The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1895-06-21
The QuiCkledge Partners.
By JOHN HABBERT0N.
[copyright, 1895, by the Author. ]

world ana rOWdleS may De IOunu III
many climes, but it is not so easy to
find deacon, scholar, man of the
world and rowdy associated as bust
ness partners. Still harder is it to find
such quartet living peaceably in one
small house and eating their meals
from the same table. Yet Deacon Pur-
kiss, Professor Bagg, Major Wynde and
Joe Backsey were the sole, joint and
equal owners of the Quickledge claim
and resided together in small hut
amicably-blessed be the amenities en-
forced by lucre!-as if they had been
lifelong acquaintance.
The deacon was man of means; the
professor was metallurgist; the major
was an excellent manager and general
business man, while Joe, who original
ly discovered the ''indications" at
Quickledge and disclosed them to his
partners, received one-fourth of the
profits of the concern for services al
ready rendered.
The deacon was extremely religious,
as rightly became deacon; the profess
or was church member in good stand
ing; the major was man of high
moral tone, but Joe was neither moral,
religious nor church member. He was
good natured, generous, brave, healthy,
handsome and according to his own
opinion extremely high toned, but his
ideas of propriety were utterly at vari-
ance with those possessed by his part
ners. He agreed perfectly with them on
general principles, but his ideas of the
application of said principles were Ia
mentable in the extreme. He despised
an indolent man as heartily as did either
the deacon, the major or the professor,
but Joe thought that poker playing for 40
hours ON a stretch was industry of the
most admirable sort. Joe considered
theft an abominable vice, but to help
himself to a horse which some other
rowdy had stolen somewhere was to
him a perfectly legitimate operation.
He agreed with the deacon that murder
was a most horrible crime, but the
earnestness of his depreciation was rath.
er modified by his maintaining that to
shoot man for cheating at cards was
not only all excusable act, but very
necessary one.
Once month the accounts of the
Quickledge claim were settled, and dl-
vision of the profits was made. Three
of the partners deposited their gains in
the Spurtip National bank, but Joe's
were always carried to Slipson's "Pride
of Spurtip" saloon, where they disap.
peared under the influences Of cards and
bottles. During the progress of this
funding operation, which usually con-
sumed from three days to week, Joe's
place at the table remained untitled,
and the deacon's pious ears were untor-
tured by Joe's good natured misapplica-
tion of Scriptural language, but when
his money was gone Joe would return
and lead such an exemplary life that
the deacon could almost believe that
Joe had met with change of heart.
But after several repetitions Of Joe'a
peculiar method of spending the month
the deacon determined that Joe was in
special need of spiritual regeneration.
The deacon spoke to the professor
about it, and the professor agreed with
him. The deacon spoke to the major,
and the major thought that reformation
would work wonders in Joe. Then the
deacon and the professor and the major
discussed the matter together over their
corned beef and beans, and immediately
| there was discernible the first GOODNESS
that had ever existed between the oWn=
ers of Quickledge claim. Why men need
| display their worst passions in defense
of their purest ideals is impossible to
explain. Certain grave authorities have
| declared that it is due to the uninyiteq
presence of the arch enemy of souls,
while there have been shrewd observers
who maintained that an inherited es-
sence called "Old Adam" is the real
cause Be that as it may, it is certain
that the three partners ended the dis
cussion barely in time to avoid bad feel
ing. and that each one understood that
| if Joe was to be turned from the error
of his ways it must be brought about by
the understanding member himself
without any assistance from the other
two.
On the next morning as Joe sat de-
vouring pancakes and molasses long
after his partners had finished their
breakfasts-Joe was always terribly
hungry after his regular monthly snFss
the deacon laid his heavy hand on
Joe's shoulder and sclemnly asked:
"Joseph, how do you expect to es-
oape?"
Joe hastily closed his mouth, dropped
his fork and the segmepts Of cakes in.
| paled thereon, reached for hatchet and
looked hastily about him.
"Not from q mortal enemy, / don 4
mean," said the deacon. ~ think SO
much of you, Joseph, that I'd knock
saoA o one down in the name of the
Lord fore said anything 'bopt if. I
mean from the devil-the enemy of
your SOUL"
"Ohp' said Joe, looking relieved and
resuming operations with knife and
fork.
u irhs wicked shall be turned into
hell, says the good book, Joseph, u con-
tinued the deacon.
Reckon I'd see most of my old
'quaintances eff went thar, " remarked
Joe quite cheerfully as he poured mo-
lasses on fresh plate of cakes.
"'Their worm dieth not, ana the fire
is not quenched, " said the deacon.
"Does that refer to the worm they
use in distillin whisky, pardner?" in
a4ired Joe, pushing back his empty
| plate.
The deacon gFoaned.
" 'Tain't no use wastin yer powder
an hall oarduar - continuad Ioa in