Mexico weekly ledger., 1876-10-26
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OLD ABEL'S MILESTONE.

"Understand mel Abel; lboth kmy
father and myself ard perfectlyas&tis6e
with the amohnt, already paid" .
"Mapgf Thanks toI]}ou, sir, for thu
saying ofitsmhRtasnething nshortmofzth bin
full sum viii satisfy me. At the time
eight years ago next midsunmer)b il
was reckoned at a hundred and fifty
pounds in round numbers. / mean tc
pay it every farthing, please heaven ]
live long enough. GH.Idie afore, i hope
Polly 'lSkeep uplthe paymentsreg'lar.,
"But, really, Abel, l don't like tax.
ing this moneYs i am sure these pay.
NEWT yot RHd that, MT! Baker,
junior. [ feel something on my con.
science which issworsertnan hungere1
cold, and it Wont BE easy until I've
paid you all. There's five pound ten,
sir; not so much ,as last half year, be-
cause of Polly's illness in the spring /;
but / hope to make it more next, time.
If you enter the sum in this book and
add, add it up, You'll find find it makes ninety
"Ninety pounds exactly. Well, if
you insist on my taking the money, I
suppose 1 must. Isyour daughter mar
ried yet, WebbP"
"Not yet, sir"
"Likely to be?'S
"Well, I'm afraid it's higher than l
like" -s'duQu 1T 81
"What. you disapptove of her
choiceP" Eo9T5l
"Oh, no, not a bit, Tom Smiths as
good a fellow as ever lived. He'll get
on, that boy win. He's sober, honest
and manly and thatHn tell in the long
run But I'd rather she hadn't any
body after her-leastways until the
debts squared 'twixt you and me-"
"a debt that, asyou know, we al
ready consider discharged"
"But which L don't, Mr.. Baker,
Junior. However, Pm ~a-keeping you.
Goodnight, sir; and many thanks for
your kindness"
With hatAbel Webb retreats, hat in
hand; and bowling to Baker, junior,
with every backward step he takes,
finds himself byand by at the h~alf-glass
door opening to the outer office. Ar
rived here, he nee more thanks the
young partner of Baker q Baker,
wholesale druggists Of Ipecacuanha-
lane, Aldermanbury, and ait last
energies into the crowded thorough
fare.
Generally speaking, Abel can not be
considered q good walker, neither does
he ordinarily whistle stirring national
melodies as he elbows his way through
the teeming streets. Yet whenever he
pays his half-yearly visits to Baker,
junior, he seems to become imbued
with fresh life, fresh hope, and increas-
ed strength. The patient old man re-
cognizes the change himself, and JOY
fully feels that the milestone of debt,
which has torso many years hung about
u his neck, is less heavy than before.
Away from the close thoroughfares
of the city IN to the Thames embank.
ment. His walk has been long and ia.
tiguing, and resting his arms upon the
stone balustrade, he pauses for a few
moments with his eyes fixed upon the
dark, silent-fowing river. ga hundred
and fifty pounds" he murmurs as he
looks out upon the sweep of waters be.
fore him--"a lot of money, a lot OF
money! Easily s~quandered, but how
me. Honest Abel Webb, the boys
used to call me at school; honest Abel
Webb, l have been to my employers,
and honest Abel Webb, I'll try to be to
the end of my days" .s ~.
The changing tones of "Big Benz
woke Abel Webb from his reverie.
With the sudden thought that his
daughter Polly would be home before
him il he didn't make great haste, he
set off at a brisk trot, resuming his
CHEEKY whistle as he went along.
And, sure enough; home she was.
How cozy the little place looked! 1t
was a pattern of neatness and domestic
comfort. The table was laid for sup
per, a nice crisp loaf being fanked by
a piece of cheese (placed upon a small
plate in order to make it look more
than it really was), and, yes! really a
gigantic cucumber. Polly, who was
kneeling before the fire, vigorously ap-
plying the bellows and melting thecoals
to a perfect fury of flame, had not
lighted a candle, and certainly none
was wanted. l
"Why, you're rather late, father,
amt you?" inquired the girl, springing
to her feet, and giving old Abel such a
sounding kiss that it might almost have
been heard on the pavement outside, if
any body had been curious enough to
listen. "I've been home a long time.n
"Well, Polly, I've been to the saw
ings-bank, and afterward to Alderman
bury-you know where. / took five
pound ten; and Mr.. Baker, junior,
spoke so kindly that the time slipped
by, and twas z o'clock afore I knew
where I was, Almost"
"Heaven bless Mr.. Baker for those
kind words!" responded Polly, giving
her father another hearty kiss as she
unwound the wooden comforter encir-
cling his neck. Then, after a pause,
she asked: "Does not that make ninety
pounds you have paidp"
eyes, ninety pounds. It's a good