Woodville Republican. (Woodville, Miss.) 185?-current, 1889-02-02
HOW IT WAS SETTLED.
Restitution and a Case Of Love
and Money.


Mr. Gasden was lean, dry, uncom-
municative 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 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 while came certain iron and
coal discoveries, and people began to
find out that Gasden had bought up
large quantities of mountain land, years
before, for little or nothing. Now cap
italists came begging it for any price.
Then came miners and stock companies
and syndicates, swarming about him;
new railroads shooting hither and
thither; towns building and bubbles in
Eating and bursting-all beseeching
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-fell into disused coal
shaft, half hidden beneath tangle of
vines. While he lay groaning, with
one arm broken, he heard voices and
called out for rescue. He was answered,
and presently 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 l to thank for this deliver.
anceP" he asked.
II don't know ez hit matters much
we'uns air nuthin' but tramps, anyhow
AIR we ToadP"
Toad sanctioned this by nod, but
kept her eyes warily on Gasden, who
said, decisively:
well, then you both shall just tramp
home with me. We will see what car
be done for you"
So Gasden made sling of his hand
kerchief, and all three trudged on
When they came in sight of the grea
hotel-now filled with three score OF
more guests-G asden said, briefly:
THAT is my house"
The man looked awed, but tn,
little girl spoke for the first time:
Hits a big I'm, shore! h'ain't it
gran'pap?"
Eyes, honey; mos too big for we'un
ter git ter stay at, I'm afear'd."
But Gasden took them at once to th,
kitchen and called to his head cook:
Take these two-give them a goot
bath apiece, and hunt iem up some eleal
clothes from somewhere. Thenset ZEN
down to the best there is in the house
the best, dye hearP"
The tramp and his grandchild staye'
on through the season. Toad-whos,
real name was washed dishes
little and played about a good deal
Old Tim, as the tramp was called, sweep
the halls and piazzas, chored AROUND
some, and dozed between whites in tn,
: hotel Office. In the fall Gasden re
marked to the old man one day:
I'VE must send Toad to school,. ant
also call her by her true name ate
this She'll soon be young woman.
Il reckih' one hannle II do for her
bout ez we'll ez ernuther, md ez 70
skulin'-whar's the uset nowp'
well, Tim, returned Gasden, ''yoi
and won't change much. We eacl
seem to be one chip too many.
might have been better Is God-'ll-might,
had not hewed us from natures blocl
10 litter the hopes Of others. But An
nis. now-she's pretty. Give her
uhance-she may marry well one Q