The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1891-10-07


pocket, did not care to open the subject
again.
"Ain't you ever goin' to sell, Colonel
Jay9" asked 10.
He had padded across the creek
which separated the glass works from
the old mans house, and was
sitting on his porch with him in the
twilight.
"No, sir. Nor 1 amt ever going to
accommodate again, neither. 1 told
those Dixes they might bury their little
babby there, and what did they do2
Laid it right on great-grandaunt Liza
went and told them they'd got
to take that babby off. But it
warn't pleasant. l won't accommodate
again"
"And you amt ever COINS to sell,
Colonel Jayl"
"Look here, Jo," said the colonel,
testify, chow old are you2 Eighteen
years. Well, guess you remember me
as soon as you remember anything. Did
you ever know me to change my
mind2 That ground ain't-ever-to-be-
disturbed"
Joe turned his full blue eyes on the
colonel.
"How about when you die, Colonel
JayY" he asked in his most deliberate
speech.
The colonel was staggered and
showed it.
"If 1 were you," 10 went on, now
| looking over the water, "PC fix that
while l was able. There's a whole acre
there, and there amt but one end of it
in graves. I'd sell it all under a deed
that would make the man who bought 1T
keep the grave end nice and clean, and
the grass cut--and perhaps flowers"
Colonel Jay rose from his chair.
"Boy," he cried, ''you're rightl Why
didn't think of that1"
Then his face fell suddenly.
"But who'd be fool enough to buy2"
az would" answered 10, stolidly; and
il don't pay you hundred dollars for
it in years time, you can take the
ground back and all the improvements on
it."
What the improvement meant, the
whole works soon knew.
"Jo Tolly's store" was the talk of the
place. It was little more than shanty,
but the laborers soon learned that the
shanty had goods of better quality and
lower prices on its shelves than the CON-
pany's handsome storehouse had on
theirs.
1T amt very pretty outside, but 1
tried to have it good in, said Jo, mod
estly, looking at the well-stocked walls.
''I spent all my money there"
The money referred to was small
sum which he had gotten by auctioning
off the worn off roof which covered him,
and the bit of land on which he stood.
The rest of the tract had been sold al.
most to the very door step long before
There had been no one to interfere in
his reinvestment, his father having per.
formed the first graceful act in his
worthless life by stepping out of it at
this opportune time.
"Don't spend it all in shoestrings and
rock candy, Tolly," the superintendent
had said. "Put it in bank and try to
keep adding to your handbook. That's
the way"
"Yes, SIR" said 10, submissively; bu
at the same time it was not his way, no
did he follow it.
At first the Tolly store was only oper
at night, and 10 waited on the customer
after hours, but as the business grew {
small boy kept store by day and was as
sistaut to the proprietor at night.
az shouldn't think you'd dare, 10;
, shouldn't, indeed" said the weak-knee'
|, clerk, who came to inspect his enterprise
by stealth and after nightfall. "Why,
: wouldn't even like the chief to see mi
come in here. And how can you sleel
right next to those graves"
~ like them" said 10, showing tn
first sign of interest. ''I'm getting rea
! fond of them. like Aunt Liza, and
4 feel like knew Aunt Jane.
I" Dear friends, repent; no more delay,
For death will come to take no nay;
g Be always ready, night and day,
lsuddenly was snatched away.
n I feel Just like she was saying it to N
e every time read it."
The head clerk-he of the "peele
t eyes"-also paid 10 visit; but he cam
4 in by broad daylight and examines
: everything.
He laughed a good deal, and looked
5 at JOS placid face curiously.
/ 'You're bucking against big con
cern, boy" he said. 81 tell you you'll
> have to work like an OK and kick like
1 steer"
D Jo. smiling his usual rather stupid
3 slow smile, listened to each one and sale
nothing.
< As Yet the superintendent had sait
nothing either, but that came.
a One day, as Jo was passing througI
: his office, he stopped him.
D "Tolly," he said, earelessly, "hoy
much do you hold your land at?"
!, "What do you think it's worth sir,
r inquired Jo, respectfully.
4 ''Not much"
e sT've got my store built aud paid 70
b. out of it," Jo went on, as though calcu
4 lating aloud. "Ive paid for my land
s the business is growing, and
C "You takea week to think it over in,
said the superintendent, hastily.
a On that day week Jo entered tn
P supenntendent's Office aud stood befor
= his desk.
5 "Well, Tolly," said the superintennd
r ent, "what is itl"
y ats ten thousand dollars" said JIG
= When the superintendent had littl
recovered he knew that he was yer
II angry man, aud at the sam