The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-11-03

"Theres that banged old house out at
Calcutta" he said aloud. 81 do wonder IL
any thing could be got out of that by this
time"
The banged old house at Calcutta was
piece of property heavily mortgaged, which
Luddington had taken in trade, before his
marriage, in small country town, and
which, more than once he had been tempted
to surrender to the mortgagee for his debt.
But Alice, with woman's impracticability
in business affairs, had always persuaded
him to "hold onto it a little longer" in the
hope that something might turn up, you
know, john" and so John had kept holding
on year after year. although nothing ever
had turned up, or indeed seemed ever likely
to, IL was to this property that the worried
mans thoughts now turned, as to the pro-
verbal last straw of a drowning man.
"Tll tell you what,n he said aloud, for he
had babit of talking TO himself at times
when no one else was by. "rll so out there
day after tomorrow and see about it."
He got leave of absence for day and
went TO Calcutta without mentioning the
fact to his wife. And went at an opportune
moment. The little old town looked duller
and more dcsolate than he had ever seen it
before and the particular house in which he
was interested looked especially neglected
element had reached Calcutta. Gas had
been found at Argentine, only few miles
away, and the well at Calcutta was nearly
down to Trenton rock. The people were
full of expectation and wild hope. If gas
should be found at Calcutta the town would
take "boom."
And gas was found at Calcutta, sure
enough. A few days later the drill went
into the Trenton limestone and there was
an outrushing of gas that blew things high
into the air. 1t was ia gusher" and no mis-
take, and Calcutta's 'boom" had arrived.
Luddington's little old tumble-down house
In the amslified vision of excited Calcuttans
loomed up as prospective business property
of considerable value. He was promptly
offered 5000 for it but concluded that it was
q good time ''to hold on' a little longer, as
something seemed to be turning up. Six,
seven, eight thousand were the offers that
rapidly succeeded one another. But Lud.
dington recalled the advantage which
"nerye'' had been to him in his first stock
deal and refused to sell.
~ will take $40, 500 for it," he said to him
self. '"ren thousand for the property and
five hundred to cover what lost in stocks"
And when the offer of $4,000 came he
Judged that Calcutta's "boom" had neared
the bursting point and coolly adding the
$500, let the changed old house, go.
When Alice was signing the deed she
looked mp inquiringly and said
~ thought you said the price was ten
thousand, johns"
'Yes, so / did"
'But this says ten thousand five hundred"
"That amounts to nothing, madame" OK
planned the accommodating notary 'The
consideration in deed is often stated to be
larger than it really is"
Thus assured by a gentleman whose busi-
ness it was to know such things Alice had
nothing more to say.
And so it was that Alice Luddington
never knew that her husband had lost their
money in speculation. Once years after,
when she recalled the circumstance of his
maiden effort in the stock market and sug-
gested that 1t was SO fortunate that he had
mover tried his hand again, it was on his
tongue to make full and free confession,
but he had not the nerve to do it; or, to
speak more truly, perhaps, he had the nerve
not to do IL, and 80 held his peace.
ISAAC HERR.
-v'hn,a. ic an old pnppoipa that baa