Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1884-11-13

Diack the Wnlte OF our eye. She ii
take to those darling children as though
nothing had happened. You can't con-
ceive how anxious she is to get back to
them. And there's no other impedi-
ment. That's q comfort.
4.Another impeachment would have
| upset you rather. -
Il couldn't have put up with that. -
MIR. Fitzwalker Tookey looked very
grave and high-minded as he made the
assertion. But there's nothing of that
kind. It's all open sailing. Now, what
are we to live upon. just for a begin
ninga"
ssYou have means out there
'.Not as things are at present, I am
sorry to say. To tell the truth, my
third share of the old Stick-in-the- Mud
is gone. Ihad to raise money when it
was desirable that i should come with
you.'' 50
"Not on my account" +
"And then did owe something. At
any rate, it's all gone now. I should
find myself stranded at Kimberley with
out red cent"
''What can do?''
''Well, Twill explain. Poker & Hodge
will buy your shares for the sum named.
Joshua Poker. who is out there, has got
my third share. Poker & Hodge have
the money down, and when I have ar
ranged the sale, will undertake to give
me the agency at one per cent on the
whole take for three years certain.
That'H be FL, 900 a year, and its odd if
| can't find myself again in that time. y
Gordon stood silent, scratching his head.
''Or if you give me the agency on the
- i L. :. Al
don't care a straw for Poker & Hodge"
81 dare say not"
'.But you'd find me as true as steel."t
''What little good did at the Fields
L did by looking after my own bust
ness t -. ~
.sThen what do you propose? Let
Poker Il Hodge have them, and l shall
bless YOU for ever" To this mild ap-
peal Mr.. Tookey had been brought by
the manner in which John Gordon had
scratched his head. 81 think you are
bound to do it, YOU know" To this he
was brought by the subsequent look
which appeared in John Gordon's eyes.
81 think not"
..Men will say so.'
81 don't care straw what men say,
or women"
y
ship with me and my wife! You
couldn't do it. The Fields wouldn't
receive you" Gordon bethought him.
self whether this imagined rejection
might not arise rather from the char
acte of his travelling companions. s'To
bring back the mother of three little
sainted babes, and then to walk in upon
every shilling of property which had
belonged to their father! You never
could hold up your head in Kimberly
again." @ss, go z,z
II should have to stand abashed be-
fore your virtuep" -
Eyes, you would. | should be known
to have come back with my poor re-
pentant wife, the mother of three dear
babes. And she would be known to
have returned with her misguided hus-
band. The humanity of the Fields
would not utter a word of repIoval to
either of us. But, upon my word. l
should not like to stand in your shoes.
And how you could sit opposite to her,
and look her in the face on the journey
out, 1 don't know"
at would be unpleasant.
''Deuced unpleasant, / should say.
You remember the old Roman saying:
Never be conscious of anything within
your own BOSOM Only think how
you would feel when you were swelling
it about in Kimberly. while that poor
lady won't be able to buy a pair of
boots for herself or her children. say
nothing about myself. l didn't think
you were the man to do it didn't t, iu-
deed" q
Gordon did find himself novel by
the diversity of lights through which
he was made to look at the circum-
stances in question. In the first place,
there was the Journey back with Mr..
Tookey and his wife-companions he
had not anticipated. The lady would
probably begin by soliciting his init
macy, which on board ship be could
hardly refuse. With fellow-passen-
ger, whose husband has been your part
ner, you must quarrel bitterly or be
warm friends. Upon the whole, he
thought that he could not travel to
South Africa with Mr.. and Mrs. Fitz-
walker Tookey. And then he under
stood whatthe mans tongue would do
if he were there for month in adj
vance. The whole picture of life, too,
at the Fields was not made attractive
by Mr.. Tookev's description. He was
not afraid of the reception which might
be accorded TO Mrs. Tookey, but saw
that Tookey found himself able to
threaten him with violent evils, simply
because he would claim his own. Then
there shot across his brain some remi-
niscence of Mary Lawrie, and a COM
parison between her and her life and
the sort of life which ae man must
lead under the auspices of Mrs. Tookey.
Mary Lawrie was altogether beyond his
reach; but it would be better to have
her to think of than the other to know.
His idea of the diamond fields was dis
turbed by the promised return of mis-
late partner and his wife.
land you mean to reduce me to this
misery?n asked Mr. Tookev.
i don't care a straw for your mis-
ery.'
what!
Not for your picture of your misery.
do not doubt but that when you have
been there for month you will be
drunk as often as ever. and just as free
with your fists when woman comes in
your way.a'
s.Neveri''
'.And l do not see that am at all bound
to provide for you and for your wife and
children. You have seen many ups and
downs. and will be doomed to see many
more, as long as you can get hold of
bottle of wine"
II mean to take the pledge-I do, in
deed. must do it gradually, because
OF my constitution; but l shall do it,
It don't in the least believe in it; nor
do L believe in any man who thinks to
redeem himself after such fashion. 1t
me- -,S.1 l<~, l.