The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-04-21

~ 70 enquire what the place he
oueb owned could be bought for.
-. Edgerton had taken the meth
ou#ooVe named to find out the views
Of Hoskins respecting the place; SC
coqtnient was he that Daniel Akin
WVHd come home a sober man, with
meney ia his pocket, that he had
yentured to purchase the place to
KeFp for him till his return. He
WF2te TO Akin, informing him what
hepad done, and about three months
aftRr he received a letter from him
stating that he had sent by exress
s9vp IN gold to a banker in New
YORK with orders to sell it and re-
M the proceeds to him, to 90 toward
the money for the farm.
Gold at that time commanded a
hlgh premium and the 5000 became
| SSf before they reached the hands OF
sfSf Edg6rton. Akinrequested him
TO draw up deed giving the whole
property to his wife, Mary, and to
have it duly recorded and left with
the register of deeds.
In his letter he said: "If per-
chance, / should break my resolu-
ton, / shall have secured a home for
my wife and children. | prefer, how
ever, that they should not know any,
thing OF this for the present. fl
live to comehome, I will give Mary
the deed withmy own hands if not
you can do it,, Now that the farm is
bought you had better stock it, for |
shall stick to my motto, "Not a drop
more, Daniel"
Another yearpassed away. BY this
time friend Edgerton had stocked the
farm with young cattle, the fences
were put in repair, and everything
but the house wore tidy appearance.
Anotherremittsnce came, which paid
for all the stock, and left an overplus
with which to repair the house. Car
penters were busy, and villagers who
happened to pass that way found that
extensive repairs were going on; still
no one presumed to question the
Quaker with respect to his plans.
These repairs completed, furniture
found its way into the house. A
yoke of oxen were seen on the farm.
The villagers were astonished to see
the Quaker drying an elegant horse,
riding in new buggy. He received
this short note one day.
81 have arrived all safe and sound.
pe2s,r- go and get Mary ana the chill
dren."
Friend Edgerton rode over to the
next town, called on Mary'S father,
and invited her and the children to
90 home with him and make a visit.
The invitation was accepted, and they
returned with the Quaker to his
house. On the afternoon of the next
day he said
"Mary, want to go to the railroad
station. Thee and the children can
stay with Amy"
He went down to the station and
fetched Daniel, and left him at his
own house. where he had previously
conveyed soIde provisions, and where
he was to pass the night. 1t was dark
when friend Edgerton reached his
home.
Next morning friend Edgerton said
to Mary:
"Mary, / suppose thee has heard |
haye bought thy old place l have
got it fitted up, and thee and thy
children shall ride over after break
fast and see it. / think thee will like
it,"
They rode over, and Mary was sur
prised to see the changes which had
taken place. They looked over the
lower rooms and over the mantle
piece in the sitting. room was a frame,
and under the glass, in large gold let
ters, were the words: mot a drop
more, Daniel"
Mary, on reading these words,
said: "Oh, friend Edgerton, if Daniel
could avesaid these words and stuck
to them, this beautiful place might
haye been his"
"Then thee don't know where
Daniel is," said the Quaker.
mo, have not heard anything of
him for more than three years."
"Thee would like to see him, would
thee not ?"
"Oh, yes indeed, should"
AS they went up the front stairs,
Daniel slipped down the back ones,
and took his stand in the front room.
When they returned Mrs. AIKEN no.
ticed a stalwart man standing in the
room with his back to the door, and
started back for an instant. The
Quaker said: "It is a friend, Mary"
Daniel turned around but in the