Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1892-02-03
+: Vas long time bcfor. ii..y knew

OF the great sacrifice Louise proposed
making for their salscs in those old.
dark days, and when finally the know.
ledge came TO them they could only
prize her little more highly as a pre-
cious jewel. the brightest and best pos
session of their lives.
Scraggs continued in his old occupation
of selling real estate and hoeming mis-
town, and much credit was due him for
the wonderful growth of Magic City in
the years that followed. Thc.pcrson who
goes To Magic City now may see little
old man. why and nervous. sitting mt
his desk in his office surrounded by a
fine display of agricultural products.
busily at work on some scheme for adj
vancing his towns interests. That
man is Scraggs. He is always ut work.
and his work is always for his town.
To Scraggs, and men like him, the west
owes much Of its prosperity. II is such
as he who make booms and cause
towns and cities to spring up like
magic. They turn waste places into
gardens. and deserts into prosperous
communities. They bring before the
world the advantages of their section
Of country, and cause its towns To grow
and its resources to be sought after.
All honor 10 Scraggs and. his thousands
of faithful conductors.
Ii transpircd after Blatchford's death
that he was indeed broken up. All his
western securities were carried away
by Pearson. and into these he had, upon
Pcarson's recommendations, turned
nearly all his wealth. His property in
the east was heavily mortgaged for
money TO send west. and when the
news of his death and his western
losses became known, his eastern cred
itors closed in, and everything. includ-
ing his residence, was sold ut trustees
sale.
Mrs. Blatchford was thus left penni-
less, and suddenly she awolse to the re-
alization of the fact, and came up face
to face with the most abicct poverty.
She had to step down from the grand
mansion where she had rcigned
queen, and to-day in a back street in n
poorer quarter of the city, there is an
old, dingy, dirty two-room house, before
which hangs a little sign bearing the
words plain Sewing" and in this
house, bending over the tiresome seams,
one may see Mrs. Blatchford and her
mother and the two Pearson girls who
were sent away to school at Blatchford's
expense.
Sarah is n sadly disappointed woman,
and full often she signs for her fallen
grandeur. She often recalls the DAYS
when she was mistress of Blatchford's
house and when she with all her rela-
tives lived in great plenty and comfort
on Blatchford's bounty. She is, indeed,
receiving the just rewards of her
actions, and is tasting the bitter draught
she poured out TO others. Rev. Wheed-
Ter has long since forgotten Mrs.
Blatchford. In fact he lost interest in
her when she lost her position in So
ciety and became unable to contribute
to his salary. Mrs. Blatchford has
never forgotten nor forgiven Aunt
Mitchell, and it is probable that she
never will. But that matters little to
Aunt Mitchell, and she goes her way
quite as well satisfied as though Mrs.
Blatchford was her best friend.
And now, having disposed of all the
other characters, nothing remains but
to account for Harry Pearson. He
went to the mountains beyond Denver,
and though Scraggs made every effort
to apprehend him, he was not
heard of for some months after
his escapade. The report that
came then was to the effect that he had
drifted into the mining regions, and
after gambling away all his money
undertook to raise stake by robbing a
mine. He was caught in the act and
after hearing before an ex-
temporary pioneer court was taken
out and promptly hung to the nearest
tree.
And now our story is done. Years
have elapsed since the events recorded.
and the great state of Kansas has out
grown its early disadvantages The
fertile soil of its great plains produces
wonderful crops, and it's people are
among the first to respond with their
rich products to the calls of other suffer
ing lands. II has become one of the
first states of the union, and but for one
thing its people would be the most
prosperous on earth. II has escaped
the curse of pests and drouths; but.
alas, the farm mortgage still has its
deadly fangs buried deep in its soil.
When this curse is abolished and the
homes of the west become free OF the
greedy ShyloclSs' grasp. then will the
land blossom as the rose and the struggl-
ing people enjoy the full fruits of their
labors. May that time come quickly.