The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1880-03-25
JACK CAvENDISH.

JACK CAVENDISH.
1t was the twenty-fourth of December.
was standing in the recess of q narrow
street in Los Angeles, gazing idly at the
passers-by. Across the way some
Chinese laborers were propping an
abode wall which the early rains had
sprung. A group of Mexicans were
looking on-great, stalwart, comfort
able fellows, chatting IN lazy, musical
Spanish. Two or three lustroug-eyed
children passed me on the pavement,
clasping clusters of English violets out
side their black serapes.
was conscious of vague home sick
ness, sugges i've, of ;scouragement; q
sense of strangeless in my own hand; l
began to think my errand in California
a hopeless one. The matter had seemed
simPfe=enough as the senior memb Der of
the firm had stated it to me in New
York.
81 want you to go west" he had
said, land find John Bunyan Caven-
dish; his brother is dead and has left
him fortune. Draw on me for neces-
sary funds, and don't fail to find your
man." and with that he had dism ssed
both the case and me.
had set out upon my mission with a
lively sense of enjoyment. In addition
to the novelty of fishing with such
tempting bait, there was the agreeable
sense of being the bearer of good things.
Whoever and wherever John Bunyan
Cavendish might be, he was likely always
to regard me a. in some way his bene-
factor; view of the matter which l was
not inclined to despise. More than this,
the field of my investigations was pecu-
liarly attractive and picturesque, and
altogether 1 was disposed to consider
myself fortunate individual. / say
the matter seemed simple enough, and
yet, after several months of patient
search and interrogation, had failed to
learn anything whatever concerning the
missing man. l had visited countless
mining camps and interviewed innumer-
able grizzly pioneers, with the same dis
couraging result. Once indeed / had
got upon the track of a Cavendish, who,
after leading me will-o'- -the-wisp Jour-
ney of two hundred miles, proved to be
a debilitated New York divine in search
of health, and bearing among other
burdens the name of Obadiah; fact
which he regretted even more deeply
than myself.
Gradually my zeal had disappeared.
There had coma to be a painful mo-
notony in paying for advertisements
which brought no response; indeei, ]
had gone so far as to indulge the rehec-
tion that in carrying about tn me a
letter from my deceased client to hi;
kinsman, was the bearer of tidings
from one disembodied spirit to another
a reflection which it will be readily ad
mitted was not enliTening. And yet
could find no proof that the man wa:
dead. OF his early life had ample in
formation, but later than that l knew
little save that he had started for Cali
fornia suddenly and alone, during the
early gold excitement, and had not beer
heard of since. A thousand possibilities
were in the long, tedious journey ane
intervening years, possibilities which
magnified themselves into unconquer
able facts and made me impatient to q
bach to something more tangible anC
satisfactory than chasing the whim of /;
dead miser.
Difficulties that don't yield to sucl
sunlight as this are entitled to respect,
said to myself, and turning with
half resolution to give up the pursuit
/ found my self face to face with mai
who had evidently been sharing m,
niche for some time unobserved. n
was by no means an attractive person
age; shabby, homeiy-buiit figure, lear
ing against the doorway in an attitud
of habitual idleness, and gazing up an
down street as vacantly as mysel!
just as 1 became aware of his presencs
he took step forward and laid hi
hand rather unste adily upon the arr
of stout elderly gentleman, hurryin
by.
You're just the man Pm lookin
for, Governor" heard him say, draw
ing his victim into the entry; {" lust th
man, and no mistake"
els that so, Uncle Jack? It's tc
bad. I'm in tremendous hurry tn
morning. Wouldn't another time Go
wellT'
NO, sir" said his prosecutor, 50
emnly, balancing himself by the lappe
of his companions coat, looking hi
confdingly in the eye. "No, sir, time
money" he repeated with leisurely er
phasis; "an' man in my position can
afford to wait"
"Well, Uncle Jack" returned Il
other resignedly, "what is it now3'
It's just this, Governor" loweril
his voice to beery confidential VIII
per, it's just simply and solely shi
that I've struck it at last; struck
richer'n hi, and you're lucky man
" Indeed! Well, now, Pm great
obliged to you, uncle; Eve no doubt il
a big thing; can't you drop into t
Office and talk it over by-and-byY
No, sir" replied his tormentc
promptly, tightening his grasp a
crushing the tube-rose in his compa
ions button-hole until it sent its divi
fragrance toward me, "no, sir, do
do nothing O. that kind, an you dol
craw6sh out O. this thing in no su
style, Governor. I've had my eye
you, and the minute struck this Les
says | to myself, There amt none
my old pards that I'd rather set up
business than oil Governor Digb
that's what said, and you know wi
it means when Uncle Jack sets down
anything"
Evidently the Governor knew.
You'll want to put about ter tn,
sand into the concern, and in six wee