The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-04-23
A TRANSACTION IN STOCKS.

SWELL" drawled Silas in his weak,
uncertain way, "may be / don't know
treans-folks say 1 don't, an more'n
likely they know; but then faint my
fasft if L don't. l was born that way,
an . don't see as how L kin help it,
Mr. Silas Bronson was standing on his
portio0, or what passed for one, when he
uttered the above. The house to which
the pOrtioO belonged was a lettering,
tsImble-down affair, very much awry, and
booking not unlike a man intoxicated who
Ss uncertain about his standing in the
world. And the surroundings were in
keeping with the house. The fences
seemed to possess the same helplessness.
and struggled about without regard to
division lines, while the garden-patch
was laid out with the mathematical pre-
cision of chaos.
No, faint my fault, continued Silas;
g l did the best / knew how with the
money"
E'No we didn't" answered Mrs. Bron-
son, sharply, from within the house.
Mrs. Bronson, care-worn, sharp
featured woman, seemed to be greatly
disturbed, and her fingers worked nerv-
oolsly ~ she gathered up the few dinner
DISHES "Ye did know better. Ye had
sense enough 20 know your family were
ont of clothes, the house an place needed
fixin' up, an We kept promisin' ye'd get
all these things when we got some money.
But re didn't get the money, and We never
would have got it if Providence, as it
were, hadn't q just chucked it into your
face by that uncle dyin' off there in Cali
fornia an eavin' We thousand dollars
And then, like born idiot, you must
needs give it all TO Judge Fay to sink in
tiiat vii well of his'n, where veil never
hear ont again -
Well, l did as we'll as could" again
pleaded Silas
a. Of course We did aOeU!" emphasized
Mrs Bronson with an Unconscious pun.
q I9sss old oil well will keep the money
safe enough, reckon; yell never get it
back.
Then Mrs. Bronson said no more. and
Silas was quite willing to keep silent on
"a dnSSgreeable subject. A well-meaning
buf SiIiftless man was Mr.. Bronson, not
inclined to work, with little knowledge
of business, and no practical sense to di-
rect what knowledge he had. On Mrs.
Bronson fell the real burden, and had il
sIsiBify poor Silas would have Jared badly.
En spite of her efforts, however, the for
t7Snes of the family were getting at low
etsih, and her complaints of her husbands
.E1talaiDle inability were becoming FREQUENT
more frequent than Silas liked
3" Don't be always a frettin', Maria"
ne said one day. "Lucks agin us. I
allow, but it'll change pooty SOON"
& ~. - f,N,.
Marin. not relishing such serene resigna
ton. "They DO say that Providence
takes care OF lazy people and fools, but
L de Rot set no great store ont.
But " luck did change after while.
An uMie of Mr.. Bronson died conven-
isatly off in California, and among other
beouess left one thousand dollars to his
ueEJlscw. Then Mrs. Bronson's face
jbrightesol. Visions of home fixed ND.
n comfortable clothing for rerself and
fiSnily, began to fit before her eyes.
But ahey proved TO be only visions after
sill When the letter came containing
fine Gong looked for check Silas went up
to the village bank to get the money, and
there ne fell in with certain Judge Fay.
T1ss4 smooth, glib-tongued Spectator
INIT +sdlas just rs he was coming out of
the bank and Immediately button-holed
him
+" Halloo, Bronson How do you dol
Glad TO meet you; just the man wanted
TAD see.
Poorly well, thank ye," answered
5ilas, smiling weakly. He felt consider
1bie awe of the Judge, and began to
wonder what possible business that great
man could have with him. But the Judge
did not seem to notice his embarrassment:
Inc locked arms with Silas, and began
talking in a very familiar and confidential
manner as they walked along.
How are your family, Bronsonl By
fbe wa. those are mighty smart children