The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1885-04-16

Q silent spectator; but now he eIbowed his
way to the center Of the crowda and said to
me:
eyer name is Thomas Watson, is itr
"'Yes, SIR said I, for there was some
thing in his manner that gave me hope and
revived me wonderfully.
"'What's yer fathers name?' was the
next question.
abraham Watson I replied.
"sI thought SO. I most knowed it, said
he. But did ye ever hear the old man
speak o. Bill Price?'
ayes said I. 4 have heard him tell of
saving the life Of a lar by that name,
while rafting logs on the Allegheny River
"'That's 'noughl that man was meP
claimed the old fellow, se%ntentiousiy. AN
now, Thomas, I reckon I1l never git a bet
ter chance to square up that account thai
right now, fur I see you're in a mighty bad
perdicament, mighty bad.
cam now, neighbors,' he said, turning
to the astonished and impatient crowd, Pm
sorry to disappint We, but In hev to do it
this time. Ye mustn't hang that boy!
I've knowed his father ever sence / kin
remember-lived right 'longside Of him
half my life.an' I never yet knowed him
STAN to reason that he'd bring up his boys
to be hoss-thieves and liars, does it now?
I tell We the boys innocent! an We might
jest as well put away that rope, Neighbor
Harris, fur ye won't git to use it to-day.
NOW, LII Gell ye, ne COubluuou, 10.
cisively, Pm goin' to take the boy right
over to my house IN keep him thar till to-
morrer noon. It's an easy matter fur you
to find out whether his story's true or not.
Go back an see. If tits, I know we don't
want to hang him. II faint, why, then, IN
but We can't hev him to hang nohow, an
that's the end on't!'
"With that the old man paused and faced
the crowd, coolly and defantly. But there
was no demonstration, other than sullen
looks n a few muttered imprecations. /
believe most of his hearers had been con-
WINGED of my innocence, and were heartily
glad of the old mans interference. At
any rate they allowed me to walk off home
with him, which was all I cared for just
then. / suppose they stopped and verified
my statements as they returned; at all
events they troubled me no more, though
the old man kept me with him till the
next day noon, as he had said he would.
"There is but little more to tell. 1t was
useless to think of buying another horse,
for I had not money enough; and, besides
that, my overweening self-confidence was
all gone. For the first time in my life
realized that I was not as wise as l I might
be;
do-go home and make a clean breast of it;
I did SO; but o, how mortified and humil-
lated / feltl
"However, I lived through it, and have
since come to the conclusion that the ok.
~perience was worth to me all it cost my
father; for I learned that it isn't always
best to take advantage of another mans
necessity, and also, the Importance of ad.
herring strictly to the truth at all times and
under all circumstances.
"What did we do for a team? o, we
found a chance to buy a horse near home
One of neighbor Gordon's brothers had
| moved in from the East while I was gone,
bringing with him three horses, and father
bought one of him. Then I went to work
and 1 worked like a beaver all that win
ter trying to atone for my expensive folly
= G. l.. FOOD, in Youths Companion.