Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-04
AT ll1 Mans DBFlinQ.

early autumn, at Chelderton Magma
thriving little town in the West of En-
gland.
Most Of the farmers had already set on
for their homes, while those who still re
mained behind were either looking to thei
saddle girths or seeing to the yoking Q
their horses preparatory to their departure
well satisfied with the days business. FO
in this year Of which we are writing, crop
had been above the average, and the wa
with Russia had sent prices up to fgur
that in these days of foreign competition anC
cheap food provoke sigh in the breast o
the agriculturalist, who looks back upon tht
period as veritable Golden Age that hal
vanished, leaving no prospect of return.
Notwithstanding the general exodus, th'
snug little parlor of the Golden Lion wa
well filed. 1t was the hour when the local
tradesmen were accustomed to meet to dis
cuss the news, which they took good care Il
have we'll favored with the odorr of steam
ing punch and fragrant tobacco.
There was Meekin, the draper, Pringle,
the editor of the Chelderton Times, Ham.
lin, the jeweler, Higgs, the miller, Missel.
ton, the job master, and that well-known
disciple OF Esculapius, DR.. Radcliffe, with
several others, all comfortably settled in
their places under the smiling presidency
Of honest old John Lovatt, who, as he was
won't to inform new comers, had ''lived in
Chelderton, man and boy, for 20 years, and
had kept the Golden Lion more'n 40 years. +"
A hale old mar, and an honest fellow to
boot, was old John Lovatt
Such gatherings as the one going forward
in the little parlor of the famous hostelry
were of nightly occurrence. But it was on
the evening of market day that the inn par
lor was to be seen in all its glory; for then the
company was not only more numerous, but
the kindly feelings springing out of COM
mon interests that inspired the band of con-
vivialists would come uppermost as the
davis transactions fell under discussion and
questions were asked each man of his neigh
Dor touching the trade that had been done
that day.
Sometimes it would happen that the
financial embarrassments of some among
their customers would form the staple Of
their conversation, and many hard-pressed
farmer, who wondered a few days after one
these meetings how it came about that
u his creditors began simultaneously to
1un" him, might have found o clew to the
ystery that perpiexed him in these in
rmsl gatherings in, the inn parlor of the
Jlden Lion.
The tenor Of the conversation on the even
< ih question, since it bears on the story,
may be CLEANED by the reader himself if he
will condescend to be listener.
81 was obliged to threaten him with pro-
ceedings if he didn't pay up" Mr.. Meekin
was saving. "We agreed upon that last
market day. Well, when he came in to-
day, quite expected a new version of the
old tale: that he was holding his wheat and
did not care to sell till the top price was
reached, and then should have 1t down in
8 lump. But no, he came in clustering hot.
and with great oath flung down his check
and told me he would see me - But
there, it is no good repeating all the bad
language he used. He is a terrible man to
swear, is Martin Robson, when he is put
out"
"Was it much2' asked Higgs doubtfully.
he was not one of Mr.. Martin Robson's
creditors, but he was as much interested in
the discussion as though he were.
sit was a hundred and twenty odd
templatiFely at the ceiling, and watching q
ring of smoke that he had just projected from
his mouth eddving upward till it broke,
and trying to look as unconcerned as though
checks for ''a hundred and twenty odd
pounds" were an hourly occurrence at his
"Have you presented it?" asked Mr..
Pringle, joining in the conversation for the
first time, with his curiosity as the local
news purveyor suddenly reused.
s'Trust Meekin to do that" said DR.. Rad
clife, with merry twinkle in his little fer
rity eyes.
81 sent it round at once" said Mr.. Meek
In loftily, accepting the doctors covert sar-
casm as the highest praise that could be
passed on his business habits.
"And it was honored?" asked Mr..
Pringle, still pursuing his interrogatories.
''They took it like baby takes milk"
answered Mr.. Meekin.
The conversation at this point became
more general, and it soon appeared that
like a meeting of Mr.. Robson's
,reditors WIS assembled at the Golden Lion.
All had the same tale to tell In accord
lnce with the agreement arrived at last
market day, they had written to Mr. Martin
Robson, of the Red House farm, demanding
payment, and the debtor had called upon |
hem that day, one by one, and discharged |
very claim in full, hinging out terrible |
'aths withsl at the heads of "a set of beggar- |
Y tradesmen," as he described them, who |
lad shown themselves so suspicious of the |
lonor of a gentleman" A rough calculation
vas made on the spot by Mr.. Meekin, assist
d by the assembled tradesmen, which end /
d in Mr.. Meekin astonishing the company
Nth the information that Mr.. Robson, of
he Red House farm, had paid away that
lay nigh on thousand pounds"
Where on airth can he have got it from?"
demanded OLD John Lovatt, eagerly. ''Higes
10 you know anything about it?''
But the miller could throw no light on
he knotty problem. He had made Nh.
aobson an offer for his wheat at the bepin-
ling of the week. but the offer had been de-
lined; Mr.. Robson declaring his intention
0 ''hold" until prices went up still higher.
ssNot that his wheat was worth 81 .OOO."
dded -Higgs in explanation.
ssWhat puzzles me is this" said Mr..
feekin; che has paid us all by checks on
snglefeld's bank"
'sThat is true" murmured Hamlin. sand
re ali know be used to bank with Matthe- |
PMS"
Perhaps he has come into q little
,rtin'," said Higgs, laughing softly at his
title Joke. All Chelderton Magma knew
lat Martin Robson had been going steadily
ownhil for years past, having succeeded
! dissipating the considerable means to
-hich he succeeded on the death of his
lther, known in all the countryside for
areful, saving man. 1t was known, more
yer, that the tenant Of the Red House
>-.anraf fione
iiller's remark produced the effect
e intended. There was q general
augh. which soon subsidized, however,
a face of the problem that was so nightly
xercising the minds of the gossips. II Mr..
sobson had not been blessed with q lucky
Iindfall, how had he contrived, alter keep
ag his creditors at bay with all kinds Of
pecious excuses for months past, to come
40 Chelderton Magma, and scatter his
oecks about, like the leaves from their
VI trees were being shed in this autumn