The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1895-05-04

the door. Don't IL look nice. Benz"
said she. looking up. ~ allus did
think I'd like TO haze hand I'm cleanip'
II, fur he've got nice furniture"
''How be he to-day?v asked Ben.
"Oh! he be terrible low to-day, sayin'
as how this yere illness 'ull eat up all
his savin's; and when he do get better.
he'll hev no work 10 do, andll have TO
goo to house."
why's that?" asked Ben, grumpily.
"Why, he means fur sure ms you'll
hsv got all las custom by then"
"Hov interjected Ben, with very
cross expression.
lit do sim funny" continued Mrs
Crecth, ito think how you've bin
gwine on so many year about that pore
old man comm and talsin' your work,
as you said; and TO think now as II he'd
never come. you'd hev TO hev drove
that bull yourself, and got knocked
down and injured yourself. stead o.
pore Harry, and killed, belilel II do
sim funny. for surel But, there; must
goo and make him some broth; he Sims
70 fancy IL, like"
Ben walked slowly away, looked
frowningly at the ground; then sud-
denly wheeled round and walked de-
terminedly or TO Henry Legges door.
He went straight up the stairs, and
raped firmly at the door at the top.
''Come in" called Henry. He was
sitting up la bed with an astonished
air, for he had heard the tap of Ben's
leg on the stair.
"Wun, Harry, how be You today?"
asked Ben, awlxwardly.
Nicely, thank ye," replied Henry,
too much amazed 10 remember how he
was.
An uncomfortable pause ensued; then
Henry asked: "Wull We take chair?"
remembering his manners. as he after
wards said-''fur seeing him come in
like that, was all struck o. n heap"
thank ye.r replied Ben, sitting
down and turning his stick about in
his hand. ties uncommon hot fur
this time o. year." he observed.
''Sure. yes, it bel" replied Henry.
Then there was another pause, which
Ben broke abruptly; "My missis says
as how you be frettin', thinl1in' as be
gettin' hold o. your work. Now, look
here, Henery Legge," he went on en-
phatically. bringing his stick down on
the ground. II sticks to it Il allus
has, and allus shall) as you'd no bust
ness TO come here, where I'd been so
many year, affrontin me by taxin my
trade. What you OF 20 hev done 'ud "a
bin TO come to me and say; Mr.. creeth.
OWN TO me heven lost my arm. there
bain't a-many things can turn to; so,
IL you've no objection, well goo into
partynership' That's what you OF TO
hev done; but then you didn't--'tis
true, you and mes haed words now
and agin; but IL you thinks as I'd take
a penny as OF TO come TO you, you be
mistools-that's all I've got TO sayl
You be mis- took. 'ris true, I've took
your work sim you've bin led by; but
I've put every ha'porth o IL by" Here
Ben began TO dive in his pocket, and
with some difficulty brought out lit
tie leather bag. out of which he turned
small heap OF coins on TO the bed.
"And here 1t be- he continued, tri-
umphantly; "and I'll be bothered If
I'd touched penny o. it If I'd bin
starvinT"
Il wun't touch IL, ncyther," said
Henry, stubbornly, shaking with ex-
element
"Now, don't We be foolish and obsti-
nate ---now. don't we, now" said Ben in
almost pleading accents, "you take IL
now, and twill be all fair and square,
as the sayin' be-"
'No, 'twun't; l wun't tonch it," re-
peated Henry.
There. / never lxnow'd no one so
contrary rs you be- said Ben. II tel
lee"-getting ngry-''as wun't touch
it."
"And l tellce as / wun'tl" said
Henry.
Ben turned red with wrath; then. as
he looked at Henrys changed face,
with its hollow eyes and thin, wan
checks, his anger left him.
"Wull, then, we wun't say no more
about 1t now" he said, patiently; "but
think over what said about you and
me bein partners. You sees how
handy 'twould be IL one o. us be i'll,
t'other can do his work; or Il ons's got
more wurlS at one time nor he knows
how to do, there be t'other TO help
him; or IL either on us wants TO goo a
days pleasuren wis missis or friend,
why, there we be-"
1T hev acrossed my mind afore new"
allowed Henry.
There. nowl II you've atho't o. It,
and I've atho't o 1t, why, there it's
now. You and NELL strike bargain
that wen let bygoncs be bygones; and
wen get my missis TO write out paper
You OF 20 allus have third party to
write ous such matters" The truth
was Ben could only sign his name.
"Well put II like this yere; i. Benja-
min Creeth, and Henry Legge, two poor,
but honest men, both OF this parish, be
gwinc to goo into partnership and
then Wen say II anybody has anything
to say agen it, they be TO declare II. or
be for evermore TO silent; and then
we'll sign our names 10 un." Ben
hitched HIS chair nearor the bed In his
excitement. And I'll tell a what tits: