The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1881-10-28
collect something due the Governme Mt

Friends sitting by. who knew that at
times since then he had been as poor as
the church mouse. began to offer aid,
as they saw his face take on the air of
reflection.
But Isaac rose up slowly, scratching
his head. stepped behind rough board
partition, reached under an old lounge
on which he {" bunked'' at night, and
drew forth q small homemade pine
chest. From among q IS mess O. traps
inside it. he tished strong cloth pouch
and returned to his seat.
elbow much. Mr.. Oldsmith, do you
say is due?"
"Sixteen dollars and eighty-four
cents"
Isaac began counting out silver and
copper coins of all sorts amid the pro-
foundest silence of all men and things
but himself and the g chink." Though
the spectators were few the excitement
was intense, but suppressed till the last
cent in the pouch had raised the pile on
the table to sixteen dollars and eighty
four cents.
Then there arose an applause that
was fair glory for q lifetime. Every
body shook hands with Isaac, and
called half the village in to feed the
ovation.
But one thought hurt lsaac-that any
friend should have feared he hadn't
kept the money. There it was, the
identical contents of the cash-box of
the defunct postoffice.
His model reply to their surprise was,
~ never spend anybody's money but my
| 0Un."
These are samples of an integrity that
is royal in boy or man-the mosaic of
manhood. But he closed his labors as
a grocer with display of another
quality equally royal.
Lennon" said his partner, after
the store was closed one night. ''there's
a heap o. profit in bar'l O. whisky,
more'n all the rest we sell. Let's git
one an keep her on tap ahind the
counter! Woi dye say?"
mo" said Isaac, in capitals. IL
think too much of myself, and don't
hate anybody else bad enough to 90
into that all-killing business! Ny
Mother taught me better when I was a
little shaver; and all I've seen of it
since has been on Mothers side"
"Oh! One o. them air high-moral
mother fellows, eh! Wished I knowed
it sooner"
"You may still have all the profit of
that knowledge, Mr.. Blakeslee. The
man who makes sport of wise and gen.
tie mother influence, can hardly hope
or wish long to share in business with.
Ill throw in the four months I've spent
here, and you may take all the stock
and pay all the debts"
"Agreedr' said Blakeslee, with alac-
rity:
The dissolution was full of danger to
Isaac, since Whisky was to take his
place as partner to Blakeslee. and the
debts. amounting to $1,000. stood in the
name of the firm.
Shortly after this Isaac went off as
Captain to the Blackhawk war. And
on his return he found that Blakeslee
had been his own largest customer at
the whisky barrel, that most other GUS
toners had forsaken him, and that he
had put almost everything into that
barrel but the debts of the old firm.
They were still visible.
Isaac saw this mountain of liabilities,
and had only pluck and honesty to OPP
pose to them-a good deal, by the way.
Creditors called, and he smiled.
"But," said he, gentlemen, give me
time, and I'll pay in full if IT takes my
whole life. It's right, but it is large
lesson in hard money to me-"
He loosely called it his National
debt, and went to work for its extin-
guishment. His war popularity soon
made him County Surveyor, his self
made mathematics being the best in the
county. Then he was sent to the Leg
islature for two terms, and both times
made the round trip of two hundred
miles on foot. hired a cheap room.
boarded himself on twenty-five cents
of the four dollars he received for each
day, and wore clothes to match-all
that he might save his salary and pay
his National debt"
A'sd he did.
He practiced this rigid economy, not
only without loss of respect but with the
increased esteem of all who knew him.
Ihave already introduced you to Isaac
in law Office. You would know, of
course. that he and Principle always
rode one horse to court. But. says his
early bar companions, who is still among
us:
IL. was good for nothing in a bad
cause. He had no heart for it. And he
never espoused such cause knowing
ly. He was always ready to help mis-
fortune; always willing to let wrong
suffer punishment. Having never al
lowed himself to argue that wrong was
right his mind remained pure and
strongly in love with right, and the Ma
ton got the benefit of it"
And now, boys, you'll say I've TESTED
with you. So have, in one point.a as some
of you may have guessed. There's a
deal in a name. But the sweet kernel
of the Jest lies in the truth of my history.
in-disguise; for the only mistake lies in
the name of my hero, which instead Of
Isaac Lennon, is Abraham Lincoln
James Clement ambrose, in Wide AWGke.
Charles Seymour. commonly called
the proud Duke of Somerset, who was
one of the chief figures in the pageants
and politics of six reigns. would never