The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1891-04-18
HIS PERQUISITE.
Why the Squire Doesn't Keep as
Well Posted as Formerly.

u
said the postmaster of Darby, as he
shuffled in from taking a squirting
view through his fist down the turn
pike"
"Well, can't wait. If anything
comes, send it up" Jake Perkins
picked up his molasses-jug and went
out.
The Darby mail was late; and when,
few minutes later, some one an
nounced the approach of the mail, the
postmaster felt called upon to vindicate
his own position by censure of the mail
carrier, who climbed slowly out of the
dilapidated old buggy called the
| "stage."
"You must have q powerful heavy
mail, you're SO long getting here" he
| began.
always have heavy mail when
| Billys aboard" said Uncle Billy Tate,
| winking as he entered with his usual
| deliberation and threw the mail pouch
with circular motion over the counter
| and around behind the small cluster of
boxes known as the Darby post office.
"That may all be So" said the squire,
| DuO lllC DCOPlC VI llllo OOhh NtOl 1SSA
obliged to wait all day on a govern
ment official, on no solder ground than
/ his being fat and his horse lean. This
Office is run for the people, not for a
people, and they want their news on
! time"
"The news'll keep" said one.
can the squire'll never let his per-
kisites spoil a-layin'," remarked an
other, with wink.
These frequenters of the combina-
ton village store and post Office knew
that the squire at least wanted the
news; and it was no secret that the
newspapers and postal cards that came
in the mail for the families living on
the outlying hills gave him an oppor-
tunity for supplying his wants-an op-
portunity not enjoyed by the less
favored residents.
In reality the squire had reioiced
over this fact when he took the office,
looking upon it as one of the perquisites
of the position, and Prerequisites" he
always had an eye upon.
He had always reasoned that anyone
had a right to make a good thing when
ne could. If he had a better chance
than most people for news, why, if
there was anything to be made out of
it, who had a better right to use it?
He distributed the matter among the
boxes with great deliberation and en-
tered the sitting-room adjoining the
store as soon as the crowd had departed.
He slipped postal card into his wife's
hand.
"Perkinses coming, S'liny."
| In very short time his wife thrust
her head into the store
"Why, it don't concern us; there's no
news on it," she said, with evident dis
appointment. What of it?" she ques-
toned, as she slid back to the office
and reached up to place the postal card
among the P's.
''I'll put that card up, S'liny. Just
you leave it down there. So you think
that isn't news, and don't concern us
Well, | reckon it does. You wait till ]
get this mackerel kit down cellar"
Presently he came up from the cellar.
'Isn't it eleven miles to Perkins'?" he
asked. And isn't Raj free as water
with his money? The man that takes
'em up there's going to get paid for it,
and I'm going to be that man."
"You! Why, Danl, where's youl
t'other horse and your wagon?"
'I've thought that out. F1ys mare
for half-dollar, and Jobs big wagon
another, and I'll clear full five on it. y
But Jalell go after 'em, sure, if he
gets wind of it."
just so! But he's got to get wind OF
it. To-day's Monday, and I'm thinking
he won't get that card before Thursday
See?"
'La, yes, see, but don't you go to
doing anything against the law, Dan'l.' u
swell, 'tisn't against the law to for
get" The card was whislSed among
some papers as customer entered
Thursday morning found the squire
at the early train, but there was no one
there answering to the Perkins rela-
tives.
Perhaps the folks you are looking
for will come on the night express -
said the conductor, of whom he in
quired. "That's due at six"
SAT six o'clock it'll be dark" he
mused, land they'll pay almost any
price to get there. I'll wait; but what
ails that horses foot?"
Inspection proved that the borrowed
animal had cast a shoe, which had to be
set. Then he had to have crackers and
cheese for the day of waiting; but night
and the express came at last, and no
Perkinses upon it.
"Well, it's queer mighty oueerr'
unused the squire, as he drove slowly
homeward. "They said Thursday, and
here it's Thursday night-Whoa-p!'
He had run full into a wagon which
was being driven along the dark road.
BY the light of a match he discovered
a badly wrenched wheel
"You come, Dan'l?"
1t was late when his wife peered out
into the gloom az he stumbled in out of
the dark
Eyes, have, and that's more than
other folks havel" he answered, grufiy.
Didn't Rats folks Gomez"
''No, they didn't and 1 don't see what
folks want to be writing to make folks
traipse round after them for like this
all for nothing. Anybody been for the
mail?"
"No, but mans been here to buy
the old gray, and he said he guessed
seeing that neither you nor the horse
was here, he'd back down"
"Jiminettyl If l didn't forget I'd set
the day! There's the last chance gone
to get rid of Bob. tell you, Shiny,
those Perkinses ought to pay me for
thisl I'll be out nigh three dollars be-
fore get through with that wheel bust