Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-07-25
out I was more disturbed than discour.

but I was more disturbed than discour-
aged. l could not get out of my mind
ina there was some secret hidden in
ina log. l lay awake half the night
thinking of it. When / slept I dreamed
tina Marston s. Co. boug CHIT it on my
recommendation, that it turned out
oaoly, and that my old employers told
me they would have nothing further to
DO with me, and bade me goodbye for
ever. Next morning. when l awoke. I
was still more unsettled in my mind
than had been the previous evening.
L need not say that 1 attached no i'm
Portance to my dream. But still my
dream helped me to ono determine
ton. resolved not to urge the pur-
chase of the mahogany upon Marston
y Co; Then, after long and careful
thought, | made up my mind as to the
course l should adopt. l went to the
city and sought my old employer. 1
said to HIM:
"When I was leaving you, sir, more
than o year ago, you We're kind enough
to say you would lend me 100 or 200
pounds. if I wanted it, to start me in
business. If you have the same con-
1dence in me now as you had then,
L would feel very much obliged to
you indeed for the loan OF the money!
"Ihe old man pushed his spectacles
up on his forehead, and looked at me
for a moment in silence. 'Bayliss, 1
nave just the same contidencein you as
ever. You can have the money with
| rIn0prro TNlo- ,,o,l :,,cAs,~ - $685.
tacles, he continued: To show how
much I trust you l will not even ask
you What you intend doing with the
money. Wait moment.' He took out
a check-book, filled a check up for
f2oO, and handed it to me.
"My eyes were filled with tears of
gratitude at the kindly act of this good
old man, and for q moment or two /
could not trust myself to speak. As
soon as | was somewhat sure of the
steadiness OF my voice | said, 4 can
not thank you sufficiently, sir. I will!
not try. hope you may never be sorry
for this. and l hope you may never be
ashamed of me-
":I am sur I shall not, my dear
Bayliss; | am sure | shall not he said,
Will SCueIOuS SOOu utUGEC.
"'lt is only fair, sir, that I should
now tell you,' l said, that 1 want this
money for my first speculation. I in
tend buying a log with it and some OF
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 SO
much, tell me a little more. Why are
not we to buy this Logo
~"'Recause, sir, it is the only one in
my experience l aver was doubtful
about, and 1 could not think of allow
ing you, after all your kindness to me,
to run any risk. And now, sir, l have
to ask you for an additional favor. Will
you allow that log to be cut for me in
your yard"
"Mr. Marston said he would be happy
to do SO, and 1 went away with a sense
of heavy responsibility and gratitude
too deep for words.
THAT day 1 bought the unpromjsine
piece of timber for G265, and the mex
day it was in Marston's yard, in front
of the great circular eighteen-foot saw
"Watkins could scarcely restrain hi:
laughter, and I really believe that, bu
for the sake of old friendship, he would
have treated me with open scorn. Blu
at the bottom of his rough nature Their
was a good deal of kindliness which b.
took great care to conceal. So thai
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 hat
supposed. 'And you know he said
i'm any case we shall be able to let YOU
have at least half your money for thu
stuff when it is cut up. However quee.
up ourselves OF sell it.
SAT last the great saw was started
and Watkins and | stood by to watcl
the result. The first and second lea:
came of, and discovered nothing but
dark center line running down the
whole length. The third showed 6
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 q definite shape. At the eighth
the grain took a sharper outline. We
were now two inches into the wood.
1.-TWO sixty-fve you gave for it,
said Watkins. Come, [ don't like tc
see you loose your money. That is,
half it, ! mean. I'll give you 200 fol
the log
81 shook my head and said, No. &C
on 1 felt excited. My m~isgivingS
were fading away, and I began to have
a tremulous anticipation Of triumph.
We went on for another inch. Now
there could be no doubt. A regular
pattern was gradually unfolding itself.
"'I'll give you three hundred for it.
said Watkins.
".No,' I cried. 'I'll keep my luck
good OF bad
cat that time, I felt my future was
in the balance. If, as we went on, the
pattern now indicated increased, 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 giver
for it.
cat this point some n called Wat:
kins away, and he did not return until
six inches had been cut into leaves. ]
was now in a state Of tumultuous excite
ment. Not only had what l may cal