Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1886-03-08

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where he was in the habit of meeting
some friends, and, in a very discreet
manner, set about collecting little
money 'for very worthy object
The next day, at noon, a tap sounded
on Paines door. Caroline opened it on
the instant, and. seeing Mr. Brooks,
blushed. He spoke quickly, as if he
had great press of business on hand.
miss Paine, few friends-of your
fathers, mean-they knew him very
well, sent me with this and their COM
pliments.
Here he broke down. Caroline's eyes
seemed to read his very soul. Brooks
wanted to back out Instead he ad-
vanced quickly to a small table, where
Mrs. Paine was seated, deposited bank
note on the table, and, bowling to Caro-
line, withdrew so quickly she had not
time to intercept the movement.
Mrs. Paine turned to look after him.
Her elbow swept the bank note off the
table. The draught caused by the
quickly closed door Brooks pulled to
after him swept the note under the open
CRATES Caroline sprang forward with a
snlothered cry. She was not moment
too quick. A live coal ignited the note.
She had the presence of mind to crush
it in her hand, at the risk of a broad
blister. When she opened her hand
slowly, one-half the note had disap-
peared. The half in her hand showed
that it had been ten-dollar note. She
burst into tears. 1t seemed as if mis-
fortunes would never end.
..What is it, Caroline?"
''He gave us ten dollars, and it is
lost"
She wept passionately.
1T would have paid what we owe in
the store, a months rent, and left us
two dollars
.'Burned-burned, Gardiner
There was a world of anxiety, of
dread, in Mrs. Paine's voice. Caroline
extended her burned palm, on which
lay the half of the note.
at is not all lost. | read of ways to
get money made right, I'm sure, some
where. You can get fre for it, may
be-
Eyes; but that would just pay the
store bill. And then what could we do?
But we'll see
She dried her eyes bravely, laid the
burned note carefully away. and re-
solved to make the most of it the next
morning.
She was dressed and on her way to
the office of the Customs of the Port"
whittier she had been directed, long be-
fore the office was opened. After walk
ing an hour on the street. she returned,
to be told that it was legal holiday,
so no business would be done that day.
As she turned away, she stumbled upon
Mr.. Brooks. Would she tell him? Not
for herself but her mother.
In ten words Brooks had the story.
He expressed regret. reflected, bid her
wait at drug store, and FASTENED to "a
friend" he said. He was absent fifteen
or twenty minutes. When he returned.
he handed her crisp S. note, talked
about the weather; everything but
money. got the burned note, and bade
her goodday in his brisk way.
Caroline returned home, calling at 4
grocer's on the way, and purchasing a
few necessities enough to keep body
and soul together Il little longer. As,
from that hour their fortunes improved,
somehow work came to her, and
physician kindly interested himself in
Mrs. Paine's case, to a degree that re-
stored her health. My story has no
more 10 do with them, further than to
state that the Grand Army of the Re
public did for them what the Govern
ment should have done. / will follow
Brooks and the burned note
The next day Brooks dropped into
the U. S.-the great United States De-
pository, deliberately recited so much of
the fGcts as concerned the gentlemanly
clerk, and was told the note, the whole
note, would be replaced. He had Miss
Caroline Paine make affidavit to the
fact, the burned note was forwarded,
and in two weeks Brooks carried to her
another So; thus the Paines had the
benefit of the entire amount the little
knot at the cigar store made up for her.
The incident made deep impression
on Brooks. He pondered over it, and
pondered until he got to talking about
Ii. From talking to his friends, he got
to talking about it in the Post. Finally
he was inspired can think of no other
as titting-to write lecture, which he
has been delivering with much earnest
ness and unequivocal success all over
the State. He begins with Paine's vol
AOui NCaio SCiNiNt- tAlJOStS iHC
swindle involved in the silence concern
ing the land warrants when men signed
muster-rolls. recites the slow payday
experiences, calls up months of waiting
by wives and children. compares the
purchasing power of the soldiers pay
with the purchasing power of a silver
dollar to-day, burns the bond
holders until there is nothing left of
them, and winds up with the incident
of the burnt note which the Government
was honest enough to replace. He
makes out very clearly--proves to every
man within sound of his voice or logic,
that the system-the financial system
the Government has pursued, is exactly
as if every note given in payment to
soldier had been burned at one end
burned quarter, third, half or five
eighths, as the price of gold went up
and down.
What is very curious. although some
people say behind his back that Brooks
is blatherskite, nobody has ever had
the courage to tackle him face to face.