but
of course you're joking now, and it's
rather late for q joke, isn't it? Come
along home with me-"
"Tm not going your way now" he
answered.
"Shall you be home tonight" /
asked, trying to finish up the scene In
my natural tones.
"To-night 1t Is midnight now"
God bless my soul, is it really ?"
exclaimed, not so much surprised as
ridicul0usly Hurried and nervous I'M
der my brothers intense gaze.
Solomon had shivered as the words
passed my lips, and for the first time
he looked away.
"Good night" he said, in his slow,
absent way; and then I think he add
ed three other words, which he often
did add to his good-byes; but he spoke
so low that 1 scarcely heard, and 1 felt
so angry with him, too, that I didn't
even try to hear.
walked on modify across the
heath. All the benign effects of Joe's
punch had evaporated; all the pleas
urs Of the sport had been swept away
in one chill blast; the only definite
idea that possessed me was the deter
mination not to buy my brother Solo
mon q new umbrella.
always carried my own key, and
fOrbad the servants to sit up for me,
80 you may guess was surprised to
find my groom watching for me at the
gate.
Walking, sir ~ he exclaimed,
meeting me with a hurried step and
worried face. I hoped you'd ride
home, that you might be the quicker
at the parsonage. They've sent for
you twenty times, at least, sir. Mr..
II know" I interrupted; "Mr. Solo
mon is missing. I've just met him.
I'll 60 on and tell them so, for I'll be
bound the parish is all up in arms"
All the parish was up in arms, and
had all gathered at the parsonage, as
1t seemed to me; but-strangest of
all!-SOlOmon was there too; lying on
his narrow bed opposite the open win
dow, with the square Of moonlit sky
before his closed eyes.
They told me something about a
swoon or some such womanish trick;
and 1t may be true and it may not. AT
any rate, remember nothing after
the first few sentences they uttered.
Solomon had been ailing for some
time-sO the words went-and had felt
worse than usual that day, and lonely
and restless. Still he had insisted on
preaching in the evening, and after
ward toiled up to my house to see il l
had returned. inst once he had risen
excitedly in bed, then his strength
had failed; and those who were listen
ing heard him bid his brother good
night, with the whispered prayer,
God bless you.' Then he had lain
quietly back with his fading eyes upon
that glimpse Of heaven beyond the
lattice window. and died quietly at
midnight.
What? The money? Don't ask me
what become Of the money. Over
those five notes / worried myself at
last into the most serious brain fever
that ever man came back from into
life again. They were gone. No trace
could ! ever find Of my old pocket
book, though l made it we'll known
that the numbers of the notes had
been taken. When 1 had offered ESQ
reward and that did not bring them, /
doubled it and offered one hundred.
Who would care to keep them then?
Who would keep FIVE notes which
were stopped, when they could receive
five available ones Of equal value by
only bringing the worthless old pocket
book to me? But no one brought it,
and then / advertised anew, offering
ESQ reward for those five EGO notes.
OF course, tried to make out that 1t
WAS the old pocket-book that set the
value on, but after all / didn't much
care who had the laugh against me if
l could only set this matter straight,
md rive II an mir nf DAYLIGHT reality