Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1892-03-24

dollars.
"a fool for luck" was the general
comment. But the reputation OF
Folambe for downright folly was at
It's height when it leaked out alter
ward that he had settled thirty-fye
thousand seven hundred and ffty
dollars on Mrs. Peabody--that is, the
interest during life to her, and the
principal to her daughter aiterward.
No words sutficed to express the Won
der, contempt and disgust at this act
OF folly.
Old Riggs died about this time, and
OatchIeze offered me q shore in the
business if | could put in five thous-
and dollars. had saved a little over
half OF that by pinching and scre wing.
IN was puzzled alb ut the rest.
FolIambe found it out, and gave me
the money on my note. Some folks
may think this folly on his part. but
L did not, neither did he, for | have
paid 1t back long since.
When tho Widow Peabody goS her
money, she sent Rebecca off to board
~lng-School, as she could well afford to-,
and there the girl remained for four
years, barring visits home at yaca-
ton. When she came back to stay,
she had grown into a handsome, self
possessed young woman, and she was
quite admired by the young fellows
around. In addition to good looks
and good manners, she would have a
nice sum in hard cash in time-a good
thing ID add to young mans family
resources. But she was of a domestic
turn, stayed at home with her moth
er, and rarely went abroad. No suit
or seemed to meet favor in her ewes,
though she had several.
During Rebecca's absence at school.
Foliambe had been going along quiet
~, and people had ceased to talk OF
nm; but shortly after her return he
broke out again.
One day, an old man in a dusty
suit and boots that had been black
ened a week before, and who carried
a small grip-sack, got out at Brantford
station and inquired ifthe Widow Pea
body llvedat the oldtarm vet. Wesoon
learned that he was the long-lost Da-
vid Peabody who had come back after
all these years, apparently as poor
as a church modse, and doubtless
With intent TO spong on the Widow
Peabody. He was not so very old
either, but looked like a man whom
Lard luck and ahot climate had dried
up and wriakled.
To our surprise he was made vel.
come by the widow and Rebecca. and
took up his abode there. He was a
queer specimen. After the dust oftrav-
ell had been brushed off he was clean
enough; but his clothes were of ordi-
nary material and well worn. 1t was
evident that he was poor, but he
didn't seem to mind it. lie walked
about and held himself up as though
he owned one-half thetown and meant
TO buy the other. He was ready with
his tongue, too, and, if any one said a
dlsagreeable or impartinent thing,
could repay it with interest. Foliam-
be took a great notion to him, and
told me that the old man was keen
and had wonderfully Dra ctical bust
ness ideas for one who had not profted
by his precepts, a. thing | have observ-
ed to be not uncommon. A man
can pick up nor valuable hints from
the unsuccessful around him than he
can from sharp business men. So the
two grew quiet intimate, and almost
any fine evening they might be seen
in confab together on the widows
front porch, with the widow and
Rebecca near, interested listeners
to their chat.
This was in August, 1850, The
whole country was in a stage OF ex-
element. 1t was known that recon.
Citation between the warning demo-
cratic factions was impossible that
Lincoln should be elected. The ques-
ton was, would there be war? Fol
jamie suddenly put the plantation
IN charge OF old Uncle David, and
went off south. He visited Virginia,
North Carolina and Georgia, and
was gone about two months.
When he came back. / asked MIN,
"Does the South really mean fight.
Mr.. Foljambe?"
'It really does" he replied, sadly;
IL don't think they'll be able to keep
it up more than a year or So, unless
England interferes, for we have the
most money and the most men; but
it viii be fierce while it lasts. 1t IS
going to disturb values verp much,
as well as domestic relations"
The first thing Foljambe did on
coming home was to build a number
os long wooden sheds, some OF them
enclosed; and he kept the carpenters
going day and night. The whole
neighborhood was aroused. Was he
going into sheep raising on a large
scale or what browning folly was Fool
Jim at now? | was his only partisan.
Every one said he was going stark,
staring mad. But the excitement
grew to a hubbub when there came
carload after carload; by the railway,
OF barrels OF rosin and bales of cotton
the former stored under TIE open
and the latter in the enclosed sheds.
The Gotten did not excite so much as
constituent, but the rosin! Such an
amount of it, Some one had the Gu
riosity to nose around and count the
number of barrels piled in one of the
long and high sheds. Ten thousand
of them, And there were five
such sheds, and iammed full. Sixty
thousand barrels OF rosinl And no
end OF Gotten bales! What would he
do with it? What could he do with
it?
The only partisan he had, as ! have
said, was myself, and / picked up a
dozen aSarrels about it. Some M
asked old Peobodv about it.
"Uncle David, Is Fool jim GAVIN to
set up a cotton factory an q ship
yard? Mebbeh he'll SEN his ships down
by the railroad"
Sonny" said David, "pack your
head in ice. James Foliambe knows
more in one minute than you're likely
to know in a year"
In the midst of this clamor came a
bit of gossip not too pleasant. There
was venom in it. Bill Cowan, who
was always nosing about, and kept
bis eggs open and his tongue busy,
came into the shop one day to get q
| plug OF chewing tobacco.
''Tell you what, Galchieze," he said,
addressing my partner, 81 guess
they'll call Fool Jim villain Jim,'
aiore long" -,
"What do you mean, you scanlp?'
demanded angrily.
scamp yourself, an see how you
like it." he retorted. "What do |
meant I'll tell you. an ! amt afraid
to. | was crossin' by Widow Pea
body's last night, and what does | see
bat Jim Foljambe with his arm
around Becky Peabody's waist, an
she a-leanin' up to hun like a sick kitten
to a hot brick. Stands to reason he's
foolin' the girls. Everybody knows
he's sweet on Miss Elton, an she's got
dollars to Becky Peabody's dimes.
You don't suppose F%oljambe means
ANYTHING but foolin' Becky, do you?