The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1884-12-25

displayed by her partner.
at don't seem as though I'm SO
terrible careless of money an tender
hearted" unused Absalom-s'though
when I foreclosed an turned Jake
Smith offsn his place / couldn't sleep for
some time. I'd a right to; the law was
on my side; but 1 had money enough,
though Polly was determined. Lucky |
l did it, though, cause the property riz
to more'n twice what twas wuth before,
so that I sold il an made most a thou
sand dollars clean profit.
Absalcm muttered these words over
to himself, and somehow they caused a
pang to shoot through his not altogether
callOus heart. Before his eyes rose a
vision of (. pale-faced weary man,
harassed by creditors, burdened with a
sick family, seemingly a mere football
of fate, and then he strove to quiet his
uneasy conscience again.
ssS'posen the land had fallen off an
hadn't riz, wouldn't / a lost! Didn't I
have to take my chances?" but the
| specter would not down.
He went into the kitchen where Polly
| was preparing for Christmas, which
| time-honored holiday was only couple
| of days distant: She put the rolling-pin
away and busted the flour from her
hands. ssHow did that contract read
| about haulin' the barkp" she asked.
"Well," returned Absalom, dropping
into a chair and covering down as
| though the subject were a very painful
one, II wuz to have it all hauled by the
middle of January"
Want there a forfeitp" sharply
queried the wife.
Eyes, there wuz, - he returned, some
what reluctantly. 81 wuz to pay 5000
eff it want delivered by that time. But
I don't b'lieye Mr.. Case'n make me pay
it."
He shifted uneasily in his chair and
she went on about her work. She turned
to him again in a few moments.
"You didn't lose nothin' on that
Smith place, anyway" she said, as
though she did not consider him as alto
gether deficient in shrewdness. "'Twas
a nightly lucky thing for you that the
railroad was put through; it jest helped
you out"
He made no answer. He felt himself
to be the weaker vessel, and he arose
and went out to attend to some chores.
The next day it cleared of, and Christ
mas came as fair and smiling as could
be desired, though the ground lacked
that feecy covering without which the
holiday seemed unnatural in the Pine
Tree State.
Early in the forenoon a black-robed
figure came up to the door of Absalom
Strong's domicile; a tremulous knock
sounded upon the panel, and the man
of the house ushered in the Widow
Mason.
She threw back her veil, while Mr..
Strong chewed his shaggy whiskers and
waited. At length she spoke:
81 know this is not an altogether
proper day to come on a business err
rand; but I heard that you had a cow
that you wished to sell-one that would
give milk all winter. My cow was in
jured so that she died"
$50 I heered," returned Absalom,
drumming on the window. pane with
his fingers; 81 did have one that 1
thought some of %sellin'; but I think I'll
keep her; she's the best creeter for milk
/ yer see."
81 am sorry; 1 had hoped that you
would let me have one, and give me
time to pay for it. My oldest boy will
work away from home this winter if
the weather gets cold enough and snow
comes. Then you couldn't really let me
have her?" There was a pleading
earnestness in the woman's voice that
moved the man more thar he you'd have
deemed possible.
Il would like to Accommodate va
he began, and then Polly stalked into
the room.
"Absalom Strong she said, grimly,
''don't ye go an make a fool of y'rseli
agin. It's flynn into the face of Provi.
dence to take such resks as you do
Then she turned to Mrs. Mason. "Ain't
you able to work; can't We find nothin'
to doP"
The pale face of the woman flushed
81 suppose I can," she answered. 81
have been helping MI. Smiths folks
, His wife and children are miserable
ands1 helped them what time I had te
spare"
J Didn't they pay ye nothin'P" queried
Polly.
81 suppose they would have paid me, ,
: returned the other; ''but Mr.. Smith il
t all worn out, and is not able to worl
f now himself so I must wait for m,
"Is't Jake SmithP". asked Absalom
1 who had been listening to the CONVEX
. sation.
Eyes, sir" answered Mrs. Mason.
Mr.. Strong wriggled about in hi
chair. I'm sorry fer jake" he NUT
/ tered.
A sharp CLEAN came into the eyes O
Polly, and, as the widow arose and lef
the house, she whispered to her hus
e band: Don't be an old fool.n
I Absalom was about to reply, but a
e this moment wagon wheels ratified owe
the icy road and a man drew rein at hi
door. 1t was Mr.. Case, with whom h
had made the ba~rk-hauling contract.
.'Well," said the owner of the tan
y merry, as he was ushered into the UMPIRE
tentious sitting-room, II came to Sc
about that bark business"
Again. Absalom Strong became III
easy, this time with more reason tina,
before, a he well knew that, judgin
from present appearances, he would b
g unable to fill his contract. But h
waited in silence for the other to max
known his errand.
e Mr.. Case seemed at a loss for words
At length he broke the silence: '.Yo
] haven't done much toward hauling tn
r bark yet, have youPn
mo, I hain't," answered Absalom.
e what I wanted to ask was whethe
or no you wouldn't like to throw up tn
1 job"
Absalom was about to jump at tn
e offer when Mrs. Strong stopped hin
: with an imperative gesture.
"What do you want the job throwe
$ up for?" she asked, as her husban
closed his c%avernous mouth withou
e speaking.
e ''Well, I'll tell you,n answered MI
Case a little nervously, for he did nc
fancy the Intervention of the SHARP
featured woman, my tannery wa
burned last night, and I am thinkin;