Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1880-12-30
sudden discontinue, when our father came

That is right, young people; laugh WnHe
you may; it il much the best. Here, Fan, |
take care of this for me, please"
He tossed me great roll OF money. ana
then sat down to join in the pleasantly;
Mr.. Liyingstone,o said John GOODWIN.
edo you think it is safe to keep large sums -
of money 80 in your house? The country Is
overrun with tramps who are bold ana des~
perate enough to commit any crime, even
murder, to obtain such sum OF money -
that
Father laughed carelessly.
Fan is my banker, and she has always
kept the cash account correctly. But now
can help it, having now and then large
sums in the house? When we wish to buy
cattle or stock of any kind, we can not always
go to the bank at the moment for money! We
must have it ready beforehand.
'sLet US hope you will never have trouble
from doing So said MI. Goodwin. gravely.
feeling . little disturbed at the grave, earn
est look John Goodwin gave me. But, tnen.
why feel disturbed: Here was . package OF
four thousand dollars, good sum-out mad
not been custodian to five times tnat sum
and no harm resulted FRONT it:
sIn two weeks we shall leave the farm
and move into our new house, SAID our
father. at is ready now; but new houses
two weeks hence than nv. And, Mr.. Good
win, while speaking ofAhoney. have bought
| small eafe for the new house. am NOS
afraid to risk my money out here without
safe, but in town you are not all OF you so
| honest as we are in the country.
81 am really glad you have done II, ne
said, and then added, 'chiefiy for Miss Fan
| ny's sake"
. Pooh. she don't feel any weight Of re-
sponsibility. In fact, rather believe she IS
rather proud of playing banker. Is it not
| so, FAM"
was scarcely proud Of the responsibility:
but was certainly not afraid OF any risk l
| ran, and said so.
"Then am afraid for you. wish you
| were not BANKER said John Goodwin, In
| that same grave way, unusual with him.
Then the girl came to call us to dinner. L
| remembered afteward that sne suooeny
| darted back out of the room when she saw
| gentleman there. was little amused at
it, and thought it bit of ludicrous modesty
on the part Of Sarah which her ordinary de-
meanor did not quite warrant.
had disappeared with a sudden toothache,
leaving Marv the cook, to wait upon the ia
Bile. But there was nothing strange in that
| except the suddenness of the attack.
| Before John Goodwin went away there
was more sharp banter between him and sis
ter Kate, which we all enjoyed. But at
length the conversation drifted into another
channel. and John Goodwin told us little
of him self and his career which was new 10
us, He had at one time been prosecuting
attorney in Chicago. While performing the
duties OF that Office he had broken up ana
sent to te-prison a gang OF burglars
which had been terror to all honest GU
zens The wife of the leader OF the gang,
under pretense Of seeking his services TO,
ward effecting her husbands release, tried
to assassinate him in his own office. .,
"When even the women tried to Kill me"
said he, smiling as though it was only
tribe, &" thought would confine myself to
ordinary practice and let some other amoiti-
Gus young lawyer take the fame and conse-
auences Of the public Office"
You take it lightly" said father, "and
so much the better" Mr.. Goodwin had risen
now to CO. "When we are settled in town
we shall expect you to be more friendly and
visit us often"
& Then we all went out on the veranda,
where the good-bys were said. John Good
win mounted his horse and rode away. As
we turned to go in, I happened to look up at
the window of my own room, and was not q
| little surprised at seeing through the ilght
/ curtains the face Of Sarah, evidently watch
ing the retreating form Of John Goodwin.
But what was she doing in my room!
As we crossed the hall Sarah came down
. the stairs with her face tied up and smelling
You were engaged, Miss Fanny, and
, didn't like to trouble you, but I took the
, liberty to use your camphor bottle for my
, TOOTH"
That explained her going to my room, and
was of course, satisfactory. Her tOothache
, soon disappeared, and the whole matter wa
t forgotten.
ter Kate and were joint mistresses OF Ia
? | theirs house. Our dear mother died wher
| was only nine years old and Kate seven
Since that time we had learned to forget thai
= first bitter sorrow, and our father had I'M
t ssKate is not pretty, although she is saucy
q she NAV marry; but Fan (myself is tot
+ plain, quiet and old-fashioned to get mar
e ried There is no occasion for me to evel
think of marrying AGAIN, since am CERTAIN
o of always having good housekeeper."
' This was q frequent speech OF our father'
I a little taptalizing. and possibly true; bu
all of us hoped otherwise. For there is NJ
8 girl or woman, however plain and unattrac
a tive she may be, but desires the honest, tru'
love of some worthy man; and hopes on u
Il the end that she will receive it.. 1t is not
e thing to be ashamed Oft is nature.
In due time we left the old hou~e on tn
farm for the new one in the city, taking will
d us our seryant-girls, Mary, the cook, ant
Sarah, the house-giri.
When ones whole life has been passed OF
e a farm, any change seems great one tha
v alters life so as to leave out the slmpilclt
: and naturalness of the farm. Yet doubt
u there be equal and constant happiness else
r where az there is in rural life.
e The transition from an old house to a new
! one requires a good deal of perplexing toll
e The proper adaptation of the househol,
e treasures and conveniences involves consul
tation, deep thought, and additional toll.
/, removal into a new house must be "a sort Q
i domestic calamity. Yet when fairly doml
Is to receive and entertain the friends who ties
tify their respect for you by visiting.
J. John Goodwin was now frequent visito
Is at our house. Father said he came to Sc
Kate. She said he came to see me. What
It ever I may have really thought, said tina
his visits seemed to be only friendly ones t
d the family.
p One thing was certain, john Goodwin
Wis d were very pleasant; and no one wa
a more welcome than he was. l may say thu
Or much with propriety.
ID No sooner were we settled in the me-
l. house than father was seized with one {
!. his periodical cattle-buying fits. We begge
re of him to rest a little and enjoy his ease, BIT
= in vain In Illinois this desire to trade
y cattle becomes, like intemperance or th
opium habit, mania:
4 Reing custodian or banker for the none
used in this cattle trade, found the ne
I. safe mentioned before a thing OF great cor