Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1885-08-14

q OO.,
CHAPTER XIII.-CoNTINuEp
"Talk about faith movin' mountains" :"
said the man who handled the pipe, as
he watched the dirt crumblo and dis
solve, while great trees and rocks slow
ly sank into the abyss. Talk about
faith movin' mountains, and I'm a
l-e-e-t-l-e bit skeptical, am; but say,
faith and stream of water from one
of these here pipes, an I'll gamble on
it every time"
John Parsons turned from the sight,
faint and sick at heart. He had seen
enough. They would wash the earth
of those hills from their rocky foun-
dations as the dust is washed from the
paved streets of a city by July shower,
aud the valley must become its rest
ing place. Farms, and orchards, and
vineyards would be covered, at the
first great flood, with the worthless
earth of the mountain tops which was
now pouring through the sluice into the
gulch below. Fertile fields would be
Ildut .DuIICI, OWuclS
ished, their homes made desolate; all,
all that a.,few men already rich might
grow richer by possessing themselves
of the few penny's worth of gold that
lay hidden in each cubic foot of the
mountains top.
cow do you do, sir; I 'ope / see
you wellp"
John Parsons turned squarely around
and stood face to face with Mr.. job
bers, who extended his hand with a
rather pompous though cordial air.
'Ow is Mrs. Parsons and the young
ladies; well, 'opep Mr.. Hannelsey
was telling me before e left as 'ow e
'ad hoften called on you during is fish
ing and uniting excursions. Come hup
to my quarters and ave glass OF
wlne."
1t is not to be supposed that Mr..
Jobbers' invitation was caused by his
having noticed the look of exhaustion
and hopelessness which had settled
upon the face of John Parsons. He was
not in the habit of noticing the look OF
peoples faces, unless he suspected them
of having designs upon his purse. He
was not bad man at heart; he was
even capable of being generous at
times and in way-or at least he be-
lieved he was.
Ii a beggar appealed to him in a par
ticularly touching manner he gave him
shilling, and had even been known to
give half-crown when feeling espe-
cially amiable; but it never oc-
cured to him that q beggar
had any feelings except of cold or
hunger and these he supposed only in
modified degree, and not keen
1y as people in affluent circum-
stances would do if by accident they
were to miss meal, or be caught out
in Il storm without sufficient clothing
Besides, it was intended that some
should be rich and some poor; of this
he had no doubt whatever; and it was
the duty of every one to be contented
in the condition in which God had
placed him. He was contented with
his lot, and he felt that he thereby per-
formed pretty nearly his whole duty to
society, and he had no sympathy with
those who made complaint against theil
condition in life; but occasionally
would give the price of meal of Wit.
uals just to prove to himself and the
world that he could be generous as well
as strictly just.
Such freaks were not common with
him; at least not enough so to excite
any fears of his bankrupting himself or
the part of his friends; and when it die
occur it was invariably after having
eaten hearty dinner.
Then, 100. he recognized the claims
of hospitality; and having eaten ant
slept beneath the roof of the man now
standing before him, he wished t.
prove that he could be hospitable in his
turn.
John Parsons was not a lover o.
wine, and seldom drank it, although
wine of his own making was always il
his house, and often on his table; bu
now he felt that glass of it woult
stiflen him up and may be clear hi
ideas, which some way seemed terribl,
mixed. Then, too, he suddenly re
membered that he wanted to talk witt
Mr.. Jobbers.
He had utterly forgotten about Mr.
Annelsey, and would have given him n
thought had not Mr.. Jobbers mentione,
him, and now he did not think to in
quire why or where the young man ha
gone. 1t was sufficient that he wa
gone, and SO could be of no use in in
fiuencing the company to cease tn
work OF destroying homes. But MI
Jobbers was one of the company; h
represented that half of the stock whic
was held in London, and if he coul
only be made to see how much damag
was certain to be done. how man
hnn1au ,sf,inad 10 ha xuApl- 1,
might, voting for those whom he rer
resented, stop the whole thing at once
by stopping work upon his own min
and refusing to sell water to the othe
companies.
1t was foolish thsught, for whe
have men ever refused to get rich fror
fear of running othersp-yet John Pal
sons said to himself that he would try
and If that failed he would threate
them with the law. No, not the Law
for he felt that that was always on th
side OF the rich. Only the higher Law
the right of every human being to a
the products of his own toll, and to d,
fend that right regardless of cons,
quences to those who attempted to vi,
late that law, was worthy OF being az
pealed to, he thought; and he called I
mind the instances in which men VIII
were being robbed under guise of leg,
enactments there on the coest ha
appealed to this higher law and admir-
istered justice with bold hand
But now he would 60 with Mr.. Jol
bers and would see what could be dor
to save his own home and those Of h
neighbors from destruction.
CHAPTER XIV.
DEEPENING sHADoWB.
20 that he gatharad the rad ora and ,1raot.,