The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1878-12-27
Sslsrf Story.
NICHOLAS HARBOUR'S WORK.

So far as 1 can learn. only one event
ever took place at Kerr's Ford. 1t
happened years ago, but it is the gossip
of the village to this day; you hear
dark allusions to it at tea parties or
the church sewing circle, as to a legend
belonging to the far, outlying regions
of iniquity; at the drug shops or about
the stove at the post-office, however,
it is openly talked of, when the mag
mates of the village are assembled, u and
with lily concealed pride. New York
and Washington may have their muir
ders and gigantic frauds; but Kerr's
Ford, also, had her mystery, her sen-
sation which, with head lines, filled a
column Of the county newspaper.
The whole story hinges on the ap-
pearaace of stranger. Colonel Cald-
we'll, with the Judge, and Phipps the
undertaken, claim to have first seen
this man; he was coming up the
street as they were sitting in front Of
Bryce's store smoking their cigars after
dinner, one October afternoon.
81 noticed the man." the Colonel is
wont to say. "The Judge, he just had
asked me about my pigs. Caldwell ,
he says, 'how's pork with you9" and I
says, Pretty fair, considerin' the scar
city of chestnut mast-(chestnut failed
entire that year, when noticed this
man. Coming di rect to us, crossin'
by Hobbes's grist-mill. Here's q
tramp says. Not that tramps or
strangers was any novelty in Kerr's
Ford. I'd seen three go through the
town that very week, comm up from
Coalport. It's regular sink of ini
quity-that town. But I've keen
eye for character, and / seen at a
glance this man was different from auy
thing that even Coalport could pro-
.duce in the way of rascality. 'Twan's
his clothes, though they might have
been bis sleepin' apparel in the gutter:
an 'twan't bis lean, shakin' hands.
Lots of men in our town is no better
off till they've driven a nail in their
soffins in the mornin'; and 'twan't that
his cheek was yellow and sunk like a
corpse's neyther. Twas his eye, sir.
says to Phipp's, 'Here'sa man that
would cut your throat for a quarter
dollar / can see through human ma
ture better'n most men, If l do say it. ="
The man, Just as the Colonel pro-
nounced this verdict on aim, stopped
by the curb stone.
ssThese seems to be some kind OF
public excitement in your town." be
said, with hint of amusement in his
tone; "What it isY"
ga church fair" said Bryce. alwa5s
civil to possible patron of the barrel
of whiskey kept on tap at the back OF
the store. -
"Church fair," starting at the little,
very new, very Gothic stone house al
the foot of the hill. ''Religious COM
muni.y here. reckoni Pays a rhump
ing salary2 Good fat ground for q
young preacher to settle down in, hehf
..Yes," said Bryce. Pretty fail
salary. Though our clergyman dom
need it. BE has a good income of hi'
own"
"Ohi A good income" the mar
repeated with the same peculiar smile
"a rich man preaching the gospel foI
a big salary. Yes"
The Judge turned sternly on him
Something in his voice and manner
made the men forget his squalid clothes
and treat him as an equal. "H'
breaches the gospel, sir, because b.
was called of the Lord to do IL. None.
would be no temptation to him. H'
belongs to one of the wealthiest fami
: lies in Western New York-the Har
{ bours." -
sHarbourp with q sudden stride
: which brough his eager lean face clos
3 to Bryce's. Nicholas HARBOUR
.sYes. his name is Nicholas. Her
!. he comes, by the way. You'd bette
: come in and take something" sai
y Bryce uneasily. The clergyman Wa
r the embodiment, in his eyee. of ger
Utility as well as godlinea, and he b