Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-06-18

lo tO-uay. lnere ne 1S-a laQk, GRIM
visaged little man. slightly stopped
about the shoulders. bending be-
meath the weight of the sixty
years he had lived through. I guess.
His thin. white hair hung in a most
neglected fashion about his neck and
ears. and the long white beard, flowing
down upon his breast. added not lit.
tie toward making up the appearance
of patriarch. Wait minute. worse
than all this. he was a most miserable
miser, and had already been twice mar
ried; and how could he dare set his
heart on our fun-loving, innocent.
kind-hearted Nell; she so gentle and
child-ike that we couldn't bear to have
the house left a single day without her.
Many times it had seemed strange to
me why Uncle Ben would have Nellie
receive Mr.. Wells attention, and why
he would persist in talking about what
a fine catch the rich old man would be
for any girl.
had once or twice heard Aunt Mar
garet say that times were rather hard,
and that uncle didn't always have a lit
tie ready change when it was wanted.
Perhaps that was why he thought it
DcSI t1dG NtlilO SnOuiu Des dS nC SoLIC-
times said, well married.
There was John Atherligh, a nephew
of MIR. Wells. the only child of his poor
miser never lent helping hand. John
was poor, but he was just as generous
and good as any nobleman that ever
lived. Some how uncle didn't seem to
be well pleased when he came about,
as he often did, to walk with Nellie in
the cool of the evening, down the long
shady avenue, or sit by her side and
talk out on the old stone steps leading
up to the porch. The very old steps
where, guess. Nellie's mother and
father sat together and talked of love
and the happy, undiscovered future
during the days of their honeymoon
long. long ago. 1 used to think
some times as l watched John
and Nellie walk away how that it
would be pity to spoil that match,
for John was just good enough for
Nellie, and Nelfie-well, she was en-
tirely too good for anybody except
John. All these reflections, and many
more, passed through my mind while
Nellie sat in the parlor and talked to
her misery old lover, and Aunt Mar
garet sat in her low rocking-c chair,
with her knitting lying idle on her lap,
while uncle continued to read the
news.
By and by another loud. knock re-
sounded through the house. and pres
emily Andrew announced visitor to
see Mr.. Brandon Immediately. Hooked
at Aunt Margaret; she had clasped her
hands nervously together. When uncle
left the room she asked, almost be-
seechingly of me.
81 wonder who it can be, Margie,
can you think?';
knew her nervous state of anxiety,
and determined at once to find out
about the visitor, and, if possible, re-
lieve her fears. crept softly into the
back parlor and up to the folding
doors. which, owing to an arrangement
of heavy curtains, was often left ajar,
through which hoped to get a sight
of the visitor. had no sooner stolen
up to the door than l heard footsteps
in the hall, and uncle ushered his Wis
itor into the room. It was too late to
retreat; what could do? To pass
into the front would be to in
trude upon Nellie and her company;
to come out from behind the curtain
would be to appear like a spy; so
there I stood stone still and waited.
The first few minutes l was too much
and uneasy about my own
situation to be aware of what was 60
ing on in the room, when at last |
caught the sound of the strangers
voice; he was saying something like
this:
Il TO -
work, sir. / beg leave to sympathize
with you and your family; but business
is business you know. was sent here
to settle this matter In respectable
manner, if possible. and l must pro-
coed to do it at once. Your son, am
sorry to tell you, sir, but perhaps you
know he has lived little fast of late
rather too fond of wine and evil COM
pany-"
Yes, yes," uncle said, as if impatient
TO get at the worst.
I am sorry to tell you, SIR" the
stranger continued, but think it hap
pened while he was under the influence
Of liquor. and likely surro Inded by his
evil companions. To be brief, this is
the whole story: Your SON has broken
into the money-safe and robbed his en-
plOyer OF S5,OU0.
''Robbed! o God, my boy a rob-
Der -
shall never forget the groans with
VIII oh he sank back upon the chair,
from which he had risen at this start
ling news.
Il own it looks bad, sir, but have
come to see if we can't arrange it some
how. His employer, you know, is your
friend. He bid me say that he is not
only willing but anxious to shield your
family name from disgrace and your
boy from the Pen1tentlary, if it can
possibly be done. But the money
must be refunded-there is no other
Five thousand dollars impos-
slble"' uncle exclaimed. ut would be
to take everything ruin my
family"
Il suppose nothing can be done,
then,' the stranger sand, deliberately,
and arose as if to depart.
''But wait moment; let me Think
uncle said, leaning his head forward on
the table by which he sat. Bv and by,
getting up, he said: 81 will see what
can be DONE" and left the room. l
was trying in vain to think what he
could be about when suddenly he re-
entered the room, accompanied by Mr..
Wells. Alas, l thought of that miserly
old man as our only means of help.
Then they all three talked together in
a low tone of voice. l could only un-
derstand word now and then of
uncle's tremulous voice. Putting it all
together, l know he meant this: Joe
must not be sent to the Penitentiary:
that would kill Aunt Margaret The
old homestead-1 know was