The Penn's Grove record., 1886-06-05
EBENEZER PLUMER'S MONEY.

"There,-I've caught my foot In a
hole in that old carpet again, and broke
the china milk Jug" said Patience
Plumer. 81 do wish, grandpa, that
you would let me hire Dorcas Wood to
"a that new carpet Of rags. This
one isn't decent, nor safe to walk
upon"
Ebenezer Plumer, who was scruti-
nizing through his spectacles the FL
nancial Article in the paper, looked up
with a snarl of dissatisfaction, which
showed the entire range of his yellow
stumpy teeth.
"Then why don't you mend it?'' said
he.
because, grandpa, it's past mend
ing" declared Patience. "I've darned
it and patched it, and patched it and
darned 1t, 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
1--we like Christians2"
"You're very rich, aren't you2'
sneered Mr.. Plumer. "Quite a mil
lionalre, / wonder you ~condescend to
cook and wash dishes for an insigniG-
cant individual like me-"
81 know I've nothing of my own,
grandpa" admitted Patience, ''but-"
"No. and you never have" growled
the old man. YOU'RE a careless,
wasteful, extravagant creature, and
Charley Mercer is just such another.
He was here this morning to ask MI to
lend him five hundred dollars to buy
out the goodwill Of the store at Deep
Hollow. 1 told him I'D see him further
first. I'd just as soon throw my money
into a well as lend it to him."
"Grandpal"
swell, what now2n
"You refused him?"
81 lust did. And I'l do it again.
Oh yes, l know that you are engaged
to him and that you expect to get mar
ried on my money. But you've mis-
took your calculations there"
"Grandpa," cried Patience, in a
choked voice, ''do you remember those
nights when Charley 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 l send him half a bushel
OF seed potatoes the very next springp"
Patience turned away with a sigh.
"Grandpa, "said she, ''you are selfish
and ungrateful. Oh, l must say it. l
can't keep it any longerl You are mar.
rowing down into a perfect miserl"
"a miser, am II" screeched the old
man, fairly foaming with rage. "And
selfshp and ungratefulY Well, in that
case, 1 don't trouble such a 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 the crust IN the gut
ter; l won't have you here another
day"
81 spoke too hastily, grandpa" said
Patience, coloring. "But | spoke moth
ing more than the truth. Yes, L am
going to marry Charley, and We shall
struggle on as best we can. We cannot
live a more povertY-stricken life than
L lead in this house, where you have
bags of gold and packets of treasury
bonds hidden away. But l do not want
to leave you ~unprovided for. 1 will
stay here until you can get some n
else to come"
81 tell you," reiterated Mr.. Plumer,
II won't have you in the housed Clear
outl Pack up your things and gol
I've given you board and lodging long
enough. Go 1 say!"
So Patience hhrriedly packed up her
few belongings, tied ON her faded bon
net, and took refuge with old Miss
Clocker, who kept a thread and needle
store, and let out the upper part of her
house to dodgers.
No sooner had she left the house
than Mr.. Plumer hastily trudged up
stairs, with an unwholesome p~erspira-
tion breaking out on his forehead.
$50 people know all about the bag of
eagles and the leather wallet of govern
ment bondsl' muttered he. "People
know everything, l believed How do
they find it out, the praying, peeping
villains? Well l must find a new hid
ing place. 1 shall invest it all in a day
or two, in that Gold Mining Company
on Stony Mountain Creek,-but until
then. He pondered a moment-and
then an idea entered his brain. ''I've
got itin he cried. SIN bury 1t in the
stone wall by the chimney of the old
house,
AT the northern boundary of the
farm half hidden by overgrown apple
trees and swampy lilac bushes, were
the remains OF the house originally &C.
cupied by Ebenezer Plumer's father.
Nothing remained of it now save a
monster stone chimney, and an angle
Qf tho aoilar uyalI anpnaaIad IN rooo