Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-02-27
LANCASTER, WISCONSIN, THURSDAY FEBRUARY Y, 1879

when night came he had disposed OF
q thousand, and had earned dollar
and half. sCome again day after
tomorrow said the German as be
paid him. I'VE will make these Amer
loans puy their New Years gifts Of
us, and We shall make our fortunes.
Take toy to give some little girl or
poy. Give IL to the little pootblack II
you know no other. 1t is i'll to make
no gifts at the Christmas time.
Peter went home wondering wheth-
er anybody had recognized him while
engaged N his odd task, and fiercely
saying 10 himself that he did not care
if they had. There's nothing dishon-
orable in it, he unused, quoting Miss
Jane's words, as he ran up stairs with
. tiny basket of charcoal, o bag OF
crackers aud bit Of dried beet. We
will have warm toes tonight and to-
ranr-nu. Peter he said, as he ar.
ranged the little foot stove that he had
learned to nae abroad, toasted his beel
in tiny frying. pan over the gas, and
munched his crackers and drank cold
water, smiling bravely between whites;
and then he curled up on the lounge
with his dead fathers army blankets
wrapped around him and slept as
soundly as if he were a millionaire.
Il wish to goodness he growled,
the next morning, as he stumbled over
big basket, that some folks would
keep their baskets out of this entry.
Roberts is always having them drop
ped in front of my premises instead
of before his own, and one of these
days his property will be missing, and
then he'll blame me. sHullo Mr..
Peter Nesmith,' Hum, Who sent this,
l wonder ? Manuscripts from the Gen,
office There's Christmas gift for
you, Peter! Letters from the editor.
Prize stories, and wont l examine
them? Oh, yes. I'll examine them,
and there won't be much left of the
authors when finish. There's moth.
ing that gives a criticism such a meat
axe edge as being in hurry, and
your prize story is usually good for
nothing
So after going to very early SER
vice at very questionable church,
where even his poor clothes passed
for elegance, Peter worked all day
at the manuscripts, and by eleven
o'clock ended his task, and went to
bed with the consciousness that he
was FIVE dollars richer than in the
morning. The next day found him
again at his post distributing bills,
but at night when he went home, a
long, narrow envelope awaited him,
and within it were certain legal docu-
ments and a request that he would
call on a certain eminent lawyer
named Greer at his earliest conven-
fence, and the next noon saw him
talking with the aforesaid gentleman,
and enjoying the unwonted pleasure
of taking instructions. When he re-
turned home he was met by cour-
teous note from Manager Brown, and
a request to can az the th-ntru 6utur
day morning, to look over German
play which might, in the managers
opinion, be made useful by little
careful re writing.
"Can't CO." said Peter, "I'm too
busy" and then, laughing at the alb
surdity of his having too much work,
he answered the letter accepting the
invitation, and gave his German friend
warning the very next day. The
good man received the notice in the
most am;able way, having, indeed,
been so besieged by customers the
previous day that he dreaded seeing
any more, and was ready to take
passage for his beloved Germany,
where the people did not go wild
over toys, and Peter fastened down
to the Office Of the Gem, to talk over
the prize stories with the editor.
These three days were only speci-
mems of those through which Peter
passed for the next three months.
Bits of work OF dozen different
kinds poured in on him seeming to
come from all quarters at once, and
when his landlady called on the
twenty fifth of March she walked
into such neat room and encounter
ed such trim young man that she
deliberately turned back and inspect
ed the door plate before entering, and
closing the door behind her.
"It is you," she said, having read
Peters name. "Is my rent ready,
young man ?'
"It is" said Peter. "and also that
ten dollar bill that you dropped the
last time that you were here" and
with that he handed her an envelope
containing his little roll of bills.
young man. said she, sPm a
woman Peter bowed. sAnd
always have my own way He bow.
ed again. sAnd, moreover, you'll
take that ten dollar bill and give me q
one, c. you'll leave my house." Peter
bowed again. why don't you say
something ?
Because answered Peter, I'll
you'll allow me to initiate your man
ner of stating a case, I'm a man.
And | always keep my word, and
said that / would not take that
money, and ] wont. It isn't mine
and you know it by this time, if you
keep your books as carefully as You
used. / really think, ma am he said,
looking more keenly at her, and sec.
ing that she did not grow angry IN.
der his curtness, Il really think that
You meant 10 give me that bill as a
Christmas present, and it was very
good of You; bat l don't need it now,
and You must take it back
Then you own that you did need il
at Christmas said she, sharply.
yes, ma'am,' said Peter, flushing
a little. Z
Then you were goose not to take
it, said she. Don't tell me. There's
your receipt, young man. and away
she went, and Peter going out FIVE
minutes after found the ten.dollar bill
tucked beneath the door.
%, I say he cried angrily, this is
too much. I'll take this back this
evening, and I'll give her warning,
too. What business has she TO treat
me like an object of charity p
All day he fumed and fretted, and