Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-04-29

to smaA little And then az they came
Here.ll building on corner he added,
tie wis my Office, Bronson. Como in q lit
Sti.ile, want TO see you"
Judi wondering, Silas obeyed. If the
it jge had asked him to take off his boots
els probable he would have done so. He
Inferred the Office as requested and sat
|, down n an awkward way by the stove
and stretched out his hands toward it as il
he were cold. To be sure it was warm
day and there was no fire in the stove;
but then Silas didn't know what else 10 do,
30 he did that while he awaited the Judges
pleasure.
"Quite cosy little Office have here,
haven't L" queried the latter gentleman,
pleasantly. Take cigar, Bronson
producing case. Perhaps they are not
as good as you are accustomed to, but
they are imported, and ! think them very
fine"
Silas meekly accepted cigar. lighted
1t, and then said, They are very nice
applying the remark to both Office and
cigar.
For few minutes the Judge pulled
away in silence,
"That was a comfortable little windfall
you had-your uncle dying off there in
California and leaving you that money"
he said ut last.
yes answered Silas, beginning to
feel complacent Toler'ble nice fittle
pile on't--a thousand dollars. Got it this
mornin'."
To be sure it is not very large sum
for man of your MEANS" continued the
Judge; "but it's nice to get such things,
and it will do to get suit of clothes and
few knick- knacks, maybe. And that
makes me think, Bronson-where is IL
you get yourclothesg Ny wife often says:
Now, Judge Fay, if you only had the
taste of Mr.. Bronson about dressP But
then, bless me! I haven't. or | would
look as tasteful on Sunday as you do"
The Judge was careful to say Sunday"
for if he had included ek-days it would
have been more than even Silas could
swallow
GERRY Markle, he made my last suit"
| answered Silas, surprised and pleased that
his dress should thus attract admiration,
and from so distinguished source, too.
The Judge passed another few minutes
in meditative smoking.
"The fact is, Bronson" he resumed,
taking the cigar from his mouth, "the
fact is, wanted to see you about little
Il
| advantage. You see, / was owes in Penn
sylvania last week, and through the oil
region. And while there bought tract,
five acres, right near the best producing
wells OF course could have made
good thing by selling it again, but con-
cuded not to be selfish but To come home
and form stock company of few of
our influential men, like yourself and
Others"
"I'm very much obleeged to ye, judge"
began Silas; but then-I-l----"
"Please hear me through" interrupted
the Judge, with soft, deprecating wave
of the hand; =" / am not done yet: Now,
there is lots of money in this thing If 1t is
properly managed, and, as didn't wish
to connect with Tom, Dick and Harry, |
have mentioned the matter to but few OF
our best men. Dr. Ross, Col Clark and
Squire Hardy have all taken stock, and
our minister, the Rev Mr.. Norris, expects
to invest. The stock is only atritie-$5OO
| a share"
"Yes $500 uncommon cheap, l
should say" stammered Silas. But
then, we see, h'ain't got the money-that
is, to spare jest now. I'm sort OF poor,
like" $3.50
"Poorf" echoed the Judge; "a man of
your means talking about poverty. What
is paltry five hundred to you" And the
speaker snapped his fingers as if the sum
| mentioned were insignificant beyond meas
ure. "Why, man, I'll warrant you have
more than that with you now!"
81 know; but then I thought I'd bet
ter" began Silas; but the Judge broke
In with apparent surprise.
"Oh, that's it! you have been already
| considering the matter? l might have
known Col. Clark would speak TO you
about it. When l told him of my pro-
posed company last week he asked II you
were In 1t, and he said, If Bronson takes
| hold | will, because whatever Bronson
takes hold Of is sure TO succeed Those
were his very words; and so he spoke TO
you himselfs Well, am glad on the
whole he did, and that you are going In
with US. But you can't have more than
four shares, Bronsoni''-with aplayful tap
on the back" and you needn't pay more
than half down. That will be enough to
carry the thing through, think"
And what could poor Silas say TO all
| this, With nature weak and yielding,
he was surprised and fattered to learn Of
his own prominence in the community,
and that such men as the Judge, Col.
Clark and others should give heed to his
views on any subject was, to say the least,
extremely complimentary. In fact Silas
began to think his sclf-estimate had been
placed altogether too low in times past,
and he presently smoked and talked him
self into very pleasing state OF compia-
cency indeed.
The Judges tongue was not idle the
meanwhile; he piled on the " soft-solder'
to a remarkable thickness, and after
time, somehow-Silas didn' exactly know
how-the Judge took possession oil the
81 900 and Silas found himself the owner
of four beautifully. lithogTaphed certif-
Gates of stock, calling for $500 each.
They looked nice, and Silas placed
them In his pocket fully convinced that ne
and Judge Fay, Col. Clark and the Others
were very important men and shrewd
financiers withal. Then the Judge mildly
intimated he had business TO attend to and
Silas took his departure. But when out
side and on his way home, Silas, like the
prodigal son, came to himself" and he
began to think the investment not 30 good
a one after all. He tried to recah the ar
guments and brilliant promises OF the
Judge, but someway he could't remember
them. and the more he tried the more ne
Il - n