The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-05-13
TOM coRNTHwAIr's LUCK.

TOM C0RNTHWAlTSlUCK.
Mr.. Cornthwait returned sadly to his
home in the upper portion of the city
late one Saturday evening, inwardly
berating his luck, as he was pleased to
term 1t. He was fortunately Inc posses
sor Of a .sood,t tcheerfui little wife, who
tried by every means in her power to
smooth the many obs acles from her
husbands path, and when Toms luck
was especially down on him, would by
her own sunny example infuse fresh
spirit into him, and start him out for
new struggle with life, fully invigorated.
If any one had asked Tom what his
means OF gaining q Livelihood were, it
He himself had said that he believed he
had done everything under the sun,
except, possibly, work in water factory
lie always vent into every Undertaking
with zeal that knew no abatement-
for sometimes as long as two weeks to-
gether; and then something or other
would come up which looked to him as
though there were millions in it," and
the ardor would forthwith be transfer.
red to the new scheme, and the former
one be put behind him to join the long
array ct the ghosts Of those which had
Tom was athorough good fellow in
every regard-at least so his friends all
said-and every one who knew Tom was
his friend. No one ever said hard
word about him; new acquaintances,
after the second or third meeting, called
him Tom, and he seemed hurt if any one
addressed him as Mr.. Cornthwait.
On the particular evening in question,
Tom was grieyiously disappointed. He
had for the past few days been endeav-
oring TO end a purchaser for sheep
ranch at four sections of land ON the
Brazos-River, in Texas, with the promise
OF q large commission in the event of
the coDsummation of the sale. Toms
acquaintances were legion, but among
them all he found not one who was en-
thusiasic on the subject of shecp-rais-
ing, but he did accidentally hear of q
man who had s)me idea of entering up.
on that industry, and him he sought.
Tom painted the rarch in the most
glowing colors, assured the prospective
wool-grower that the grazing was luxu.
rious the whole year round, and there
was no necessity for sheds in winter, the
price OF labor was merely nominal, q
railroad had been surveyed through the
southeast corner Of the southern section
and to- sum up in few words, it wa,
almost a criminal act to allow the Cd
PIrtunity TO purchase such a paradise
for sheep to escape him. The gentle
man seemed as eager to purchase as Tom
q was to sell, and hardly made an effort
TO reduce the terms from the Original
figures at which Tom had offered it. In
fact, 1t was Just what he was looking for
and he would have purchased it at once
or after the examination of the title hac
been made, were IL not for the fact thai
he was waiting to hear from another
party, who was about buying from him
large farm in the interior Of the State
the preliminaries of which were nearly
or not quite concluded, and would be sc
to certainty on Saturday next, and hs
beg red Tom almost piteously to offer il
to no one else before that time. Ton
was In ecstacies, aud looked upon tn,
close OF bargain as foregone conclu
sion. He was radiant as he went hom,
that night, and he and Bessie sat dowr
and expended o large share of the com
mission on the spot in their minds
They put down a new parlor carpet
and put the shabby parlor carpet in tn,
kitchen; had new dining room chairs
Bessie had new black silk and Tom
like the "ohenb, |" an entire rev suit o
clothing, ibclndirg boctx and hat, an,
the two lehndfen were Aarfayed gor
geously. -------'''--'''--'- -''--- -
The fateful saturday ssrriNd, an
Tom, with heart elate, vent to NEE
the eager pprphascr, but found In hi
stead a shortnote saying that he ha
been called to Chicago on business, an
would not hs-ahie toEstQFus before q
lapse OF q nGnth, and rs .fho sale Of n
farm had nd - yen been conpleted, \
felt that he hid no tight w keep W.
other purchaser for the sheep rancf
who might arise, out Of that property.
Poor Toni "a he said aftein6rd h
nearly tainted away and stepped in it.
And thatsis Why Tom was beratiug hi
luck on the Saturday night in question
He knew that Bessie would syrnpathi7
and condole with him, but tbet woul
not buy carpsts and 6lo(hf1n and e
the coal bin. and al ~ r16t sof /
Bessie's face Wa ~ the WfndcWj emd b
fore Tom couH - ~ latch ~ 6ut
his pocket the q - M oponed and
was being hufxed - iAe most a1Isetiona'
way. @1*fFN4t 4 s 4.&I
"Tom," said Besaie, N you could ~
for the life of you guess who is n u
house this minutel Uncle GeorKef "a
he has asked me ever 10 MANY otIesfjor
about you, and he has come home
stay, and ne is % brown Il did not kno
him and, in fact, Why should I, when
have not seen him for twelve years?v a
In breath, f4K Ia M
Tom was ever 70 glad that some ou
was there 90 that he would pot ;hovpf
tell Bessie "a his failure 10 te&1lS u
large commission at once, and WenS
10 be introduced TO Uncle Georee, wi
was the only brother of Bessie's fi1othe
and whom Tom had never seen. ~ h
He had served In the hue war, A
after passing through many vicissituds
had drifted to California and ifro
there to Australia, where fortune b
been favorable 10 him, and he had cor
70 the land of his birth to spend the !
mainder of his days. Tom found hi
hale, bluff gentleman Of about fift
wonderfully we'll informed, and .,
fectly willing to talk of all the maj
adv stures he had passed through. 4
last enterprise which had engaged
attention while in Australia was she