Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1891-03-12

@
my God those papers are gone"
Erred, what did Maj. Kenyon mean
by his reference to Mr.. Hearn and some
story about him?' asked Mrs. Lane that
evening as the captain was locking up
after their guests had departed Miss
Marshall, who was glancing over pho
tograph album, closed it and rose as
though to leave the parlor.
'sNo, don't CO. said Capt. Lane
promptly. Il was sorry that Kenyon
made any reference to the matter, but
since he did want you both-indeed |
think Hearn told me because he wanted
you both-to know all about the affair.
He had never mentioned it to me, nor to
any one, fancy, before, because there
was no need. 1t was all settled some
time ago, but of course he felt sensitive
about it. He was a green young lieu
tenant when he joined here six years
ago. This Jew Schonberg was clerk at
the suffers. The officers dealt very
largely with him then, for town was not
as accessible as it is now.
"The former post trader was jovial,
kindly sort of fellow, who was much
liked by everybody, but he left his
books and his business in the hands Of
Schonberg. l have often heard how
open handed he was with his money,
and how officers, and men too, never
had to go to any banker or scalper if
they needed money for an emergency
Anything friend of his wanted was at
his service Hearn began as a good
many boys Of his genial temperament
are apt to do at big and expensive post
got in debt, for everybody wants to
give credit to young officers just start
ing, and then the bills come in all at one
swoop afterward. old CHEEKY as they
used to call Braine, saw Hearn's trouble,
and insisted on lending him money out
Of his own pocket. 1t wasn't store
matter at all; it wasn't entered on
Hearn's account. He paid it back in in
stallments to the old man himself, or
was doing it when he received his pro-
motion and had to make the long and
expensive journey to Arizona.
Except cadets when first joining, off
GERS are not paid advance mileage. They
must raise the money as best they can,
and it is mighty hard ON young lieuten-
ant. old CHEEKY of course, advanced
Hearn another two hundred dollars. The
first was paid, all but fifty of it, and he
told the boy when he left that he had
taken big liking to him, and that he
could just return that at his conven-
ience; but Hearn never lost day after
getting to his new post and obtaining
his mileage, but bought draft for two
hundred dollars and sent it to the old
man at once, and said in his letter that
he would remit the balance Of the ac-
count and his store bill just as soon as
possible. old CHEEKY was a man who
never wrote letters, but Hearn got line
from his wife saying that Mr.. Braine
had received his pleasant letter with its
inclosure, and sent his best wishes.
ga few months afterward the old man
suddenly died; the widow moved to
town: a new trader came and took the
store and when Hearn sent his next remit
tance of fifty dollars to the widow he was
surprised in the course of few months
afterward to receive what purported to
be a statement of his account with the
estate of Thomas Braine, deceased-a
store bill amounting to over hundred
dollars, and no less than five hundred
dsllars in borrowed money. He wrote
instantly to friend at Fort Ryan to see
the widow and have things Strengthened
out. He protested that his store bill
could not be more than forty or fifty
dollars; that old Braine had lent him
two hundred dollars at one time, which
he had paid back to him all but fifty,
and two hundred more when he went to
Arizona, which he had instantly repaid,
SO that the total amount Of his indebt-
edness could not exceed one hundred
dollars. But the widow said she didn't
know anything about it.
"Mr. Schonberg had kindly taken
charge of all her affairs, and he had the
books and everything and all the cor
respondence and knew all about it.
Hearn, of course, refused to pay any
thing but the hundred dollars. Then
they threatened him with legal proceed
ings, and next they importuned him
through the war department, which, just
as old Kenyon says, believed the black
guard and called on Hearn for an ex-
PLANTATION. 1t nearly drove the young
fellow mad. He was proud and sensi-
tive He couldn't bear to think of the
publicity and scandal. He had never
given Braine any receipt for the money
obtained from him; never had asked any
for the money repaid. He was too hon
orable to deny the fact Of having bor-
rowed the money, yet had nothing to
show, the old man being dead, for the
money that he had returned. | had
heard something of his trouble, but was
ordered east on recruiting service just
then, and began to get into troubles of
young woman" And the captain, with
eyes that belied his words, turned fondly
to his wife.
1.-THE next thing heard of Hearn the
matter had all been most fortunately
settled-thanks to one of our old cap
tains, who, it seems, had known both
Schonberg and the widow Braine. He
took the matter up and the jew was
glad to drop it. Even Hearn does not
know what hold he had on them, but it
was settled then and there. Hearn paid
a hundred dollars, and Schonberg, am
told, had to pay the lawyer whom he
had employed. I often think, though,
how hard would have been the young
fellows fate il there had been no one to
come to the rescue. There isn't a better