The Penn's Grove record., 1888-05-12
THE INSURANCE.

THE INSURANCE.
Squire Newcomb was standing, one
morning, at his front yard gate, cogl'
tating over tie prospect Of his springs
wOrk-for he was a New England far.
mer In prosperous circumstances. not
strictly unimpressible OIL close'fsted,
but thoroughly puritanical in his theo-
logical proclivities as became a living
representative Of the descendants OF
the Mayfower-when he found himself
abruptly accosted by a sturdy, manly
looking young fellow, who CHANGED
Just at that time to be passing along
the highway. From head to toe he
was as fine a specimen Of physical
strength and beauty as the squire had
ever set eyes on; besides, there was a
look Of unusual intelligence and energy
in the eyes of the handsome young
tramp that pleased him wonderfully.
"Good-morning, sir"
"Good-morning," said the squire.
sis this Squire Newcomb's placer"
swell, it is presumed to be if his
debts are paid;" was the prompt reply.
For a moment the young mar hesi-
tated.
s'If I may be so bold, are you hep"
II am he,n was the lacOnic answer.
The young man scratched his brown
curly head, as though a little puzzled
how to proceed. He rallied, however,
the next instant, and sald:
"I heard that you wanted a manP"
"Mebbe / do, mebbe l DON'T" was
the sententious reply Of the squire.
"What can you dor"
"Oh, a little Of everything" was the
modest rejoinder. al was brought up
on a farm, and ought to be able to do
something"
1.-THE county farm. l %supposep" was
the depreciative suggestion.
The young strangers cheek flushed,
for the suggestion was true. He had
been brought up to the age Of fourteen
on one OF the neighbOrIng county
farms, and he felt in his sensitive soul
that so humiliating a circumstance
must necessarily confer q lasting dis
grace upon his humble though honest
name.
Reuben Vance, at fourteen, had been
bound out by the authorities, till he
was twenty, to a hard taskmaster-a
rough, uneducated farmer Of the neigh.
borhoOd; and the six years Of service
having now fortunately expired, he
had declined serving his ungracious
master longer upon any terms, pre-
ferring to carve out his own fortunes
by seeking employment in some other
locality, and among strangers, who
might be presumed to know nothing of
his antecedents.
He carried his entire wardrobe wrap
ped IN a small bundle, which caused
him not the slightest Inconvenience;
and, aside from this and the few dol
lars he possessed, he could have boosted
the possession of no other earthly
thing, save a clear conscience, health
and good looks-if we except a soiled
and crumpled letter from An uncle in
California, which he had inherited
among his mothers scanty effects-a
reservation generously granted him by
the aforesaid authorities, in considers
ton of its being Of no pecunlary ad-
vantage to the town in which, at the
tender age Of nine years, he had been
left an orphan and a pauper.
Three years prior to the date Of the
soiled letter in question, his father and
uncle had started for the Pacific shores,
IN the fond hope of accommodating a
speedy fortune. In this they had been
unsuccessful, and the letter from the
uncle, three years later, had brought
them tidings of his fathers death.
The mother died within a year after
the reception of the news, and Reuben
was left an orphan and friendless; but
even at that tender age he had con-
ceived a vague hope Of some day visit
ing California, If he should live to grow
up.
This was still the one grand purpose
of his life, as he stood on this particu.
lar morning, eleven years later, in the
presence of Squire Newcomb.
As we have said, his cheek flushed
scarlet at the squire's impertinent sug.
gestion, and he dropped his eyes in
great confusion, as though the dis
agreeable fact Of his ever having been
a pauper might be construed by the
bullying and burly squire into the full
measure Of a crime; but he neither ad.
mitted nor denied the intimation. He
was silent till the squire again spoke.
"Supposing you are a competent
hand, and will answer my purpose for
the coming season, what wages do you
expect-say for seven months2" de-
manded the squire, gruf1y.
twenty-five dollars 1 should say
was little enough" answered Reuben,
modestly.
"whatp Twenty-Five dollars for
seven months, eh?"
"No," replied Reuben, c~onfusedly,
"twenty-hve dollars q MONTH"
"Ohl that makes a difference, young
man, a wide difference; but I'll take
you at your offer-that is, provided
you suit"
"Thank you. I will do the best I
can" And Reuben went handily to
work within the hour.
at noon he was summoned from the
field where he was ploughing by the
blowing Of a horn. When he entered
the Kitchen he was wholly unprepared
for the vision that greeted his eyes-a
beautiful girl of eighteen or nineteen,
whom the squire grudgingly admitted
to be his daughter Alice, by way of
introduction to the new hired man.
Poor Reuben fell In love before that
first meal was over. How could he
help itp Alice Newcomb was one OF
the loveliest and most sensible girls In
existence, and he one of the most sus-
ceptible and bashful of young fellows.
As he goaded up his xen to renewed
exertions that afternoon. the more
fully to meet with the squire's appro-
val, his old visions Of California gradu-