The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1883-09-26
ToBIT CLUKE,s BARGAIN.

TOBIT CLUKE'S BARGAIN.
Muckledrumlie : some Scotchman
must have christened twas no place
for man whose eye-teeth were uncut.
The people, as a class, were of the
wide-awake type; and if, now and
then, one among them was caught
mapping, his condition, on waking, was
very apt to suggest that Solomon's in
junction, Give not sleep to thine eyes
nor slumber to thine eyelids," was
specially designed for the meridian of
Muckledrumlie.
They were sharp traders, the Muckle-
drumlians. Indeed, Joe Jawtry used
to say a couple of them could sit down
to quiet bargain and rise up each a
hundred dollars richer without a cent
of money passing-a mode of produc-
ing wealth which Adam Smith and the
rest of them have forgotten to mention
in their books. But Joe's opinion of
his fellow-townsmen may have been q
little warped by his own experience.
He was an old I.s forty MINER" who had
returned from California with a snug
little pile, intending to spend it and the
rest Of his days peacefully in his native
town-meaning that the two, as nearly
as possible, should run out together.
But he hadn't been a month in Muckle-
drumlie before he was bargained out of
all he had-the bulk of it going, share
and share alike, to Nathan Sinch and
Tubal Tulkins, the two smartest "
men in the town.
About the poorest man in Muckle-
drumlie was Tobit Cluke. His sole
possession was "A patch of ground as
poor as himself. Part of it was stony
hillside, which the most graceless
vagrant of a weed would have dis
dained to take root in.
One day as Nathan Sinch chanced to
be skirting this sterile slope, his eye,
always on the lookout, spied Joe Jaw
try half way up. clinging with one
hand to the stump of a stunted crab
tree, which had died of sheer want. and
poking among the stones with the
other.
When Joe found that Nathan's eyes
were on him he slid down from his
perch like q 'possum from persimmon
bush, and was hurrying of, pretending
not to have seen Nathan, when the lat
ter called out:
Hello. neighborl-what was you
peekin' into up therep"
/ q. N-nothin', much,h stammered Joe
~ ging his head and looking fiustered
And that was all that could be got
from him in spite of Nathan Sinch''
questions, which was neither few moi
far between. Joe pleaded pressing
business and took hasty leave.
What can that chap be up TOP" sait
Nathan, with perplexed scratch of the
head. He was half inclined to scram
BILE up and inspect for himself the spo
which had engaged Joe's attention; but
the ascent was steep. the day hot, AND
7 Nathan fat.
"Confound it, he muttered, "'tan'
nothin', nohow." And casting a wish
full look up at the crab-tree stump, h
sighed regretfully and waddled on.
Bright and early next day Joe paid
visit to Nathan.
"Mornin', Mr.. Sinch," he said
cordially.
"Mornin', Joe," returned the other
stiffiy, little miffed over his lat
baffled curiosity.
Joe Jawtry hemmed and cleared hi
throat with an embarrassed air. HI
wasn't commonly at loss for words; bu
there was plainly something workin,
on his understanding he wanted 3
say, but didn't know how to approach
.sDing it alli" broke out Nathan, hi
inquisitfveness fairly boiling over" ou
with it at once, and don't stand ther
hangin' back like a bound boy at
| frolicI''
"EI-" Joe began, but stuck fast
"Blurt it outr' exclaimed Nathan
bursting with impatience.
| "Pve come" said Joe, nerving him
4 oalf xx-sfh Of, Fort m osE ~ x-nrnf
lend me a thousand dollars-I mean o.
good security
Nathan Sinch opened his eyes. Wins
earthly security had Joe Jawtry to O.
fer for thousand dJllarsP Nathan
curiosity rose to white heat.
Fact is" continued Joe, in a myl
terious half whisper, "Ithink of maxim
Tobit Cluke an ofser for that bit o. hill
side o. his'n; an ef buy it I'll be viii
in to s'cure the loan by a NOR gidge o
the primises."
"Lend you a thousan' dollars to pr
in lobe Cluke's hillsidel well. that's
good unl-haI hal haI-an' take
NOR gidge on it for the moneyI-bettt
yetI-hoi hoi hoI Not much, eff N,
Sinch knows hisself Why, I'd like {
see the gasted fool as'd give thousan
cents for that stone-heapr
"H-shl'' cautioned Joe, "don
speak so loud. don't want tie thin
to git out. There's lots o. folks as'd
ready to snap it up at wunst eff the
only know'd what / know. There
Tubal Tulkins. for one, I've my doub
he half mistrusls already"
swell, I'm main sorry can't oblees
you," said Nathan-''not ef the s'curil
was ever so good. I'm dreadful skrin
o. money Jest now. These is tryil
times, YOU know, an wuss is comm, T.
afeard.''
Joe pleaded hard, but Nat Sinch WI
a man that could say no." and site
to it; so Joe went away empty-hande
and looking good deal chopfallen.
" "Ahap' cried Nathan. as soon as il
was out of hearing-"I know what
o'clock. It's plain enough now VIII
he was fumblin' round the old crs