The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-01-08
udden discontinue, when our father came

then sat down to join in the pleasantly.
" MIR. Livingstone" said John Goodwin,
do you think it is safe to keep large sums
OF money so in your house? The country is
oVerrun with tramps who are bold and des-
perate enough to commit any crime, even
murder, to obtain such a sum of money as
that.o
Father laughed carelessly.
Fan is my banker, and she has always
kept the cash account correctly. But how
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"
" Let us hope you will never have trouble
from doing so,' said Mr.. Goodwin, gravely.
I.put away the money, but could not help
feeling little disturbed at the grave, earn
why feel disturbed? Here was package OF
four thousand dollars, good sum-but had
l not been custodian to five times that sum
and no harm resulted fromit?
60 In two weeks we shall leave the farm
and move into our new house,, said our
father. at is ready now; but new houses
are always damp, and we shall be safer in 1t
tive weeks hence than now. And, Mr.. Good
win, while speaking Of money, Ihave bought
a small safe for the new house. / am not
afraid to risk my money out here without
safe tbut in town you are not all OF you so
honest as we are in the country"
=" am really glad you have done it, he
said, and then added, "chiefiy for Miss Fan
ny's sake"
g 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, Fan?"
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. /
remembered afteward that she suddenly
darted back out of the room when she saw a
gentleman there. / was q 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 little
of himself and his career which was new to
us. He had at one time been prosecuting
attorney in Chicago. While performing the
sent to State-prison gang OF burglars
which had been a terror to all honest cit1-
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 a
trile, I" l thought l would confine myself to
ordinary practice and let some other ambiti-
Gus young lawyer take the fame and conse-
quences of the public office"
"You take it lightly" said father, "and
so much the BETTER" Mr.. Goodwin had risen
now to go. "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 yeranda,
where the good-bys were said. John Good
win mounted his horse and rode away. As
we turned to go in, l happened to look up at
the window of my own room, and was not a
little surprised at seeing through the light
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
powerfully of camphor
"You were engaged, Miss Fanny, and 1
didn't like to trouble you, but 1 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 was
forgotten.
l ought to have mentioned before that sis
ter Kate and L were joint mistresses Of IA
theirs house. Our dear mother died when
l was only nine years old and Kate seven.
Since that time we had learned to forget that
first bitter sorrow, and our father had I'M
selfishly refrained from a second marriage.
"Kate is not pretty, although she is saucy;
she may marry; but Fan (myself) is too
plain, quiet and old fashioned to get mar
ried. There is no occasion for me to ever
think Of marrying again, since l am certain
of always having good housekeeper."
This was frequent speech of our fathers
"a little tantaliZing, and possibly true; but
all of us hoped otherwise. For there is no
girl or woman, however plain and unattrac-
tive she may be, but desires the honest, true
love of some worthy man; and hopes on to
the end that she will receive it. 1t is not q
thing to be ashamed Oft is nature.
In due time we left the old house on the
farm for the new one in the city, taking with
us our servant girls, Mary, the cook, and
Sarah, the house-girl.
When one's whole life has been passed on
a farm, any change seems great one that
alters life so as to leave out the simplicity
there be equal and constant happiness else
where as there is in rural life.
The transition from an old house to new
one requires q good deal of. perpleXing toll.
The proper adaptation of the household
treasures and conveniences involves CONSUL
taton, deep thought, and additional toll. A
removal into a new house must be a sort of
domestic calamity. Yet when fairly domi-
cied beneath new roof, it is very pleasant
to receive and entertain the friends who tes-
tify their respect for you by visiting.
John Goodwin was now frequent visitor
at our house. Father said he came to see
Kate. She said he came to see me. What
ever may have really thought, l said that
his visits seemed to be only friendly ones to
the family.
One thing was certain, John Goodwin's
visits were very pleasant; and no one was
more welcome than he was. / may say that
much with propriety.
No sooner were we settled in the new
house than father was seized with one Of
his periodical cattle-buying fits. We begged
of him to rest little and enjoy his ease, but
in vain. In Illinois this desire to trade in
cattle becomes, like intemperance or the
opium habit, mania.
Being custodian or banker for the money
used in this cattle trade, l found the new
safe mentioned before thing of great con-
venience.
Since this safe was destined to act part
not expected of it, description of its loca-
ton will serve to make more clear what is
to follow.
In the sitting upstairs, was large
but narrow closet This safe was placed at
the further end Of the closet. Being Of the
same width as the closet, some woodwork,
added after the safe was in place, fastened