The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1890-09-12
A DYNAMITE STORY.

/ l.
in the library just nowl He was talk
ing to your secretary, Mr.. Winchell, as
if he were quite at home," said Daisy
| ely burn, winding Que plump, white
arm around her fathers neck, as she
perched herself on the arm of his char.
Those who knew Silas Clyburn only
as busin IS man, president of several
railroads, director in a score of other
corporations and a shareholder in
every paying coucern in the state,
would have been amazed to see how
easily this fragile girl bent to her will
tie stony hearted, iron handed man.
"His name is Osborne Palmer" re-
piled the elder Clyburne, gazing affec
ticnately at his idol.
al didn't ask you what his name is;
| ask who he Isl And Is that the way
you dare to answer my questions, sir7"
and as she spoke Daisy playfully
pirched one of his ears.
"Ouchl You little inquisitive tor
menll Well, to be explicit, Mr.. Pal
mer is TO be one of my under secre-
tarles. He is Toto assist Mr.. Win
cbell."
"Come, come, sirl that hesitation
shows that you are trying to hide
something; l want the truth, the
whole truth, and nothing but the
truth"
perhaps you remember that a few
weeks ago you and your mother exact
ed from me the promise that l would
never again, under any circumstances,
open the packages which might come
to me by mail or express"
'Of course we did! If those
wretches would send you dynamite
bomb once, they might do it more sue
cessfully again; it was by a mere
chance that the thing was out of order
and did not blow us all up replied
Daisy with shudder.
| Not one of the servants has courage
enough to do it for me; Mr.. Winchell
has family, and since our recent ex-
periences he has no taste for the task;
so have employed this young Palmer,
whose special business it will be to
open my parcels"
"Oh. papa, why should he take the
risk of his life7 He is $3.50 young,
maybe he has motheIW
mo, nor q sister, nor any near rela-
tive. He is highly educated and well
born, but being unfortunate in business,
and therefore jllted by heartless girl,
he resolved to put an end to an unhap-
py life. He procured quantity of
laudanum, but decided that it was un-
certain, and so shot himself in the
head. Either his hand swerved or his
aim was uncertain, for the wound
proved to be only serious not fatal.
He was taken 10 hospital, and as the
letter he had written for post mortem
purposes proved that the shooting was
intentional, he was in danger OF arrest
and trial for attempted self murder
"Learning of the affair, was struck
with an idea and so used my influence
in his behalf, and there was no arrest.
He placed no value on his life, and SO
readily accepted the position offered
him. He came the very day after you
and your mother went to your grand
mothers to spend Thanksgiving, and
Mr.. Winchell tells me that he is of
great assistance to him, especially in
my large foreign correspondence. He
is gentleman born, so he is to live
with us as member of our family,
and want you to give your cousin
Bertha hint that while she is with us
We hope she will be courteous to him.
l am very fond of Bertha, my dear,
but l can see that she is just the least
bit snobbish-like her father. Obed
Jenness is an inbred snob!"
The famous Kilkenny cats might
we'll have been named Silas Clyburne
and Obed Jenness, for these two men
were continually fighting, tooth and
nail. If one could thwsrt scheme of
the other it was rare sport to him, but
retaliation was sure to come in some
heart searching way. As they had
married sisters and there was con.
slant intercourse between their wives
and daughters, they outwardly main
tanned an armed neutrality.
Goodness gracious, Daisy, do you
know who Uncle Silas has in his en-
ploy now?" cried Bertha Jenness to
her cousin when she, too, had seen the
young package opener.
"Yes, he told me all about him Just
a few moments ago Poor fellow! He
has romantic and sad history" re-
piled Daisy, and then went on to re-
late what we already know about Os-
borre Palmer.
Bertha listened attentively with
peculiar smile lowering around her
thin, soulless lips, and when the story
was concluded she said with shrug of
her shoulders, "Very romantic, | ad-
init, but what fool he was!"
"Oh, no, Bertha! Doubtless his
troubles had temp rarily turned his
brain, yet surely he is to be pitied"
81 am not SO sure that he is not
now-but tell me, Daisy, did you ever
hear me speak of young cavalier !
had who used to deluge me with roses
and choice boubons until his fortune
vanished and then showered on me
tender verses of his own composition
"Oh yes, aud how l envied you for
having real poet at your feetl But
where is he now7 Does he still send
you poems?'
"Doggerel, you meanl No, hope
not. In Osborne Palmer, your fathers
clerk, you behold the mani"
"No, Not really? Isn't that oddl
And now that he has come to life
again, so to speak, the lovely romance
will begin all over again" said Daisy,
with faint shade of regret in her
voice.
| Each of these cousins had something
the other lacked; Bertha was one of a
large family, aud how Daisy wished
that she too might have one or two
brothers, or one or two dear little
midgets of sisters. But Bertha re,
garded these younger ones as chan
nels where large share of her fathers
money must go, while Daisy was the
sole and idolized heir in her home.
Then, too, Bertha had 30 many
lovara and Daiay ao fawi To ha snra