Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-03-15


"Well?"
swell, neighbor-I've been to Lon
don. And-there It's first and last
time. Never you go to London, Black
thorn. You'll drop more money up
there in week than you'll get back out
| of a good crop in a bad year. I'm q
poorer man by guineas and guineas
| than when went up"
"'Twas all the more neighborly, then.
But hang the expense" said the other,
who, to Judge from appearances, had
| no expenses except those of other peO-
pie left to hang. "Did you see the old
manp Not that l careI know what
he'd say"
"Ay. / saw the old man."
"Then you saw the hardesthearted
| old skinflint there. Let him be.
| You've seen him, and he sent you to
the devil; and l might have kept the
last rag of pride, instead of throwing
it away for something less than far
thing. You needn't tell me what he
said. know"
Il did it for the best. neighbor Black
thorn. spent six good shillings on a
hackney coach, and-found him in rot
ten old wharf that you wouldn't put
proper pig in. And I put the case, too.
just as if twas my very own. old
gentleman says there's honest old
Tom Blackthorn, that married your
own daughter, and is father to your
own granddaughter, come down to the
J that Tom, though you'll own yourself
twas stretching a pretty big point
considering you never would take the
advice of your wisers: no, never, since
you and l went into business the self
same day. For no fault of his own,'
: says l; for man can't help the nature
whereto he's born. And there's you.
rolling in your thousands; who could
pay off his honest debts and set him 60
| ing again by one stroke of the pen.'
| You see, Blackthorn, 1 didn't mince
matters: put it plain and strong"
..And 1 hope" said Blackthorn, '.you
didn't forget to tell him that, if 'twasn't
for my poor lass's sake, before I'd have
! begged penny of him, I'd have seen
! him da-"
..D'ye take me for a nincompoop7
No. told him just plain out how
things were"
"How things are! Good Lord, Mar
rish! you never went to tell the old
curmudgeou that l haven't got horse
in the stable, nor a COW in the byre.
I'll never forgive you if you told him
that: I'll never hold up my head again."
'And how you wouldn't have bread
to eat if he didn't give it you on a
golden fork. Ay, l told him all. Iput
things Just as black as they be. What's
the good of mincing things when you
want to get the most out of 'em you
can?"
".And to beg l am ashamed"
sighed poor Farmer Blackthorn.
That's all. Well?" he asked again,
with just that same film of hope in his
eyes, while feebly trying to put on an
air of Don't Care.
t'Well," he said, 'tell Thomas Black
thorn that when he took my daughter
twas to be without penny, and q
bargains a bargain; and the man who
says it isn't's a rogue, and the man
who lets him say it's fool Tell him
to go to the devir-and those were his
very words-'and here's twopence-
half-penny to pay the toll"
Tom Blackthorn sprang from his seat
| like a young man, and his old eyes
| flashed fire. s.The old scoundrel-the
| old villain! to insult my friend-to in
suit me! If wasn't an old man, and
if he wasn't an older But It's no
good talking, Msrrish. couldn't go
on my knees to him myself, no, not
even for my poor little lass's sake; and
sooner than let another do what I'd
have been ashamed to do myself, /
ought to have starved, lass and ali.
'Tis my fault, for turning Blackthorn
into a beggar. 'Tis not your fault,
neighbor; one can't expect one that
isn't born Blackthorn to look at
things with Blackthorn eyes. I've got
no way left to be shamed, now. I've
tried 'em all. The best thing l can do
is to hang myself up to the beam in the
big barn.
"'Tis a solemn pity" said the other.
1.-THE old man turned so hard. Well,
well. He was right in a way. You
must own up, Tom Blackthorn, that
you had your chances; only you were
always such mortal bad hand at
chucking 'em away. What business
has q plain yeoman, like me or you.
with hunters and dogs, and fine COM
pany for his boy, and boarding-schools
Tor his girl? You had q long fairer
start than l ever had. Tom Blackthorp;
and now rm-wal, tidily warm. and
where are youa''
LAY. You've the right to crow,
Enoch Marrish. So crow away"
'And now to business. Times
money; and though won't charge you
what I've spent on your affairs, not
even the six shillings for the cab, can't
afford to spend any more of q market
day. OF course you don't forget to-
days when the quarters interest on
my mortgage falls due-and three quar-
tiers in arrear?"
"What?" asked Farmer Blackthorn,
with bewildered stare.
"Five-and-twenty pounds-a hundred
and forty-three, with arrears at COM
pound interest; the mortgage on Leys
Croft, due to-day"
"a hundred pounds! You come to
ask me for hundred pounds?"
'.And forty-three. Isn't it right?"
"Right! OF course it's right. don't
want reminding of my debts. I know
'em by heart But do you mean to say,
Enoch Marrish-you that know me and
my affairs sea-deep and sky-high-do
you mean to say you've come to ask q
beggar that's just been kicked out of
doors for hundred pounds?"
''Come-rm not that SORT as you
ought to know. How many creditors'd
go through what I've gone through
a trip all the way to London. an inn
bill as long as fail, and no end Of
coach-hire, and all out of friendship,
and not asking to be paid back pen