Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1883-05-15
PARIS, MAINE TUESDAY. MAY Is, 1888

sir"
The light-eyed Swinton played wit
his watch chain nervously. An vi
sophisticated old woman-this being
solicitor for her patronage was nc
agreeable, but in business " very dis
agreeable things have sometimes to b
done.
"This deposit, then, was made for tn
benefit Of your son, Reuben. His deaf
was great loss to you; loss to tn
community. Reuben was full of lif
and enterprise. He would have made
public-spirited man. wish he were aliv'
now"
Artford Swinton's small, light eye
could detect weaknesses Artford Swim
tons quick apprehension and tact enab
led him TO work up those weaknesses fo
his own interests. When half hour latel
he passed out between the lilac clumps
he carried on his paper Uncle Liphalet'
bank book
"My hand trembles so hain't made
all the letter very good,' Uncle Lipha-
let had said, as he removed his specta-
cles and critically surveyed his labored
signature.
ave may trust you to take care of it
for us, sir; father and don't know any
thing about business" Aunt Dolly had
said, as she relinquished the precious lit
tie blue book.
Certainly, rely on mel do assure
you-I shall remember the circumstances.
Any favor that is my power to confer
Mr.. Swinton had said glibly.
Aunt Dolly stepped to the window
with her knitting, and watched the man
as he struck light for his cigar on her
gate-post. -.
" wish we hadn't done it, 'Liphalet,"
said she.
"Oh don't say so, Dolly, don't
Il don't like his eye, and for all he
talks so open and honest he seems to me
ike close man, man who keeps some
Thing back"
You mustn't keep prejudiced agin
him, Dolly, because he appears leetle
vain and flashy. Men amt now what
hey were in our days. He comes OF an
honest, obleeging kind Of family, and
they call him a very smart young man,
Dolly"
Time with its incidents and accidents
went on, and Aunt Dolly grew used to
thinking of Rube's money as in Swinton's
hands. The certificate Of stock in the
- Native Village Manufacturing Com
pany" was carefully laid away, and she
no longer spent sleepless nights over It,
nor sighed when the matter was men,
tioned.
The mill went up and the operatives
came real estate rose again, and the ma
tive village fourished. Uncle Liphalet
peddled out early potatoes, sweet corn,
and mutton by the quarter and Arttord
Swinton, though he had president and
directors and clerks, and Heaven only
knows what else around him, was The
Company, and smoked cigars-the best
brand or none-gave the company's notes
and forever stroked the foxy -colored NOUS
tache. While he carried on the cotton
he did still more flourish.
ing business in the manufacture of facts.
He heaped facts upon facts on the head
of the president until he smothered that
gentleman in facts; he piled bales OF
facts before the directors until they
couldn't see over the pile; he threw facts
into the eyes of the stockholders until
they were stone blind he gave banks
and creditors security of facts, and his
friends quafFed nepenthe of facts in the
social glass. Days when croqueting was
dull, the books were fixed" Book
keeping, once science, designed to show
the pecuniary standing Of individuals and
companies, now became an easy and eco
nomical method of fixing" things. Now
and then a dividend was declared, and
the stream that turned the mill glittered
in the sun like the river Pac,olus. I'm
Gle 'Liphalet put greenbacks into the
contribution-b box, and thanked the Lord
daily that He was giving him increase of
substance.
Then there began to be haze in the
air through which had glittered the river
Pactolus. Swinton said it was smoke
from the Boston fire. 1t grew denser and
denser.
"Smoke from that - Boston fire !;
wind blows it this way, yet" said Swim
ton, between the puffs of his cigar
But smoke has an unpleasant effect on
mems eyes. and meeting after meeting
was held to devise measures to get rid OF
it. Uncle 'Liphalet, at these meetings,
sat silent and trembling, listed to talk
that he could no more understand than
the gatherings of Choctaws, and he was
shown statements that he could no more
comprehend than the inscriptions on the
Pillar of Pompey. The Man of Facts
lounged in an attitude of such elegance
as men are wont to assume when by them
selves, aud agreed with everybody, as.
sured everybody, was for putting this
thing through and offered his facts fol
this latter purpose with astounding liber-
ality. Alack the Swinton cigar smoke
thought rose gracefully and curled around
the heads of the stockholders, naturally
mingled with the smoke of the Boston
fire, and mems visions became more and
more obscured.
All at once Swinton was off 70 Europe
for purposes of self elf-culture-perhaps the
man needed it. Then were his layers ot
facts, his dividends in paper, his divi'
dends in money pushed aside. o, "
gods. what sight met the gaze of men