Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1880-12-30
.nddon dIseomature, when our tather eame


Mr.. Livingstone" said John Goodwin,
| "do you think it is safe to keep large sums
OF money 80 in your house? The country Ii
| oYerrun with tramps who are bold and des'
| perate enough to commit any crime, even
murder, to obtain such u sum of money al
| that"
Father laughed carelessly.
Fan is my banker, and she has always
kept the cash account correctly. But how
can help 1t, having now and then large
sums in the housep When we wish to buy
cattle or stock Of any kind, we can not always
go to the bank at themoment for money; we
must have 1t ready beforehand"
" Let us hope you will never have trouble
from doing sO,' said Mr.. Goodwin, gravely.
l put away the money, but could not help
feeling little disturbed at the grave, earn
est look John Goodwin gave me. But, then,
why feel disturbedP Here was a package OF
four thousand dollars, good sum-but had
not been custodian to five times that sum
and no harm resulted fromitH
90 In two weeks we shall leave the farm
and move into our new house, said our
father. "It is ready now; but new houses
are always damp, and we shall be safer in it
two weeks hence than now, And, Mr.. Good
win, while speaking Of money, have bought
small safe for the new house. Tam not
afraid to risk my money out here without a
safe, but in town you are not all Of you so
honest as we are in the country"
Lam really glad you have done it," he
said, and then added, 'schiefy for Miss Fam
ny's sake"
90 Poohl she don't feel any weight of re-
sponsibility. In fact, rather believe she is
rather proud of playing banker. Is it not
so, Fanp
was scarcely proud of the responsibility,
but was certainly not afraid of anV risk
ran, and / said so.
"Then 1 am afraid for you. Iwish you
were not banker" said John Goodwin, in
that same grave way, unusual with him.
Then the girl came to call us to dinner. /
remembered afteward that she suddenly
darted back out Of the room when she saw a
gentleman there. was little amused at
it, and thought it a bit of ludicrous modesty
on the part Of Sarah which her ordinary de-
meanOr did not quite warrant.
Then we went into the dining room. Sarah
had disappeared with sudden toOthache,
leaving Mary, 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 a little
Of himself and his career which was new to
us. He had at one time been prosecuting
in Chicago. While performing the
duties OF that office he had broken up and
sent to State-prison gang Of burglars
which had been terror to all honest citi-
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. i
"When even the women tried to kill me-"
said he, smiling as though it was only a
5ride, " 1 thought would conine myself to
practice and let some other ambiti- |
ous young lawyer take the fame and cOnse-
luences Of the public Office"
You take it lightly" said father, "and |
10 much the better" Mr.. Goodwin had risen |
low to go. ''When we are settled in town
We shall expect you to be more friendly and
tisit us often"
Then we all went out on the veranda, |
where the good-bys were said. John Good
vim mounted his horse and rode away. AS
We turned to go in, happened to look up at
he window of my own room, and was not a
little surprised at seeing through the light
uTtains the face of Sarah, evidently watch
ng the retreating form Of John Goodwin.
Sut what was she doing in my room2
As we crossed the hall Sarah came down
he stairs with her face tied up and smelling
owerfully Of camphOr.
"You we're engaged, Miss Fanny, and I
idn't like to trouble you, but took the
berty to use your camphOr bottle for my
0oth."
That explained her going to my room, and
yas, of course, satisfactory. Her toothache
Don disappeared, and the whole matter was
..s, :
| ought to have mentioned before that sis
9E Kate and l were joint mistresses of IA
a,,1a Inau 1Ofb io1 y1,oV, | ,
was only nine years old and Kate seven.
ince that time we had learned to forget that
rst bitter sorrow, and our father had un-
elfshly refrained from a second marriage
+" Kate is not pretty, although she is sauCy; {
le may marry; but Fan (myself) is too s
lain, quiet and Old-fashioned to get mar
ed There is no occasion for me to ever
link of marrying again, since I am certain s
always having good housekeeper." 8
This was frequent speech Of our fathers 8
"a little tantalizing, and possibly true; but Z
! of us hoped otherwise. For there is no S
ri or woman, however plain and unattrac- /
We she may be, but desires the honest, true {
We of some worthy man; and hopes on to
Ie end that she will receive it. 1t is not a. L
ing to be ashamed Oft is nature b
In due time we left the old house on the
rm for the new one in the city, taking with t
our servant girls, Mary, the cook, and
.rah, the house-girl. aGf . il
When one's whole life has been passed on C
farm, any change seems great one that n
ters life so as to leave out the simplicity v
i'd naturalness of the farm. Yet doubt If n
ere be equal and constant happiness else "
here as there is in rural life. il
The transition from an old house to new b
e requires good deal of perpleXing toll. v
10 proper adaptation of the household Fl
sasures and conveniences involves consul
lion, deep thought, and additional toll A h
moVal into new house must be a sort Of b
mestic calamity Yet when fairly domi- tt
ed beneath a new roof, it is very pleasant
receive and entertain the friends who ties. tc
Y their respect for you by visiting.
John Goodwin was now frequent visitor
our house. Father said he came to see RI
tie. She said he came to see me, What d.
or 1 may have really thought, l said that
visits seemed to be only friendly ones to m
, family. = && flt4 3&
)ne thing was certain, John GoOdWin's h
its were very pleasant; and no one was II
IRE welcome than he was. may say that d.
lch with prOpriety. A
No sooner were we settled in the new w
use than father was seized with one of sa
periodical cattle buying fits. We begged 70
him to rest a little and enjoy his ease, but be
vain In Illinois this desire to trade in w
tie becomes, like intemperance or the 70
urn habit, a mania. 2uW WI
Being custodian or banker for the money
ID in this cattle trade, l found the new to-
e mentioned before thing of great con- lit
lience. fol
ince this safe was destined to act a part hi
expected of it, description Of its lOCa- Of