The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1888-03-16

ueigbbOrhoOd was aroused. was ne gong
into sheep raising OH a large scale, or what
browning folly was Fool Jim at nowa l was
his only partisan. Every one said lie was
going stark, staring mad. But the excitement
grew to a hubbub when there came carload
after carload, by the railway, of barrels of
rosin and bales of cotton-the forme: stored
under the open and the latter in the inclosed
sheds. The cotton did not excite 50 much
astonishment, but the rosinl Such an amount
of it! Some one had the curiosity to nose
around and count the number Of barrels piled
in one of the long and high sheds. lev thou
sand Of theml And there were five more such
sheds, and jammed full. Sixty thousand
barrels Of rosin! Andno end of cotton bales!
What would he do with it? What could he
do with it?
The only partisan lie had, as I have said,
was myself, and l picked up a dozen quarrels
aboutit. Some one asked old Peabody aboutit.
"Uncle David, is Fool Jim GAVIN to set up
a cotton factory an q ship yard? Mebbe
he'll SEN his ships down by the railroad"
SONNY" said David, "pack your head in
ice. James Foljambe knows more in one
minute than you're likely to know in a year."
In the midst of this clamor came a bit of
gossip not too pleasant. There was venom in
IL, Dill NV"uu, WIZ wal dl"AyS AOS1u6
about, and kept his eyes open and his tongue
busy, came into the shop one day to get a
plug of chewing tobacco.
"Tell you what, Oalchieze," he said, ad-
dressing my partner, II guess they'll call Fool
Jim, villain JIM afore long,
"What do you mean, you scampg" I de-
manded angrily.
"Scanlp yourself, an see how you like it,"
be retorted. what do I mean? I'll tell you,
an I amt afraid to. I was crossin' by
Widow P~eabody's last night, and what does
I see but Jim Foljambe with his arm around
Becky Peabody's waist, an she a-leanin' up
to him like a sick kitten to a hot brick.
Stands to reason he's foolin' the girl. Every.
body knows he's sweet on Miss Elton, an
she's got dollars to Becky Peabody's dimes.
You don't suppose Foljambe means anything
but foolin' Becky, do you! That's why he
was so liberal with his money to the widow.
It's well enough for you to STAN up for him,
an we know why, but fax is fax"
And off went Cowan, with his tobacco, in
triumph. It did not stop there. The news
spread, and a spasm Of ~virtuous indignation
SHOOK Brantford. 1t soon came to the ears Of
Foljambe himself. He had paid no attention
to the popular comment on his purchases, but
this was a different matter. He hunted up
Bill Cowan and found him in our shop, where
he and some Of his cronies were discussing
the thing at the time.
"Mark you, Cowan!" cried Foljambe, his
eyes blazing with wrath, "you have been
talking too freely about me in connection
with a young lazy. If I learn of your wagg-
ging that long tongue of yours in the same
way again, OF find you eavesdropping, I'll
give you a pounding, and you know that I
can do it. Things have got to a pretty pass
in this community when SANDER is set afoot
because some sneak sees one bestow a cares
on a young lady whom he is to marry within
month. And I'll hold any other man who
NEEDLES with my affairs to a strict account"
Here was a settler. Becky Peabody to be
married by a Foljambe! Why, the Foljambes
turned up their noses at the country folk, and
took their wives from abroad. Gossip left
the rosin and cotton, and took to the match.
But it was admiring, and not offensive.
The wedding came off and was a great
affair. Miss Elton was first bridesmaid, and
the gentleman she married with afterwards,
a Mr.. bennington, was Foljambe's best man.
There was a reception at the house-the
young couple took no tour, but remained at
Foljambe place-and I, Of the few Brantford
folk invited, was there. So was David Pea
body, of course. He was got up in a suit Of
fine broadcloth, and his shoes shone like a
japanned waiter. Every one knew this
raiment came from the bridegroom. Oh, of
course! There were a number of costly and
elegant presents displayed. But these came,
with the exception of an odd looking Japanese
cabinet, given by the Widow Peabody, from
the Foljambe friends and connections. Uncle
David examined them. @@#""
"Becky," he said, loud enough to attract
attention, "the Peabodys don't seem to shine
in the way Of making gifts to tho bride.
Your Uncle David III have to put in his
mite" Then he drew a bulky package from
his capacious breast pocket, which it fitted SO
tightly that he withdrew it with difficulty.
"Oh, thank you, Uncle David" said the
bride. "Anything from you
"Open it, child"
The newly made Mrs. Foljambe undid the
cord and removed the wrapping. It was a
Russia leather covered casket, with the letters
r. F. F. on it. When she opened it sho CAV
cry Of delight.
"They are old mine stones" said Uncle
David, quietly. "Don't drop that scrap of
paper. I don't want you to be running to
your husband for pocket money, and you'd
better invest the amount Of that check for
yourself, as be advises you"
This was a surprise. Few had seen such q
set-a necklace, bracelets, ear rings and pin,
made up of the finest brilliants, some Of them
quite large. They must have cost enor-
mously. Where did Uncle David get the
money?
I found out before any one else. I was
down in New York to purchase tea, and
Carleton, of the jobbing firm with which I
did business, said to me: .M@.Mm@M @M
"David Peabody is rusticating at Brant-
ford, amt he1"
"Old Uncle David" I said. ayes, he IS q
sort OF hanger on to his sister-in-law. She
feeds him, l fancy"
"Feeds him! What do you meant David
Peabody could feed a dozen sisters-in-law and
not feel it."
"Well," I said, u recently began to suspect
he was rather well off,"
Rather well off" exclaimed Carleton.
"That's tho best joke out. David Peabody
we'll of! Is it possible you don't know how
rich he isl But he hardly knows himself.
He has been for over eighteen years the prin-
cipal stockholder in a great Mexican mine.
1t is all English company, and he is the only
American in it. But he owns two-thirds of
it. Why, it is one Of the most successful
mines in tue country. Well off! Why, he is
away up i'll the millions. and it keeps pour
ing in"
Of course this was too good to keep. Brant-
ford had the benefit of it, and, except an &C.
casional dash at the rosin and cotton, David's
great wealth was the subject for discussion
and comment.
The civil war had come aud was going on,
and Foljambe and his follies faded before 1t.
At last, in 1862, Foljambe's cotton began to
he moved. 1t had risen in price exceedingly,
and Bradford found that there had been
method in the madness. But the rosin, though
it had risen too. remained undisturbed. At
length. l think it was in August, 1863, 800
barrels of the rosin were shipped to Boston.
The next day $50 went to Philadelphia, and a
100 went to Baltimore. The mex day 800
were sent to New York. And SO it continued
to move, sometimes in smaller, sometimes in
larger Quantities, until by the latter part Of