Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1890-08-30
STORY OF THE BROKER.
llerrInted from ..short storie. !"

AlhI AoONCh OhN AAAlo AAAN ANAAA 80 @-NA
new wrapper. She shook her dust
cloth through the grating, and in
spected the yard OF the large three
story house. Young wives We're
standing about in the hall, resting
their arms upon the banister, ex-
pecting their husbands.
Her husband came home first. A
thick.set, bald-headed little old man,
with liver-colored face, staggered
slowly toward her. They scarcely
noticed each other, then they both
looked out into the yard together.
'Why do you come home soearly?
You always come at a time when
dinner is not ready! Is there no BUSH
ness" the woman began. The
man did not answer; he was looking
out watching his youngest child,
beautiful, blonde boy, trolicking and
playingin the dark, inhospitable as
phalted yard.
And the woman again spoke.
what are you looking att"
AT this yard! l shall probably
never see it again. l am
sick. very sick; I shall never be a well
man again! Take the business sign
from my door"
lie cast one last glance out into
the yard; then, with trembling hands,
he unscrewed the sign from the door,
the zinc plate on which was inscribed
in gilt letters: "Josef Gross, broker"
Then he went in and went to rest.
To rest? He closed his eyes, and
from under the compressed lids one
old, solitary tear stole out.
What is the matter" asked the
woman.
The heart-the old trouble. On
the street was again seized with
spasm, / fell to the ground, and Il
servant led me home. | knew that
it would end like this; my foot pains
me violently, as il boiling water were
flowing through my veins. Prepare
my bed"
DO not lose courage! The physi-
clan says there is nothing the mat
ter with you"
Nothing but that l must die!
And then what will become of you?"
"Of the girl"
''And of the little child?"
A vainly suppressed, low moan
forced itself up from his broad chest.
The child asks in a pampered voice:
Papa, what have you bought for
me?"
Nothing!''
Then his daughter came in. His
oldest child. Theimage of the moth
er. A tall figure with berry mouth
and curved eyebrows. She was not
yet eighteen, but the pretty dimple
under her chin was already deepen
ing. Standing side by side, the
daughter and the mother. one might
have taken them for a pair OF sisters.
And as the broker looked at them.
first a wild, then a dull, despair seiz-
ed him. What was to become of his
wife, what ofhis marriageabled augh-
ter, if he should die. The wife could
perhaps find bread and shelter with
one or the other of her latives, but
the daughter? How is she to find a
husband? Who will marry her with
out money? Nobody! Or perhaps
some course uncouth mechanic, which
isstill worse. How his OLDEST son will
go to ruin, who, in spite OF his great
Intelligence, hag not improved one
lot; n thoroughly good hearted
fellow but who perhaps at this very
moment is playing cards some where,
for no one has had as much as a
glimpse of him since yesterday. And
what, finally, is to become ofhim who
is almost as near to his heart as his
vic? What is to become of his
youngest, five-year old son. his splen-
did boy? OF this too delicate, spoil.
eli idol? God knows what he, had
lie been spared would have made o
lin.
But it cannot be; the broker feels
that he must die. Once, twice more
the spasms Of the heart seized him
5uCre violently than ever before; then
the feet began to swell, and it came
What he had expected with mortal
dread, hut still prepared, as one con.
demned to death expects the down
ward swoop of tho ak that has been
lowering over his head-dropsy.
His father and his two elder brothers
dad died from this disease. The
broker had observed the beginning
OF it, and was acquainted with the
conditions that served to hasten the
catastrophe-the exciting vabanque
game with life; he was present when
his father one day, during broker's
transaction on exchange. broke
flown. He knew that the consequen.
yes of an unhappy speculation
changed one Of his brothers from a
vigorous man into a dying skeleton.
He had seen it, and all their dying
began like his.
The image of an approaching
death would not have been so ter
Iible to him were it not that he
must die now, must leave his fnmily
now, when he had not penny To