Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1892-06-04
selecting one, drew it forth, saying care

IeSsly:
"The smallest / have got is a flyer.
Can you change it7'
"Tm afraid Ican't. l have only a lit
Ito over two. hundred dollars with me-"
was the answer.
"Well, I'll see what l can do" re-
turned Blaisdell, throwing the five hun
dred dollar bill on the table and going
toward a small safe that stood in one
corner of the room, opened it. Then
pausing as though a sudden thought
had stuck him, he said:
ooh, Enoch, you don't happen to
have a couple of hundred dollars with
you, do you2 I've got a little over fifty.
Wen go out by-and by, break that bill,
and l will pay you back"
"Tve got Just about one hundred and
twenty" replied the verdant youth.
"Well, let me see. maybe / can
squeeze it out with that" went on Blais-
dell.
"No," he at length remarked, "unless
you can change that five ito his creditor)
or get along with two hundred until this
evening""
"Oh, WE'LL" returned Sharpman. "I
can make that do, and some time to-
morrow you can hand me the fifty when
We meet on Change"
"All right. Then give me credit for
the two, and here's your money" said
Blaisdell.
This little business transaction ended,
fha fu-n OnrIainfono fnYunA fhapauaIuo1
again alone.
"Here, Enoch, you might take thai
$500 bill, and keep it till we go out SC
that you will be sure of receiving your
money back"
sob, no." answered Bumpus, en-
deavoring to assume an air of
~ can trust you with $3.50 as we'll as
you can me with a much larger sum-"
"Oh, well, suit yourself. Come, an
other glass of sherry and then we'll pre-
pare for a stroll. It's almost even
ing"
A little later the two men were upon
the street. The g%as-jets were being
lighted in the windows of the stores, and
as they reached the corner of Court and
Howard, the brilliant glare of the
e~lectrics burst forth with dazzling bril-
liancy.
Suddenly his companion stopped aud
grasped the hand of a man who had APP
preached then. After a moments con
versation he turned to Enoch and said:
''Just step into the doorway and wait
for me a little while. l have some bust
ness with this gentlemen"
The young farmer did as requested,
but his wait was long.
The minutes crept by, and an hour
passed, but though the crowd in tho
streets did not lessen, still his supposed
friend did not put in an appearance.
At length poor Euoch begen to grow
drowsy and his knees trembled beneath
him, so he seated himself npon the stone
step and DOR lost consciousness.
How long he remained in this condi-
ton he knew not, until he was rudely
awakened by feeling a firm clutch on the
collar of his coat and a strong arm jerked
him quickly to his feet.
"Hulloa, young fellow, what are you
doing here2" demanded a gruf voice.
Looking up III a dazed sort of manner,
Enoch was mortified to see that he was in
the custody of a police officer.
~ was waiting for Thomas Blaisdell,
he lives right here in this neighborhood.
Perhaps you know HIM." stammerei
Bumbns.
"No, 1 don't know any Thomas Blais.
DELL" was the reply. "But if you've
got any waiting to do, the best place for
you to do it is at the station house.
You're too drunk to be laying around
the street."
Drunk Oh, horrorl What a word
The poor fellow was struck aghast at the
charge, and appeared much more help
less than he really was.
Enoch had but au iLdistinct recolIec-
ton of the Journey to the ~''lockup" as
he termed it, but he could clearly recall a
pleasant faced gentleman who sat at the
desk and piled him with questions.
To all of these Bumbus replied in a
straight forward manner.
"Ahl Another case of 'bunco,'" ho
heard the man say in Il compassionate
voice; but what the word meant be had
not the ~faintest IDEA.
"You say you live at Barrel" asked
the officer.
Eyes, sir, on my own farm at Barrel"
"Well, we won't commit you this time.
But you'll have to stay here until morn
ing. You'll be safer. Then take my
advice, go home at once to the old farm
and never think of the city again"
"Young man" began the Lieutenant,
show much money have you got about
YOU"
"Nearly six dollars" was the reply.
Then you take that six dollars and
head for Barre on the first train and
mean while l will try to find the mai
that worked you out of your money"
"Mister," stsmmered Enoch, 81 wish
that you would not arrest Tnomas for
what he has done to me-" stammerel
Bumpus, ''he has taught me a lesson
that | shall never forget, and one that |
should be willing to pay for"
"Well you take the matter very easy"
remarked the officer, "but, however, we
will try to find this Blaisdell and put
him into court; now l will send a man
with you to a good place where you can
sleep tonight" and so saying the officer
took a bunch of keys from a nail and
giving them to a policeman, said, "put
him in 81"
Enoch was conducted to a cell, the
first that he had ever seen, let alone oc,
cu2ied.
Little sleep visited his pillow that
night, and when morning came and the
door of his prison was thrown open
Enoch Bumpus hurried to the depot an1
took the first train for home.
He never told of his exploit in Bos-
ton, but it was a lesson to him, and
now he is contented to live the life that
was designed for him on his farm at
Barre.-Yankee Blade.