The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1885-02-27
miscellaneous.
Ebenezer Plumer's Money.

"There,-Tve caught my foot in a hole in
that old carpet again, and broke the china
milk lug" said Patience Plumer. ~ do
wish, grandpa, that you would let me hire
Dorcas Wood to weave that new carpet of
rags. This one isn't decent, nor safe to walk
upon"
Ebenezer Plumer, who was scrutinizing
through his spectacles the Financial Article
in the paper, looked up with a snarl ofdis-
satisfaction, which showed the entire range
| of his yellow stumpy teeth.
"Then why don't you mend it ?" said he.
because, grandpa, It's past mending," de-
| clared Patience "I've darned it and patch
ed it, and patched it and darned it, until there
amt three square feet of the original material
| left And we haven't dared to shake it for
the last three years, because if we did we
| knew it would fall to pieces. We are not
paupers, grandpa" urged the girl in her
vehemence, "why should we not live like
| Christians?'
You're very rich aren't you ?" sneercd
Mr. Plumer. "Quite a millionaire. wonder
you condescend to cook and wash dishes for
| an insignificant individual like me-"
"Iknow I've nothing ofmy own, grandpa"
admitted Patience, "but-"
No, and you never will have" growled
the old man. you're a careless, wasteful,
extravagant creature and Charley Mercer is
lust such another. He was here this morning
| to ask me to lend him five hundred dollars to
buy out the goodwill of the store at Deep
Hollow. told him I'd see him further first.
Ia just as soon throw my money into well
as to lend it to him."
| "Grandpa"
| "Well, what now 7"
| "You refused him p
81 just did. And I'll do it again. Oh yes,
| l,nn hot a uai N him and tbo
you expect to get married on my money
But you've mistook your calculations there"
"Grandpa," cried Patience, in choked
voice. "do you remember those nights Char.
ley Mercer watched with you, when you had
typhoid fever? Do you remember that the
doctor said his care and vigilance saved your
life?"
doctors are always talking some such
stuff" said Mr.. Plumer. "And besides he
was well paid for what he did. Didn't send
him halt bushel of seed potatoes the very
next spring"
Patience turned away with sigh.
"Grandpa," said she, "you are selfish and
ungrateful. Oh, / must say it. | can't keep
it in any longer You are narrowing down
into perfect miser!'
"a miser, am ?" screeched the old man,
fairly foaming with rage. And selfish and
ungrateful Well, in that case, | won't
trouble such very fine young lady as you are
to stay here and wait on me. Go and get
married to your Charley Mercer, as quick as
you please and live off n crust, in the gutter
won't have you here another day"
Il spoke too hastily grandpa" said Patti
ence, coloring. But spoke nothing more
than the truth. Yes, am going TO marry
Charley and we shall struggle on as best
we can. We cannot live more poverty
stricken life that l lead in this house, where
you have bags of gold and packets of treasury
bonds hidden away. But | do not want tt
leave you unprovidcd for l will stay herr
until you can get some one else to come"
II tell YOU" reiterated Mr.. Plumer, ST
won't have you in the house Clear out
Pack up your things and go I've given yol
board and lodging long enough. Go, l say !!
So Patience hurriedly packed up her few
belongings, tied on her faded bonnet, ant
took refuge with old Miss Clocker, who KEEP
a thread and needle store, and let out til
. upper part of her house to dodgers.
No sooner had she left the house than MI
1 Pumer hastily trudged up stairs, with a
unwhoesome perspiration breaking out o.
his forehead.
$50 people know all about the bag of eagle
7 and the leather wallet ofgovernment bonds
muttered he. "People know everything,
believed How do they find it out, the pryinG
peeping villainsY We'll l must ma a neN
hiding place. shall invest it all, in da
or two, in that Gold Mining Company O.
Stony Mountain Creek,-but until then,-
until then. He pondered momentum
= then an idea entered his brain. "Pve &C
j it |" he cried. "Ill bury it in the stone wa
by the chimney of the old house."
AT the northern boundary of the farm ha
hidden by overgrown apple trees and swamp
lilac bushes, were the remains of the hous
originally occupied by Ebenezer Plumer
father. Nothing remained of it now save
monster stone chimney, and an angle OF I'll
cellar wall, concealed in rose briers and will
} weeds. Tramps slept there sometimes
summer nights,-there was rumor oftl
place being haunted,-and just beyond woun
the peaceful country road arched over wit
maple.trees, and bordered on either side by
! close-matted growth of perfumed wifi
- clover.
Hitler crept old Ebenezer Plumer, viii
the gold and bonds buttoned securely und,
his coat, and mason's trowel in his han
;, For it occurred to him that ifhe could secre
NJ his treasures behind one of those huge mi
shapen stones in the chimney, it would be Il
safest repository.
1t was sultry summer day, and Ebenez
Plumer was no longer strong man. III
big drops of sweat stood on his brow as
~ ~ toiled, and at last he sat down to rest. I
~ might even have gone to sleep, If he had n
d. been reused by sound of voices, where son
R one was walking behind the old well close
:" the road.