Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-03-02
CHAPTER XVI.
PALETTO AS A FRIEND.

Jameson was walking sorrowfully home
ward when he mse Palette. He was in no
hunor for conversation, but he could not
civsasy avoid the painter, who evidently was
waiting to speak to him.
"Siad'to see one man that isn't a capital
ist. You and l. Jameson, are independent
of banks and brokers'
Jameson family smiled.
"This is a deadly time here in New York
q horrible stagnation. Every man avoids his
ncighbor as though he had the plague: and
we have nc Boccaccio to tell US stories while
The dead-carts 60 by"
"Ths dead-cart went through our street
to-day"
"You don't tell mel Who is the lucky
corpse that rs out of his misery's"
SMr. Sleavin. Our house is shut up, and
am vagrans"
"A pair Of usl For the last month have
performed the Wandering Jew all by nv
sek. Now l have company. What shall we
do to be 5oNyln
"JoHy l'-with tone of melancholy SIR
prise.
when should man be jolly, If he can't
when he's nothing to do? am the slave of
gold, you understand. If any rici magi-
clan ruhs his douhle-eaglss before me, wee is
me, if don't paint When the magicians
send their eagles on other errands, am free
from their drudgery. Meanwhile | live on
air, hattened out and packed away, like a
Mexican horned frog, or dreaming toad, in
assure of a preadamite rock. But tell me
how It happened"
81 trusted my all to a man whom I thought
not only honest but my friend, and he has
proved scoundrel."
"You shouldn't have led him into temta-
ton. You are particeps criminis, and the
partaker is as bad as the thief. Don't trust
without taking security my friend: its offer
ing premium to crime. Who Is the luck
less persons"
"Norcrossn
81 knew it. l expected it. He was too
good by half. don't blame him for his
widow -and-orphan business; somebody must
do it, but made up my mind some time ago
that he would come to grief"
"The worst of it is, he has dragged innocent
people down with him."
Innocent, yes, you have the word A
man that trusts all he has without security
to any fair-spoken financier, is an innocent,
truly. But don't be discouraged. | don't
doubt you will find something to do in good
time"
"But l must earn something at once"
pressing. Ships will have time to get we'll
rested. Truckmen are actually growing civil
with little starvation. The beggars don't
IShold out their hands for coppers; they make
more money by hauling out their old stock
| ings and lending at five per cent a month"
"You will laugh me out of misery in spite
of myself"
II hope so; but | am not sure that man
can be laughed out of thing he wasn't
laughed into. Now, Jameson, l am going to
surprise you. l am going to bore you, annoy
you; for l am to see you every day for the
next week. Can you bear itp
Jameson pressed his friends hand.
sCome, by all means And now we are
near my house; go III and take tea with u.s.
~No, not to-day. Good byei"
Twirling his grizzly moustaches and hum
ming to himself, Palette turned back. He did
not go to his room, however, but went down
quiet street, apparently guided by instinct,
and rang the bell of well known door.
as Mr.. Osgood at homer
The servant girl nodded and smiled, and
Palette entered. Mr.. Osgood was emphati-
cally at home, for he was on al-fours his
three children riding cock-horse, with merry
shouts, varied by harmless tumbles and
laborious clamberings up. Mr.. Osgood rose
with a flushed and happy face, and the child
rem rushed at once to clasp the knees Of their
familiar old friend.
ave all have to come down at times, be-
lieve," said Mr.. Osgood, smoothing the few
thin hairs on his handsomely arched crown.
Certainly; man that can't be boy with
his children deserves to have none. Now the
reason am a bachelor is that feared could
never unbend, being somewhat remarkable
for my perpendic-"
The word was cut off by sudden move
ment; the children in their playful struggles
had, in fact thrown him down In mo-