Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1884-07-03

money for my first speculation. I in.
tend buying q log with it and some oi
my own savings.
".Ah!' he laughed, 4 told you il
would come to your rivaling us in the
end. Now that you have told me sc
much, tell me little more. WHY are
not we to buy this Logo
".Because. sir, it is the only one IN
my experience I ever was doubtful
about, and / could not think Of allow.
ing you, after all your kindness to me.
/ to run any risk. And now, sir. have
! to ask you for an additional favor. win
you allow that log to be cut for me in
your yard?'
'.Mr. Marston said he would be happ,
to do so, and went away with sense
of heavy responsibility and gratitude
too deep for words.
That day I bought the unpromisine
piece of timber for E265. and the mex
day it was in Marston's yard, in FROM
of the great circular eighteen foot saw.
"Watkins could scarcely restrain his
laughter, and really believe that, hui
for the sake of old friendship, he WOULD
have treated me with open scorn. But
! at the bottom of his rough nature there
was good deal Of kindliness which he
took great care to- conceal. So that
after the first surprise at my purchase
he tried rather to encourage than de.
press me, and said that perhaps the LOG
would not prove SO badly as he had
supposed. And you know he said,
sin any case we shall be able to let YOU
have at least half your money for the
stuff when it is cut up. However queer
! it may turn out, we can either work il
up ourselves or sell it.
cat last the great saw was started,
and Watkins and stood by to watch
the result. The first and second leaf
came off, and discovered nothing but a
dark center line running down the
whole length. The third showed a
thickening and blurring of this line.
The fourth was broader, and still more
blurred. The same characteristic ap-
peared increased in the fifth The sixth
and seventh revealed the markings
broadening and assuming something
like definite shape AG the eighth
the grain took a sharper outline. We
/ were now two inches into the wood.
1.-TWO sixty-five you gave for it, ,
said Watkins. Come, I don't like to
see you loose your money. That is,
half it, ] mean. I'll give you zoo for
the log
81 shook my head and said, No. Go
on 1 felt excited. My misgivings
were fading away, and I began to have
a tremu}ous anticipation of triumph
We went on for another inch. 8 Now
there could be no doubt. A regular
pattern was gradually unfolding itself {
"Pll give you three hundred for it, ,
said Watkins.
ono cried. I'll keep my luck,
good or bad
cat that time, I felt my future was
in the balance. If, as we went on, the
leaves would be worth a small fortune.
AS it was. and supposing the pattern
did not develop, the wood was of much
more value than the money l had given
for it.
cat this point some one called Wat
kins away, and he did not return until
six inches had been cut into leaves. |
! was now in state OF tumultuous excite
ment. Not only had what may call
the design expanded and taken sharper
any doubt that the baulk was, in my re-
gard, benignant freak of nature. For
it revealed what, in lieu of any other
way Vi cApiOSoiAS IL, Ady C<tII d uCCO-
rative treatment of the acanthus leaf.
the entire length of the grain, begin
ending about an eighth from the other.
"sWhat do you think of it now?'
cried triumphantly to Walk MS.
)" It's wonderful, he said. IT'S the
finest thing of the kind ever saw.
l. fxrys1 hot
paid, What do you sayp 1t isn't every
on one transaction So
"'pll keep my luck cried, I'D
keep it, however 1t may turn out.
'Wa atkins once more went away. /
was in too great fever of element
to heed his action, but afterward 1
learned he then. sent messenger for
Mr.. Marston. In short time the old
man came bri ky into the yard.
$50, young Bayliss, he said, i hear
you have had a wonderful stroke of
fIuck with the log. 'Ohh he cried, en-
lthusiast cally, it's beauty! Upon
my life, it beauty! viii you sell it
las it stands?'
al shook my head. Mr. Watkins
has been good enough, answered, to
|offer me five hundred and thirty, double
what gave for it, but I'd rather not
take the money, sir, if you don't
mind
8. .Pooh!' cried the old man. 3rll
make it seven hundred and fifty. Eli?
Will you take seven hundred and
MyP'
E.By this time we had got a third
through; and leaf by leaf the pattern
nd grown in diameter and richness of
design. For a moment / wavered.
Here was chance of making f4S5
without any risk whatever. Yet still !
was 10th to part with that log, said
I'd myself, after a moment struggle:
.inkl or swim, will keep it.. Then
abuds AS soon as it is all cut you
shall have it, if you like, at what you.
nay sons der fair price
+Iw will not trouble you with any fur
tier "details beyond telling you that cut
ting bitter cutting a ded to the value OF
! nv purchase, and that by the time the
grea saw passed through that wood
/ finaE Mr.. Marston had said to me: ST
is W nth every penny of fifteen hundred
pou5ds, and you can have fifteen hum
dredpounds for it, if that will satisfy
youi :,
Il .4closed with the old man there and
the5 hurried out of the yard, and, TAX
& ingi cab, drove straight with the news
4 to lne. A
That was the beginning of my good
forfne. The next and greatest good
lu& that came to me was my wife.
SHE we were married we have pros.
pekd beyond my most ardent hope o.