Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1889-02-20
HOW 1T WAS SETTLED.
Restitution and a Case Of Love
and Money.

Mr.. Gasden was lean, dry, uncom-
munlcative man, yet not unpopular In
the little town which he might be said
to have created. Shortly after the war
he had come there and put up a small
hotel at some mineral springs, TO
which his own name was soon added.
Planters from the black prairie belt,
merchants from Montgomery and Sa-
lima, with their families, got in the
habit OF spending quiet summers there
a noted doctor came and praised the
waters; then the papers began to notice
the place.
After II while came certain iron and
coal discoveries, and people began TO
find out that G. sdcu had bought up
large quantities OF mountain land, years
before, for little or nothing. Now cap
italists came begging il for any price.
Then came miners and stock companies
and syndicates, swarming about him;
new railroads shooting hitler and
thither; towns building and bubbles in
Eating and bursting all besceching
him TO interest himself. He remained
Indifferent, silent, shrewd, grew slowly
richer, and seemingly took life easy.
He was addicted to long walks over
the mountains, and one day--being
near-sighted- into disused coal
shaft, half hidden beneath tangle OF
vines. While he lay grooming. with
one arm broken, he heard voices and
called out for rescue. He was answered,
and presently II rope with moose at
the end was let down. With much pain
he inserted himself therein, and was
drawn up the nine feet Of shaft. A
ragged, elderly tramp was fastening the
rope again about his waist BY his side
was little girl.
"Who am to thank for this deliver
ancep" he asked.
81 don't know ez h il matters much;
we'uns air nuthin' but tramps, anyhow
air we Toad?"
Toad sanctioned this by nod, but
kept her eyes wdrily on Gasden, who
said, decisively:
well, then you both shall just tramp
home with me. We will see what can
be done for you
SO Gasden made a sling Of his hand
kerchief. and all three trudged on.
When they came in sight OF the great
hotel--now filed with three score or
more guests Gasdcn said, briefly:
THAT is my house."
The man looked awed, but the
little girl spoke for the first time:
Hits II big un, shore! h'ain't il,
gran'papP"
Yes, honey; mos too big for we'uns
ter git ter stay at. I'm afear'd."
But Gasden took them at once 10 tho
kitchen and called 10 his head cook:
Take these two give them good
bath apiece, and hunt 'cm up some clean
clothes from somewhere. Then set en-
down TO the best there is in the house.
the best, dye hear?"
The tramp and his glandchild stayed
on through the season. Toad-whose
real name was Annis - washed dishes n
little and played about good deal.
Old Tim, as the tramp was called, swept
the halls and piazzas, chored around
some, and dozed between whites In the
hotel Office. In the fall Gasden re-
marked to the old man one day:
I'VE must send Toad to school, and
also call her by her true name after
this. She'll soon be young woman"
81 reckin' one hannle IL do for her,
bout eZ well ez ernuther, nd ez fer
skulin'- whars the uset nowP"
"Well. Tim" returned Gasden, "you
and ] won't change much. We each
seem TO be ono chip too many. IL
might have been better is Cod ll-mighty
had not hcwcd us from natures block
TO litter the hopes Of others. But An
mis-, now-shc's pretty. Give her u
chance-she may marry we'll one Of
these days Well begin now by call
ing her Annis."
"Wall, jest ez you say, not ez keer
much" Tim said, alphabetically, but---as
o beginning, they both called tho girl
Annis thereafter. and Toad" was soon
relegated 10 Oblivion by all and sundry
concerned therein
80 Annis quit dish-washlng and went
to school. During vacation lad who,
people said, was Mr.. Gasdcn's son
George came home, though nothing
definite was known, except that the boy
had always been there until sent OF To
school To Annis he was ut first super