The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1894-09-12

dlonB Une bLreSG, 1rOnUlng on narrow
portico, on which mother and son
sometimes sat of summer evenings.
From q corner of the rear room flight
of winding stairs led up to the attic
where Owen slept. The place was
kept scrupulously neat, even the back
yard and the garden, wherein, besides
vegetables, were fruit-trees ard grape-
vines. Last of the few slaves once be-
longing there, Sally was devoted to her
mistress and alwaysready to apologize
for Owens shortcomings. Whenever
he was late returning home at night,
she persuaded his mother to bed,
and, comfortably nodding the while,
awaited him. On his return, she let
him in softly, had something hot In the
kitchen ready If he desired it, cautioned
him against disturbing the sleeper,
and, after he had been disposed of,
went to bed and slept like baby.
When Owens rheumatism was upon
him couch in his mothers chamber
was laid, which he accepted with moro
or less complaining during his confne-
ment. Between mother and son had
grown at last an understanding that
prevented domestic strife. The latters
irregularities were never commented
upon there, except between Mrs. Car
ruthers and Sally, whose excuses and
palliations were, under Heaven, the
best consolation to the mother.
Mistress" Sally said, many, many
times, when Marse Owen come home,
er he are fotch home top-heavy by
Marse Gus Rachels, 1t amt bercause he
des wanted to git SO; It's bercause he's
'flicted and can't hep it, en- dat ain so
mighty of'n. Now, you know yourself
it ain, en- you earn deny it. It mos'ly
when he git money from dat Mis- Vile
Am'son; dat when it mostly air."
Eyes, and wish the poor boy had
never seen him."
"Ah, well, my miss, dc Lord'll per-
wide; de Scriptur say dat"
One night, after Owen had been in
bed near u week, Rachels came in. A
visit from him always gratifed the
widow and was flattering to Owen. He
demanded and got fresh coverlet, and
30 disposed himself as to appear be-
coming object Of sympathy. The visit
or, well understanding his soft, feeble
words of greeting, after shaking hands
passed on to the fireplace, where his
mother was sitting, took chair and
chatted with her about several matters
In the town. In a little while he said:
"Missis Carruthers, everybody seems
to have their opinion about tho way
old man Amerson left his property,
and / thought I'd ask what you thought
Of It,"
''Why, Mr.. Rachels, l do think it's
the very outrageousest and the mean
est will that ever heard Of anybody's
making, be they respectable or disre-
spectacle"
But, mai" cried Owen, ,as if impatient
at another Of her oft-repeated ex-
pressions in the matter, you won't
consider that the law of the land let's
everybody do what they blame please
with their property when they've done
with 1t themselves"
"SoPve heard you say often, my son,
and been told so by other people. But
l can't help from having my opinion
that it is pity for man to give
almighty nigh every bit of his property
TO one child, and him not a-deserving
of 1t nigh as much as the other that's
cut down to what in comparison is
little scrap"
"You are perfectly right, Missis
Carruthers," said Rachels, turning
look of mild rebuke towards the
couch. "Such as that is pity, and
gently it's founded on some sort OF
devilment, some'res; and it's another
pity that devilment can't always be
found ont. People all over the county
is disgusted with such treatment Of
Cullen Amerson, who was worth more
than a cow-pen Of the sort OF Vile,
and him now dead, but leaving q
widow and child-0wen," and he
turned directly towards him, 'you
ought to know something about that
will business. You was one of the
witnesses"
"Yes, Gus, l was As for the old
man Amerson not being in his sound
senses, there weren't any sort of doubt
about that"
Nobody denies that; but the ques-
ton is how come he to make such
will, and the question is what he done
with 1t afterwards. Did you know
what was in 1t when you signed itP''
"That didn't, no more than Billy
Lilly and old man Flint, not one
grain"
"Din't you never hear the old man
and Wiley talk anything about it?"
"Well now, GUS" removing the COW
erlet from off his breast, there's such
thing as that a man ought to beruth-
er particular in the way fellow talks
about anything that he wasn't expect
ed to talk at ALL"
"0wen, just right here, before just
me and your mother, you might as
well come down of that high horse,
which it's no occasion for you to be
there at such time and on such a
matter. You know I'm after no mean
ness in trying to git you to say what
you oughtn't You've got to tell some
time in the court house what you
Know. can tell you as friend, that
never tried to do you any harm in your
life, that your telling me what you
know, won't hurt you, and 1t may do
good when it's mighty plain some
good ought to be done If it can be
done"
"Lord, Gus Rschels," he answered,
with some scorn, yet showing that he
felt that he was with his superior, 'sI'm