Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-05-14

"Take your gun 10 your room-take |
care Of the gold yourgen.n
"The guni" said !. You think,
then, there may be danger Of robbersP"
ooh, nO-I don't know. Take away
the gold. / win take no chances with II. ,
Seeing a wOOd-bOX In a corner Of the
room, threw the belt into IL and laid
over IL two or three sticks Of wood, and
saying: "There is a better and safer
place for IL than In my bedroom"
turned about and left the couple, Mrs.
Reed gazing after me in astOnishment.
The next morning Mrs. Reed handed
me my gold-Reed did not seem 10
want 10 touch IL. 1 had given him a
dose Of it, by letting him sleep In the
same room with II. / told her tO stow
it away somewhere, as Reed and we're
going 70 look about the ranch little
before breakfast.
l marched Reed off and we looked
about the place.
saw that he had excellent land
three hundred acres Of it in all-but that
it was poorly cultivated. Signs of shift
lessness were seen in every direction.
The fences were not what they should
have been, the barn was dilapidated,
the animals were lean and hungry-look-
ing, and / soon was satisfied that Reed
did not much relish hard work. His
house was a large unpainted structure
that stood in an open field. with not
tree or shrub about it. OF this three
hundred acres of land he pretended
only TO cultivate eighty. lie said he
lacked water to irrigate more.
As we were returning to breakfast
after this inspection of the premises,
said to Reed
"Tell your wife that we are going to
Nevada City after breakfast" "
"To Nevada Cityl" cried he, turning
pale and quaking with alarm. "You
don't intend to deliver me upP"
"Calm YOURSELF" said 1 "I have
business there and shall do you no harm.
Tell your wife we shall be back tonight,
and also tell her that 1 shall be your
guest for some days"
81 shall do as you say" was Reeds
reply, bat he did not look very comfort
able.
81 presume shall be quite welcome
in your house for a week or soP' said [.
"Ye-e-s--Oh, certainly" said Reed,
"quite welcome. l am really under
great obligations to you. You have
saved me from doing a great wrong.
shall always"
Never mind you have said enough
1 think we are beginning to understand
each other--that is, TO some extent. We
have not been acquainted long, yor
know"
After breakfast Reed harnessed hi:
team and we left for Nevada, Reeds
boy-little Jacob-calling out after us
"Papa, bring me something from townP
He was bright little fellow, about five
years old.
On reaching Nevada 1 told Reed Il
drive directly to the Courthouse.
He turned pale.
1T is all right" said 1. awe ar,
going to see about the mortgage-itis,o o
course, on recOrdP"
"Oh, yes; of course" said Reed
looking relieved.
We found it all straight. I sold m,
dust, drew some money that L had de
posted at the bank in the town, anC
then went with Reed and had the mort
gage released. then asked Reed if h
did not wish to take home some provis
! ions or dry goods. He said he woulC
like to take home some provisions, bu
did not like to go to the store after them
as he owed quite bill-Over Sl00, h
| thought.
gave him $3.50 and told him to pa,
off the old score and get what he want
ed besides. "Also," said l, ego to
dry-goods store and get your wife
dress and some such things as you know
her to need, and something for littl
Jacob"
, Z" But how am 1 ever to pay you al
, this money!" stammered Reed.
"You are presently to give me you
note for the whole"
l "But how shall ever pay the noteP'
l "Never mind about that; that will b
all right. shall see that you pay-yol
will work it out"
"Work it out!"
. eyes; right at home-on your ow
farm. You are going to work now-t
r work for me and yourself and your wifi
3 and your boy. could have sent you
State Prison, but can make better us
8 of you-do better by you. l shall wor
l you on your own farm, instead of lettin
D you work in San Quentin. You wi
have all manner. of home comforts, an
= will be making money for yourself an
l.. wife and boy-mOre money than yO
t ever made in your life before. am nc
( doing right, know. am compound
l ing a felony, so to speak, for the La
b requires me to send you to State Prison
choose to disobey the law, however;
q take the law into my own hands, an
I'll make better job of the bushes
before l get through with it than tn
! law would be able to do"
e Reed looked utterly astounded.
- "Be off with you now and get th
t goods you require; you will find N
s with the team at the stable," said |.
r Reed marched away, did as told, an
0 presently came to me at the stabl
l when we drove around to the store an
took in his purchases. As Reeds CUES
t l purchased some little presents fl
IS Jacob and Mrs. Reed.
|, On the way home gave Reed instru
3 tions. He was to tell his wife that
= had paid off the mortgage, paid his stol
: debts and intended to set him upon h
d feet and give him good start to NAL
@ money, giving him almost his own tin
in which TO pay the note he would gi'
!. me when all was arranged, and this
v was doing on account of our old frien
n ship in Michigan.
Il An this he carried on to the lette
|. and Mrs. Reed shed tears of gratituC
o when she tried to thank me.
Q remained five days at Reeds rancl
e thoroughly studying it. During Il
!. time | went to Nevada City and DIRE
d more money, also took out to the ranC
# an assistant to Reed, a countryman
/. mine from Deer Creek, a man nam,