The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-07-11

s"'I am sure 1 shall not, my dear
Bayliss; l am sure shall not, he said,
with generous good nature. -
..'It is only fair, sir. that should
now tell you,' said, that l want this
money for my first speculation. l in
tend buying log with it and some of
my own savings
".Ahr he laughed, i told you it
would come to your rivaling us in the
end. Now that you have told me SO
much, tell me little more. Why are
not we to buy this logP'
"'Because, sir, it is the only one in
my experience ] ever was doubtful
about, and l 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. Will
you allow that log to be cut for me in
your yard?'
"Mr. Marston said he would be happy
to do SO, and went away with sense
of heavy responsibility and gratitude
too deep for words.
THAT day bought the unpromising
niece of timber for f265. and the next
day it was in Marston's yard, in front
of the great circular eighteen foot saw.
"Watkins could scarcely restrain his
laughter, and really believe that. but
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 cali either work it
up ourselves or sell it.
"At last the great saw was started,
and Watkins and l stood by to watch
the result. The first and second leaf
came of, 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 APP
peared increased in the fifth. The sixth
and seventh revealed tho markings
broadening and assuming something
like a definite shape. At the eighth
the grain took sharper outline. We
were now two inches into the wood.
1.-TWO sixty-five you gave for it,
sad Watkins. Come, / don't like to
see you loose your money. That is,
half it, mean. I'll give you 200 for
the log
81 shook my head and said, No. Go
on l felt excited. My misgivings
were fading away, and l 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.
"'Tll give YOU three hundred for it,
said Watkins.
".No.' 1 cried. I'll keep my luck,
good or bad
.At that time, 1 felt my future was
in the balance. If, as we went on, the
pattern now indicated increased, the
leaves would be worth 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.
"At 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
tie design expanded and taken sharper
outline, but there could be no longer
any doubt that the baulk was, in my re.
gard, benignant freak of nature. For
I it revealed what, in lieu of any other
way of expressing it, may call deco
rative treatment OF the acanthus leaf.
This appeared in about three-fourthS OF
the entire length of the grain, begin;
ming about an eighth from one end and
ending a out an eighth from the other.
".What do YOU think of it now?' i
cried triumphantly to Walk ms.
Its wonderful he said. IT'S the
finest thing of the kind l ever saw.
Come, I'll give you twice what you
paid What do you say? 1t isn't every
day Won get chance of max ng f265
| on one transaction
".I'll keep my luck cried, I'D
keep it, however 1t may turn out.
Watkins once more went away.
was in too great fever of element
/ to heed his action. but afterward |
learned he then sent essenger for
| Mr.. Marston. In short time the old
man came bri ky into the yard.
$50, Young Bayliss. he said, 4 hear
YOU have had wonderful stroke of
| luck with the log. .Uhl he cried, en-
thusiast cally, it's beauty! Upon
nv life. it a beauty! VIII you sell il
as it stands
81 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
".Pooh' cried the old man, I'll
make it seven hundred and fifty. Eth?
VIII you take seven hundred and
fifty?'
by this time we had got third
through; and leaf by leaf the pattern
had grown in diameter and richness OF
design. For moment / wavered.
Here was q chance of making f4S,
without any risk whatever. Yet still |
was 10th to part with that log, l sald
to myself, after a Z oment S struggle:
link or swim, l will keep it. Then
aloud: AS soon as it is all cut you
shall have it, if you like, at what you
may cons der fair price.
Il will not trouble you with any fur
Their details beyond telling you that cut
ting after cutting ded 10 the value OF
my purchase, and that by the time the
great saw passed through that wood
finally Mr.. Marston had said to me: III
is worth every penny OF fifteen hundred
pounds, and you can have fifteen hun
dred pounds for it, if that will satisfy