The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-11-27
HUNTING UP AN HEIR.

had been detailed by the firm, says u
writer in the Detroit Free Press, to go
out into the country in search of a young
man named William Jones and acquaint
him with the fact that he had been left
100000 by an uncle just deceased in
Australia. Our firm had the task of
finding William and setting him on his
throne of presumed happiness and afflu-
ence, and had learned that the young
man was engaged in that capacity com
monty known as "hired man. on small
farm near the village of Bilin' erik.
l secured horse and rig and drove
out in the glorious fall sunshine through
long lanes where the lea res were russell
gold and bright yellow and scarlet, and
finally | came to the farm" | went up
in gray shirt, homespun pants and an
ultra porous straw hat reclining in the
sunshine, near the front door, sucking
corncob pipe. He did not offer any
apology for being there, merely gazing
at me in vacant way that told me his
thoughts were beyond the bowl of the
carncOb pipe, so begun conversation
by remarking:
us there young man employed here
named William?
Seems to me there isl was the reply.
rs his name Jones?"
Maybe dunno"
He's your hired man, amt hep
81 dunno-ask pop"
SIS your father around?' inquired,
desperately, after pause.
Maybe dunno"
How tall is he?'
II dunno-medium, | guess. Bout
five foot six. or six foot tlve-something
like that. What's he done?'
"Donen'
Yes; what we want to see i'm fer?"
oh, well, he dropped into 100000
and / want to interview him." was the
answer.
The boy took his corncob from his
mouth, opened his sleepy eyes, stared at
me. tried to gather in the outskirts of his
mouth to eliminate whistle, failed and
finally said:
The ole sinner! You do-o-o-n't say
SOL"
Perhaps he isn't the right man."
said carelessly. rs he fair?''
''Fair?"
"Yes-complexion, mean. and hair.
Is he dark?'
Got any hair?"
Harp"
Yes, hair
well, now, guess you have me. No.
seems to me he's balder'n a stone"
Il mean hair on his face-whiskers or
beard?"
'Oh, whiskers! Well, now, | think he
has kind O whisker. Wouldn't like to
say sure bout that"
ANY particular feature or character
istic about him that would distinguish
him from any one else?'
'Eh!' The pipe suspended connec-
ton with the mouth, and the lower jaw
dropped.
well, is he peculiar in any way"
"Oh, some. Gets drunk Onc't in a
while and does MON up. MONS game
though"
was on the point of expressing my
surprise at his allowing the hired man to
adopt such liberties with his mother.
when small, lean man, with little
wizened face frInged with gray whiskers
that ran like chain of rugged moul-
tains from ear to ear beneath a wrinkled
jaw, came round the corner of the house
AS the young man with the corncob
pipe saw this individual appear on the
scene he sprang to his feet with an ac-
tivity that almost Supplied me, dropped
the pipe and shouted:
go back! Go back, tell yer. " ole
fool. Hump yerself, now, 'er yer done
fer!"
The little fossilized specimen merely
stood and stared at this abrupt and un-
accountable outburst, and, seeing that
his warning had not the desired effect,
the excited youth bore down upon the
little man, grasped him by the shoulder
and pushed him roun1 the corner of the
house, saying:
'Why don't " hump? Don't tell yer
to hump? Run, now, an I'll stave him
off with the gun till yer safe!'
The old man, unable to cope with the
violent energy of the younger, called for
assistance to third party who was at
the barn, addressing him as Sweet
William" and this individual coming
up, recognized him from the descrip-
ton | carried of the missing heir to
William Jones.
acquainted him with his fortune, and
in the explanation that followed gather
ed that the young man with the corncob
pipe had supposed from my converse,
ton that wished to arrest his father
for having stolen 100000. When at
length he fully comprehended the true
state of affairs he relighted his pipe,
pulled his decayed hat over his eyes, re-
sumed his attitude against the wall, and
the reflective expression crept once
more into his eyes.