Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-07-11

patiently on, STRIVING always against
a certain element which the sons of the
East call "Kismet,n and your stolid
Englishman designates, in his simple
parlance, ''bad luck.n
Squire Sedley pursed up his thin
lips.
Score is behind with his rent again,"
said he. George is peculiar man.
| couldn't afford to take in the whole
neighborhood as matter of charity.
And the Railway Company have offer
ed me thousand pounds for the place,
to turn into a goods yard; and I'd be
fool to keep on losin' money as be
now"
So that George Gore and his family
were once more on the verge of being
turned out, when, one stormy sunset,
stout, dark man came to the door
a man who had something indescriba-
bly, foreign in his air and dress, and
whose features were partially conceal
ed by heavy white beard.
Folks at homer said he peering
around with dark, keen eyes, which
missed not single auxiliary of the
scene.
swell, they be now," said George
Gore, who had moved his bench close
to the window to take advantage of
the last red light in the sky to mend
DR.. Thorne's calf-skin shoe; ''but
there's no tellin' how long they will be
if Squire Sedley sells out to the new
Railroad Corporation"
CHIP said the stranger! ''This farm?
To the Railroad CorperationP Amt
that something new?"
''P'r'aps you're a stranger herea-
bouts" said George, driving his awl
theoretically into the leather. 'P'r'aps
you don't know that this is the old
Black place, and that Matthew Black
was lost at sea and Lord knows how
many years ago, and that his old father
was put in the workhOuse-"
''In the workhouse! In the work
house!' repeated the stranger. SIS old
Elihu Black on the parish?"
''He was, until me and my wife took
him back here" explained George.
"He never understood how things was,
and came here every day, just as if his
folks had the place yet; so we took him
here to iive-poor old man! and made
him as comfortable as we could.
And that's him now settin' by the fire.
Without any invitation the stranger
crossed the threshold, and Selling
George Cores hand, rang it heartily.
''God bless you'll" said he. "God
look mercifully upon you when you, too,
are old and feeble! for | am Matthew
Black, come home from the far East,
and Elihu is my father; and I'd ha'
been here long ago if I'd ha' thought
it had come to thisr'
'Ehr' said George Gore, dropping
last and awl both. "Why, you was
lost at sea, off the brig Sarah Mary, in
the China Sea-"
wrecked, but not lost" said Mat
thew Black. ''And | began the world
over again in the East. | couldn't bear
to come home penniless; and then !
heard, the Lord knows how, that the
folks were all dead; so, says | to N.Y.
self, what's the use? And then things
prospered with me, and everything ]
touched turned into money, and a
great longing came upon me to see the
old home again before | died; so here
| am. And nv father"
He advanced and stood before the
silver-haired old man, with bare brow
and reverent eyes.
'Father!' said he. Father! don't
you know me? Matthew"
Uncle Elihu looked up with a puz-
zled air, and then pointed with trem-
bling forefnger to George Gore, sitting
by the window.
THAT is my son Matthew" said he.
''Mv son who has been very good to
me-"
And he fell once more to staring
into the fire. After this nothing could
shake his firm belief that Matthew was
an impostor, and George Gore his son
and protector.
Matthew Black drew long sigh
that was like a groan.
"And I've come back all in vain,"
said he, CATER dreaming of it all these
years."
He remained only week, and then
went away again.
81 don't know how or when I shall
come back" said he to Mrs. Gore.
"But the old place is yours. I've
bought it, and settled it hard and fast
on YOU. And father is to have an al
lowance and remain here always. But
money can't pay forall you've done for
him, and
'.Stopr' cried George Gore. eve
must talk about this ere a bit. We
-'
But, muttering something about be-
ing too late for the train, Matthew
Black tore himself away and vanish
ed.
Three months afterwards there came
authentic tidings of his death at sea,
and then it transpired that George
Gore and his familywer his heirs, with
only the charge of a life maintenance
for poor old Uncle Elihu.
And all the neighbors marvelled at
the good fortune which had attended
the Stalwart shoemaker.
1T was quite true what you said,
| George" said Mrs. Gore, bursting
into tears. Uncle Elihu has brought
us luck"
An Important Invention.