Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1890-03-01


"And can you make it?"
81 have made hundreds OF boxes"
ITO give away"
eyes. / only stipulated to have the
box returned, for the tin box costs more
than the salve. That is cheap. Twen-
ty-five cents will buy all / need for fifty
boxes"
"Hattiel our fortune is madel never
thought about that salve, but l mind
now your Aunt Abbie was always brag-
ing of it. How much money have we
got, Hattie?"
"Only five dollars"
"That will do for a start"
1t seemed very little to start any
thing, but Tom Gordon was a man of
whom his companions said, "he was all
there;" and he had formed his plans
with lightning rapidity, Honest as
daylight, he would have scorned to use
any fraud in trade; but Aunt Abbie's
Salve would do what it engaged to do,
so his conscience was clear. Already
the generous use of it had established
its reputation in the little town, and
the Gordons being popular, there were
many purchasers as soon as it was known
that Tom Gordon was going to try to
make living out of that stuff that
cured Tom, Dick and Harry's burns,
bruises or cuts" 1t was blessing to
Hattie, for Harry Ingraham, after
writing his farewell letter, was seen no
more, and many heartache and crying
spell was kept in subsection by the
necessity for making salve to meet an
order.
Five years passed away, and one morn
ing Hattie Gordon, coming to breakfast,
saw that something was troubling her
father. She crossed the room quickly
and took her old place upon the arm of
his chair. But they looked but little
like the same couple in the same posi-
ton on the rickety old porch. The
breakfast-room was one of the many
luxurious apartments in the country
residence of Thomas Gordon, Esq, and
the proprietor himself, in his gentle
manly attire, looked every inch a pros
porous man. | can not say that Hattie
was very much prettier at twenty three
than she had been at eighteen, but her
dainty morning dress of white lawn,
more becoming than the very often
washed calico that was her usual morn
ing wear when she worked in the factory
and was her own servant at home.
For Aunt Abbie's Salve had proved
success, and Hattie no longer needed to
touch her slender fingers to the hundreds
and thousands of boxes that passed from
the laboratory" of Thomas Gordon's
warehouse, to cities far away and near,
bringing in an income that met the ex-
penses of country seat and city house,
horses, carriages, expensive dresses and
jewels, and yet left huge nest eggs for
''rainy days"
Society had long before opened it's
arms to Hattie, who was pretty and re-
fined, although she could not play the
piano or converse in any language but
her own. There had been more than
one heart laid at her pretty feet, but
Hattie was sure Harry would come back,
and was well content to wait for him.
She was no love-sick, pining girl,
grieving always for happiness missed,
but healthy, sensible woman, who
lifted the cup of prosperity to grateful
lips, and in draining it, forgot not to
share bountifully with those less for
tunate.
1t was rare in those days to see
shadow on Tom Gordon's cheerful face,
and so Hattie, perched upon the arm of
his chair, was a little troubled too, as
she asked:
"What is the matter?"
"Well, dear, I've got letter that
troubles me, and that's fact"
"Business?"
"Oh, no, bless you! Business is that
good, it just about takes care of itself.
No, it is letter from-well, dearie, from
John Ingraham!'
Two soft little hands took Tom cheeks
into captivity, while little fluttering
kiss fell on his forehead.
eyes, dearie, / know! You love me
fond and true, but you've not forgot
Harry Well, my treasure, if your pride
wants qualification you can give it one
now Harry, he's been to Californy, a
good, 1 guess, an he made
fortin!"
"Yes?"
"But," said Tom. rubbing his head,
she lost it again! And then he was
very sick, nigh dead, guess, and some
Of his friends out there just h'isted him
aboard vessel when he didn't know
what was going on around him, and
fetched him home. Now, dearie, if you
are going to cry like that, I'll have to
stop"
But he did not, although Hattie had
slipped down into his lap, and was hid
ing her face on his shoulder, and crying
like a child.
II guess he was we'll loved out there,
for these fellows brought him to his
though he was as weak as n
child yet, and must have been great
care on the voyage. And SO, there he
Is, and his father writes to me to beg
I'll let you see him. Mind you, it's his
father writes, for Harry's that spunky,
sick as he is, that he don't want you to
know he has come back as poor as he
went away. So if you owe John Ingra-
nann 0pudOa Won nan iuct now bi,o