The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1876-04-12
THE sHARPER's PERIL

The hour We los. at morn
THE sHARPER's PERIL
"No wonder you are astonisbed,
J said Dick, ito see such an article a
this in my possession, but if il is
strange thing for Lac TO have Bible
the way | came by it is stranger.
have had it three years: and shal
keep il as long as | live. Three year
ago | was living by my wits at 81
Paul. Perhaps gambled some; per
haps you would call it swindling. A
all events there was q chap outthere
a rich young scapegrace who lovet
10 be fleeced; and no one loved u
fleece him better than Dick. On,
day be came TO me looking very mis-
cradle
i Dick said be, "I've lost my
wstch-a poor old turuip; but th,
old woman gave it to me just before
she died, and | would not lose it for ,
farm"
made inquiries and found tbs
The watch had gone into la@les,
back woods settlement How tounC
out is nothing to you.
lyon must be sweet baby | in
terrupted. Why, they shoot an off,
Ger On sight out there"
81 would give five hundred dol
lars, said Tom. passionately, rather
than lose that watch"
Done" | said, and the next morn.
ing started for Lake Howard, forty.
seven miles in the dreary woods,
dressed like back-woodsmsn, with
a couple Of derriDgers in my pockets,
aud mounted on an animal which
Vac bought for twenty-five dollars.
A dreary ride ii was. To say moth
ing of the awful roads. the backbone
Uf my noble steed Was q source OF
constant misery, for 1 bad no saddle;
that would have excited suspicion 81
ouce. So | was glad, at the end of
The second day, when Eve miles from
The Lake. 10 stop at a log bowel by
The roadside. The family were just
preparing their evening meal, making
itisto mush-when | entered, aud |
was about 10 take seat al the table
when the old man looked at me sad.
ly.
Young man." said be, IL see by
your looks that you don't know the
Lord"
You are right there; old man, {"
said /. He's stranger TO me-"
Atthat the old fellow groaned, and
Immediately produced the identical
Bible you see before you.
Here the words OF WRATH he
said, beginning to read, and queer
work be msoe Of it. kicking his men
tai ships against all the big words.
Ipaid little attention to him, but |
got somehow a vague impression
that his mind was not ON his reading.
Still did MT set bin down as .
hypocrite, as should instantly had
be been anywhere else but there,
where hypocrisy seemed SO superflu-
Gus. Wicked as was, l was rsrher
pleased than otherwise to find symp-
toms of piety in that God forsaken
place. The reading and be supper
over, the old man said inquiringly:
Maybe yer going into the yis-
ginia settlement"
That's Just where am going,n
replied.
Then if you take that ring with
you, violence will be done you.
Then people don't know you"
Sure enough, Ike confounded
fool, Us the wIsest Of Us may be at
times, had worn my emerald ring
all the way.
Young man." said the old fellow
again, "wbs, are You driving at?
Never be q hypocri,e; you are no
laboriug man. The Lord be merci.
ful to you"
"Righ, again old s,iek-in.,he-mud, -
said !. Il am no laboring man;
l never did work for q living, and
never will ! don't mind telling you,
on account of your rem arkable piety,
that l am up here on . little bust.
ness for friend Perhaps you can
help me, in which case you can earn
dollar or two. Perhaps you don't
know such fellow as Merrjmau-
Austin MerrimspsH
Il desperate fellow" said the cid
man with shudder, "who knows
not the Lord"
Perhaps" said "he,s sport, .
gay and festive sort of "a vood-chop-
per. Maybe be traded little once
in while, in iewelry."
"Hs has been trying to trade .
watch for pair of steers.n and ss
this, OF course. was what wanted to
know pulled ont my wallet and
gave the man two dollars. How
sharp be looked at the other bills.'
"The Lord does provide" be said
turning to bis wife; why. sss, would
you believe. "s hsven't morseI of
pork In the housein
Little did think how that old boy.
with his piety, had pumped .as /
AN ashamed 10 this day 10 think how
he came it over me.
Il hope the Lord viii bless you,"
be said, as l started the rext morn,
ing. BE sure you stop here when
you come bach"
told him | would-I:rather liked
bis mush and milk for . change. /
had hardly 60. ont OF sight 0f the
hoEel when . deer started acr ,ss the
road; I fred one Of my pistols q it
and neglected to load it again Very
foolish. hu, ] was little recklesa
] suppose | WAS about Eve miles
ssom the old mans place, when IN 1t
once ! came iu sight OF the very man
! WAS after; be Was splitting rails kI
The rOndnida 1 kn.0 - lwM III