The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1878-12-12


CHAPTER XL
'IIoldl holdi Mr.. Snowden, I was
only joking" exclaimed the usurer,
with a rattling laugh, as though his
throat were filled with scroll saws.
Down came the satchel upon the
dingy counter with another heavy thud.
"Then, where is my note ?' and the
debtor gathered fresh courage as the
sudden possibility Of honorable, or at
least, respectable escape from the
clutches Of the law dawned upon his un-
derstanding.
'Here, here; youshall have your note;
only count me out the money, Mr..
Snowden."
LET me see my paper first"
"Let me see the money first"
''Not till you produce the note"
''Then, let me see the color Of the
coin"
Always set rogue 10 watch a rogue
if you want the work well done. Mr..
Snowden slowly opened the satchel aud
lifted a dozen or more Of the double
eagles, letting them fall back again with
a jingle that Jared Solomon could not
resist.
"My day Of triumph will come some
day; but Tll put it of till a time when
it won't cost me quite so much financial
sacrifice" he said, under his breath
But it took him what seemed to Mr.
Snowden an age, to open his safe, an old
fashioned and really very unsafe struc-
ture, used merely for appearance sake,
for be rarely kept anything valuable in
it. He was far too willy in his business
affairs for that. But apparent difficulty
in opening the safe was a habitual trick
Of his, and everybody who had dealings
with him was used TO il.
Chow much interest will you calcu-
late against me while you are fumbling
at that apology for combination lock,
Mr.. solomon ?"
The debtor wanted to say "usury'' in
stead Of interest, and "Shylock," >" instead
Of solomon, but he remembered that he
was still in his creditors power; so he
strove 20 be respectful, though he could
not wholly resist the temptation 10
taunt his creditor.
"When my business gets brisk
enough 10 enable me 10 afford a better
safe, TN purchase one, Mr.. Snowden,
but 1 have 50 many hopeless cases to
deal with, that fud it extremely diff
cult to get my bread ana butter"
The debtor laughed nervously. He
knew the creditor was lying, and he de-
spised him for it, too, although he was
fully conscious Of his own ability to
win a seat beside the spirit Of Aunanias
himself in a matched game among
champion falsiiers.
Jared Solomon yielded up the note,
-ud Alouzo Snowden senior counted out
ne coin, while each kept an eye upon
be other with as keen scrutiny as
though their lives depended upon their
igilance.
saved as by pestilencer muttered
he forger, as he gained the street with
ne empty bag in one hand and the
-umpied note in the other. Then he re-
rendered mis- champing and impatient
team, Of which he took immediate
charge, and drove toward his stable at a
furious pace. He was accustomed TO
walking 10 and from bis place Of busi-
ness, and had little use for turnout
save for the convenience Of his wife and
family, to whom be had always been a
devoted slave.
It was little wonder that Mr.. Snow
denis wife was opposed to woman's
rights. His family had been a clog
upon his ambition in a certain sense
from the day Of his marriage until now
His wife chad all the rights she
wanted" D." and these included many that
properly belonged TO her patient, toll
ing and obedient lord. She was obese
because Of inactivity, aud tyrannical
because Of ignorance. Married early in
life, and thoroughly occupied in mind
ana body after her own phlegmatic fash
ION In rearing her children and keeping
her social place in her set, she had al
ways eXacted such a support as her i'm
agination craved, aud her husband. aux-
ious not only to Oblige her but TO keen
his family standing in commercial cir
eles quite up to the mark, had doubled
and redoubled bis diligence as his 10
nestle expenses increased, till at last
when Alonzo junior was Of age, and he
had begun TO hope for that assistance
from him in the business Of the firm
which any parent has a moral right 10
expect from the children for whose edu-
cation be has made lifelong sacrifice.
that son had plunged him into trouble.
while sowing his wild oats, from which.
as the reader has seen, his father had at
last escaped at such fearful risk.
The senior Snowdeu was his own
groom for ecOnomy's sake; for. in his
personal expenses, he was rigidlv
simple in everything. And his family
needed every dime which be denied
himself, To sustain them, with Mr.
9nowlen's Equally rigid economy. in
their lyle ofliving. The team was