Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1878-06-03
Gormley's Adventure.
A STORY WITH A MORAL.

her distribution of the good things of
this world. He had a fine fortune, a
magnificent dwelling, and plump, good
tempered wife. Moreover, he had a
great reputation for sanctity and up
rightness, and was an elder of the
church to which he belonged. A very
good man and thorough Christian old
Hiram considered himself, for he had
family prayers every morning, went to
church every Sunday, and allowed the
cook to give all the uneatable scraps of
bread which remained in the larder to
any beggar who applied for them. A
judicious parent he believed himself to
be, and a just one, for when his only
daughter had married against his will
he had cast her off forever, and refused
to see her when she stood weak and
trembling at his door to tell him that
her husband lay upon the verge of death
and that starvation stared them in the
face.
"As she has sowed so she must reap"
he muttered, as he saw her turn away,
hiding her grieved face in her shabby
bonnet "She might have had old
Grimes and lived in clover, but she
made her own choice and must abide by
it" And, SO saying, he went back to
his account books and banished his
daughter from his mind as soon as might
be.
Old Hiram Gormley was, as | have
said, very wealthy, but he yet clung to
trade with the utmost pertinacity. Mon
ey-getting was his life, and he was nev-
er so happy as while making bargain.
Among other things he had speculated
in flour, and had made more, perhaps,
in, that line of business than in any 9TH
er. How old Hiram and his brothers in
the trade chuckled as the poor mans
loaf decreased and the store in their own
Golfers augmented. is best known to
themselves.
1t was at such season that Hiram
Gormley sat before his parlor fire, bask-
ing in its blaze and sinking gently into
an after-dinner nap. His portly form
filled the huge velvet chair, and his own
portrait looked from its gilded frame
upon ito drowcy original with q bland
dignity entirely of the artists own in
vention. Mrs. Gormley had gone out
to dine, and the carriage was to be sent
for her at an appointed hour. so that the
old man and his portrait were alone to-
gether in the comfortable room.
They were alone, at least, for many
minutes. But as the silvery-toned time
piece rung. out the hour of seven, the
outer door was opened, and small man,
clad in faded green velveteen coat, en-
tered the room with the soft tread Of a
stealthy cat. He was queer-looking
individual, so withered and wrinkled
that he might have resembled some old
goblin, and his white hair stood out,
strangely enough, upon either side of his
brown forehead. Upon his meager, low
er limbs he wore great, mu1-stained
boots, world too wide for him, and in
his hand he carried cap of the same
color and material as his coat. He look.
ed first at old Hiram, then at his por.
trait, then back again to the original
and finally stepped forward and touched
him on the shoulder.
Hiram Gormley awoke with a start
and, springing to his feet, regarded hin
with astonishment.
"Who are you, and what do you wan
here % he asked, in manner sufficient
ly imperative.
"Who | am is matter of no import
ance," replied the stranger "but an
here on business believe you are buy
ing up flour %
Il am," replied old Hiram, becoming
interested and gracious in a moment
"Take seat, sir, and let me understand
your business
He pointed to chair, and the visito
seated himself Immediately, crossing hi
muddy boots, and folding his el6n arm
upon his bosom, as he bent down hi
head and peercd from under his droop
ing black brows straight into Hiram
Gormley's face.
"We have -four to SELL" he said.
1--WE % said Hiram, interrogatively.
81 and my partner, or, more politel
speaking, my partner and l." responde,
the little man.
"Oh," said Hiram; ''may l ask tn
name of the firm ?'
"l'd rather not mention names unit
; I'm sure that we shall come to terms.
replied the little man. 'But let me tel
you, Mr.. Gormley, that such chanc
has never been offered to one man be
fore. If you accept it bread will run u
this year to such a price that a loaf
the better sort will be worth its weigh
: in gold, and rich men will give gres
sums for what they now esteem as moth
n ing. How many barrels do you thin
9 we have on hand. my partner and ?"
"How many ?" asked old Hiram
) trembling with eagerhess.