The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1875-04-29
TRANSACTION m STOCKS.

uncertain way, "may be I don't know
beans-folks say I don't, an more'n
likely they know; but then faint my
fault If I don't. / was born that way,
an I don't see as how I kin help it"
Mr.. Silas Bronson was standing on his
portico, or what passed for one, when he
uttered the above. The house to which
the portico belonged was a lettering,
tumble-down affair, very much awry, and
looking not unlike a man intoxicated who
is uncertain about his standing In the
world. And the surroundings were in
keeping with the house. The fences
seemed to possess the sameIhelplessness,
and straggled 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;
"I did the best 1 knew how with the
money" a1j
"No We didn't" answered Mrs. Bron-
son, sharply, from within the house.
Mrs. Bronson, a care-worn, sharp
featured woman, seemed to be greatly
disturbed, and her fingers worked nerY-
ously as she gathered up the few dinner
dishes. "Ye did know better. Ye had
sense enough to know your family were
out of clothes, the house an place needed
fxin' up, an We kept promisin' ye'd get
all these things when We got some money.
But We didn't get the money, and ye never
would have got it if Providence, as it
were, hadn't a Just chucked it into your
face by that uncle dyin' off there in Cali
fornia an leavin' We a thousand dollars.
And then, like a born idiot, you must
needs give it all to Judge Fay to sink in
that oil well of his'n, where yell never
hear ont again"
"Well, 1 did as well as I could" again
pleaded Silas.
"Of course ye did s0eU!" emphasized
Mrs. Bronson. with an unconcious pun.
"That old oil well will keep the money
safe enough, I reckon; yell neyer get it
back"
Then Mrs. Bronson said no more, and
Silas was quite willing to keep silent on
a d-isagreeable subject. A well-meaning
but shiftless 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 it
not been for her sagacity and executive
ability poor Silas would have Jared badly.
In spite of her. efforts, however, the for
tunes of the family were getting at a low
ebb, and her complaints of her husbands
amiable inability were becoming frequent
mere frequent than Silas liked.
"Don't be always a f%rettin', Maria y
he said one day. "Luck's agin us, ]
allow, but it'll change poorly soon."
"Not unless We work for t." answered
Maria, not relishing such serene resigna-
ton. "They do say that Providence
takes care of lazy people and fools, but
But "luck" did change after a while.
An uncle of Mr.. Bronson died conven.
iently off in California, and among othel
requests left one thousand dollars to his
nephew. Then Mrs. Bronson's face
frightened. Visions of a home fxedup
of comfortable clothing for rerself anG
family, began to fit before her eyes
But they proved to be only visions aftel
all. When the letter came containing
the long looked for check Silas went VI
to the village bank to get the money, an(
there he fell In with a certain Judge Fay
That smooth, glib-tongued speculate
met Silas Just as he was coming out o
the bank and Immediately button-holec
him.
"Halloo, Bronsonl How do you do
Glad to meet you; just the man I wante'
to see."
"Pooty well, thank ye," answerel
Silas, smiling weakly. He felt consider
able awe of the Judge, and began t
wonder what possible business that grea
man could have with him. But the Judg
did not seem to notice his embarrassment
he locked arms with Silas, and bega,
talking In a very familiar and contents
manner as they walked along.
Chow are your family, Bronson2 B
the way, those are mighty smart childre,
OF yours-mighty smart. Wish min
were equally SO. My children frequent
speak of that little boy of yours; the
attend the same school,"
"I haven't any boys. they're all girls
it's Jennie maybe ye mean," mildly sug
gested Silas.
"Oh-yesl Jennie; so it is. Strang
I should forget the name when I hav
heard it so often" answered the Judge
flushing a little. And then as they cam
to a small building on a corner he added
"Here's my office, Bronson. Come j
a little while, I want to see you"
Still wondering Silas obeyed. If tt
Judge had asked himtotake off his boo
it is probable he would have done 81
He entered the Office as requested, an
sat down in an awkward way by the STOW,
and stretched out his handstewaraiba
if he were cold. To be sure it was
warm day, and there was no fire in I'll
stove; but then Silas didn't know VIII
else to do, SO he did that while he awaite
the Judges pleasure.
"Quite a cosey little office I hay
here, haven't II" queried the latter gel
tleman, pleasantly. "Take a ciga
Bronson" producing a case. "Perhal
they are not as good as you are accu
toned to, but they are imported, and
think them very fine"
Silas meekly accepted a cigar, ighte
u II H. aosJ &c TLn- oro ro,r 49,